If you’re familiar with my blog, then you know that my one and only daughter, Katie, is spending 2 months is Swaziland, South Africa this summer. I posted about it HERE, when I was still nervous, and she was still fund raising. Then I posted HERE when the fund raising was over… She has just passed the half way mark, so I thought it might be fitting to post about it…
I thought we would not be able to communicate with her, at least not often, but to my pleasant surprise, we have been able to “chat” on facebook about once a week. Her team is keeping a BLOG, although they don’t get to post much, and one of the girls in her group has the international phone plan, that works occasionally, so I also get a random text once in a while. This morning, I was blessed to get some “face time” with her because she was able to use an ipad and was in a South African mall with wifi… So, needless to say, my worrying has been at a minimum.
Her updates have been wonderful, and I can hear her excitement even in the words she types. They are staying in a homestead in Swaziland. There is no running water or any modern conveniences. She has mentioned a time or two her grievance over not having real toilets, or showers. They use baby wipes, and buckets of well water to clean with. I’ve been instructed to have the tub cleaned and ready for her when she gets home.
She loves the people and her team. The scenery is breathtaking and the children are her joy. They work at “care-points” each day, feeding and caring for the children in the surrounding communities. They have found several places to just help where needed, and they are always thinking of how to make a lasting impact.
She has been trapped in the shower shack (see the picture) by a heard of cows. They have had some things stolen, by the cow herder. He got caught, and fired, so everything was returned, but they woke to a dead cow in the front yard the next day. So, since there is no refrigerators, they had the pleasure of watching the cow get cut up, and passed around. Her exact words were ‘EW Gross!”
They went into a mental hospital, which was more of a hospital for the demon possessed. It was the most terrifying thing she has ever experienced. They managed to pray, and then get out, but it has stuck with them. Katie told me today that she has planned a “Joshua” attack… since they can’t go back in the hospital, they will walk around it and pray till the ‘strong hold” comes down. Prayers from here would be welcomed too…
They have been on safari, and have visited the mall. They have fallen in love with the sweet bread that is sold through the jail-like bars on the windows of the stores throughout the area. For the 4th of July they went to a party in South Africa… she said she hadn’t seen that many white people in one place since she got over there, and it actually felt weird. The food hasn’t been as bad as she feared and she misses chocolate more than anything…
One of the things she has learned is how simple sharing Christ really is. She was preparing to say and do all the right things… And when it came down to it, she didn’t have to really say much, if anything at all. She has been ministered to as much, if not more, then the people she is serving.
I must say, before she went, she had been living in a big city, doing the city life college thing. I was concerned that maybe her heart wasn’t ready for such a big adventure. Wow. I love being wrong sometimes. Really.
Please keep her and the team in your prayers! Thank you!