Heading home today. Thankful for all God has taught us. Grateful to soon be home with Les. Please pray for Gene’. It will be a hard day. She loves her life here and has made home. She sees the excitement of the days to come, but mourns the loss of what is family, friends and the familiar here. Also pray for the children of the missionaries. They have found Gene’ to be a close friend and life line. They will need extra prayers for God to send someone who will be here long term to be there for them as a young adult mentor. I love that Gene’ has written each of them encouraging them. My heart hurts for them as one more person leaves their lives for a while. Much to rejoice over, but much to pray for as well.

How do you pack a year of your life into 2 suitcases? If you answered by leaving much behind you are exactly right. I have loved my daughter’s heart as she leaves things behind thinking of the next person who will occupy her space. She has left medicines in case they get sick, a Tide stain remover knowing they will need to be on the go, and candles for the days when the electricity goes out as well as many other things to make this flat a home. Her heart of mercy pleases this momma to no end.

Today was not a wasted day of ministry either as she completed several projects. Even Ruth got to paint with her. I on the other hand did what any mom would do. I deep cleaned her flat, moving beds and furniture to prepare the room for the next missionary who will come in the next couple of days. Even now there is another mother hoping her daughter or son will have everything they need.

In the morning we will clean out the refrigerator and deliver many odds and ends. We will have lunch at Gene’s favorite eatery then prepare to go to the airport. We leave knowing it is only a matter of time until we come back. The best really is yet to come!!!!! I can’t wait to bring some of you guys with us to love many wonderful children and adults! Get ready there is much to do.

What a great day of ministry again. We drove to a care point about 2 hours away in the mountains. The views were breathtakingly beautiful. You know it is high when your ears are popping as you go up and down the mountains. The first half of the trip was on black top, or on tar as they say here in Swazi. The second half was on a bumpy, twisty, dusty unpaved road. We were stopped by a parade of cows and had to wait our turn as they processed down the way. We even stopped dead in the center of the road at one point and took a beautiful picture of the country side and not one vehicle was in sight. The most beautiful sight of all was a small care point in the middle of nowhere that had children running and playing around it. We interrupted a little boys’ soccer game to get into the fenced in area. They forgave us and resumed their play. We gather inside the small building there with 3 women who cook 7 days a week for 350 children.

The care point has a church that is affiliated with it. The pastor and his wife are from a neighboring African country and have felt called to Swaziland to be missionaries. They have faced many spiritual battles as they have served at the care point. We were so blessed to share time in God’s word with the ladies. Ruth shared from Jeremiah 29:11-13. She reminded each lady that God had a purpose for her life. Though we may not feel what we are doing is very important and may even be tired and struggling at times. God is doing a great work through each of us. The ladies were greatly encouraged by God’s word. One of the sweetest parts of our visit was when the ladies sang about God’s worthiness. Instruments were not needed. The sweet tones of their voices made beautiful music. I know the Father was very pleased. We ended our time with the ladies by praying for them and asking God to strengthen them as they serve. We turned around for the 2 hour trip home but it seemed much shorter as we remembered the sweet time in the Lord we had just experienced.

Jeremiah 29:11-13  ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

To borrow a phrase from my mother, “My tail feathers are dragging.” Lol For those who don’t speak southern, that means I am tired.

We fed what seemed like the 5000 today. We started the morning feeding the Swazi national staff. We took donuts and fresh fruit to their team meeting. This was only their second week in their new team house, so we brought the pens, pencils and plastic bags that we had collected to the staff to help stock their office pantry. Then we were off to take material to the Timbali Crafts ladies. We helped inspect the bags each woman had made for quality control. Some of you should be dying out laughing because neither Ruth, Gene’ nor I are seamstresses, but we are now proficient at determining whether the seam is straight and even on both sides of the bag. lol

Then we provided what the ladies call “chicken dust” for lunch. It is really a half of a grilled chicken, salad and a heavy white corn that looks like grits but is called pap. The ladies did a dance when they heard we were bringing the chicken. I also had the privilege of sharing a devotion time with the ladies. I encouraged each woman with James 5:16 to pray for the woman that will carry the bag she works on each time she sews. I asked them to pray for the lady’s salvation and for her walk with the Lord. I also told them of the wonderful women who have bought their bags that I know and how our ladies go on the internet to see the face of the woman who made her bag. They were so thankful for the prayers each lady had prayed for them.

Our afternoon concluded with Gene’ teaching a group of the Swazi staff ladies to learn how to paint. Each lady feasted on Cajun chicken and rice and then painted a beautiful abstract of a tree. The girls were very excited and impressed with themselves to see that they could create something of great beauty.

Though there are 6000 children who come to the care points daily to be fed there are relatively few adults who make it possible. Today we touched the lives of the adults who give daily to the care and provision of these children. To be able to give to them whether physically or even emotionally by speaking words of affirmation and praise was such a privilege and joy. In a couple of days we will go back to the States, but these staff members will dive back in to serving tirelessly. I am grateful today that we were able to give to the givers in Jesus name.

Please pray for them and for us as we go in the morning to another care point and minister to another group of people who need fresh hope and encouragement.

Thank you again for praying.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.