Jeremiah
17:7-8

But
blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and
confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that
reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried
about long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they go right on
producing delicious fruit.

Since the moment I crossed the border into
Swaziland, my eyes were captivated by the display of creation. The streets are
bordered with collection of colorful flowers, only appearing as frosting to
the olive mountains that stand tall in the background. That's what the body of
Christ should resemble. The Swazi heat is unbearable to most of us, but the
trees here aren't bothered by it, for they know the rain will soon refresh
their roots, allowing them to continually flourish, that they may bear many
flora and fruits. I very much desire to trust the Lord in this way, taking
heart at the most difficult moments. It is so easy to proclaim your hope in God,
but to live each day as if it is true is another story. The battle stretches
and challenges me to the core. It is a race very much worth the fruit that
proceeds. As I run towards the finish line I'm faced with the devil's hurdles,
persuading me to turn back. Rather than turning around with the plan of
quitting, I look back to see the amount of succulent fruit that has already
been harvested. Christ has proven His victory, and I am endlessly reminded of
that as I run the reel of my life. So here'some fruit to taste.

 

 Another ministry site that has taken a
piece of my heart is the local gas station. This place seriously has been
anointed by God. The team had discussed forming below the surface relations
with the nearby stores before we arrived we came to Swaziland and it's been
awesome to see that vision fulfilled. It began at my first visit to the station
where I met Thandie. She is the sweetest woman and has such a pure heart. We
quickly adopted her as our Swazi Gogo. Most of our time with her is hearing
stories of her hardships and her relentless trust in the Lord through them. She
is such a hard-working woman, desiring to support her family in any means
possible. She works 6 days a week, the mornings at the nearby gas station and
the afternoon at ours. In her spare time she also knits everything from
slippers to sweater vests. This hobby is also another way of earning money.
Wool is pretty expensive here so one of my teammates is having her
grandmother's closet stash sent here for Thandie. This woman has touched my
heart so much since being here. The Holy Spirit has also pulled us to several
other employees at the gas station. One of them is a 24 year old man named
Sizwe. His passion and hunger for God has been so evident since the first time
we met him. Our conversations have centered on how to be a light in a country
such as Swaziland, the exact thing these people need to be discipled for. So
encouraging and being encouraged by him is so amazing. The boys on our team are
hoping to meet him also so that a stronger connection with him can be made.
Since the gas station is on the way to most of our ministry sites, I often
visit and get caught in an hour of spirit-driven discussion.