The closest thing to heaven has to be when you are worshiping with believers from around the world. Today we had a taste of heaven and God was so good to have an amazing translator who translated everything spoken in Saswati so we could understand. As our brothers and sisters sang in both languages we all knew the presence of the Lord. My favorite song kept repeating “Oh how I love Him.” My heart swelled with love for the Lord and just a reverent awe that He would allow me to be a part of such a special time of worship.

The pastor preached on how we are all adopted as sons of God and how He had a plan for us from the foundation of the world. I nearly shouted out in praise when the pastor led us to Judges chapter 11 where the story of Jephthah is told. That is the story we had read this week in our daily reading. He quoted almost word for word what I had written in my devotion about God choosing His leaders regardless of their backgrounds or heritage. He chooses us because He chooses us. We are not chosen because we are the best or the greatest. The pastor talked about many of the people not even knowing who their parents were. Many have been rejected by their families just as Jephthah was. But God accepts us because of what Jesus has done for us. Hallelujah! What a great reminder to all of us that God loves us and has a purpose for our lives.

After the service we walked across the bumpy dirt road for a fat cake and cold coke Swazi style. Gene’ smiled with great pride as she showed us how she “survived” in the hut those 2 months. lol We came back this evening to get Cindy to the airport for her return flight. Please be praying for her for safe travel and that she get the rest needed. She returns to work Tuesday. Ruth and I will be here with Gene’ until Thursday evening and then we will return.

Tomorrow has lots of plans for ministry. We will be providing breakfast to the Swazi national staff in the morning. Then at lunch we will provide “chicken dust” for the Timbali crafts ladies and will be having a devotion time with them. In the evening we will be having a sips and strokes painting party with the ladies on staff. So as you can see it will be a full day. Please continue to pray.

We headed out with material, scissors, needles and thread this morning to visit 2 care points where young girls are making headbands to sell through Timbali Crafts and raise money for their school tuition and uniform. Each girl chose carefully her material. Then they assisted one another to cut from a pattern 2 headbands. With nimble fingers and good eyes they threaded the needles and set to work stitching. Those who had come the week before turned in their finished products and one of the Swazi staff members inspected. She would stretch the headband to make sure it was constructed correctly. She would eye each stitch to make sure it was done to her specifications. At the end she would either accept or deny their products with words of encouragement of how they could improve or affirming their good work.

One girl from Thulwane turned in the most beautiful headbands. Each edge was ironed and steamed to make sure they laid appropriately. She had meticulously measured and sewn her band. One of the staff turned to me and said, “She always produces things of excellence.” You could tell she took pride in her work and her smile matched the effort she had put in.

The verse I shared with the girls today was Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do in word or deed do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” She lived up to this verse as she gave her best to her craft. I challenged each girl to remember not just to make a beautiful piece but to pray for the young girl who would wear it. I thought about how this mission is really a circle. We are praying for the girls who are coming to learn about Jesus and create a craft of beauty to sell. While they are praying for the ones who will purchase the product when we get back to America knowing some may not know Jesus. Isn’t God just like that? Reminding us to always live giving and doing our best to His glory so that others may come to know Him.

Please keep praying for the young ladies from Timbutini and Thulwane care points as they learn more about Jesus and a craft that could provide for them the rest of their lives.

Over the last few months Gene’ has been meeting with a group of high school students at one of the care points. Each time they met they studied God’s word together and shared special times memorizing scripture. Today we were a part of the study time. She asked each one to quote the verse they had learned the week before. Each child quoted the verse. They were a little timid at first, but in time every one of the students had quoted the verse and received a sweet (candy).

Gene’ told the students, as a gift for being such devoted students of the Word and for learning their verses each week, we had a gift for each of them.  She gave each child their own bible. I wish you could have seen them as they flipped through each page with interest and awe. Then Gene’ asked them to turn to Revelation 22:7.

As each child turned the pages of their bible they laughed when she said, “Just go to the end. It will be easier to find.” With a ruffle of laughter they turned their bibles to that page. Then she read “And behold I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” She reminded them of the importance of obeying God’s Word and learning it. She encouraged them to continue to memorize verses. At the end she had the students write down the things they had learned. Each child wrote many of the verses they had learned along with words of encouragement about how their lives had been changed.

What a great reminder to me that what our missionaries are doing here is much more than just feeding 6,000 orphans. They are leading them to know God’s word and live by it daily. That is why it is so important that we pour into the lives of those who are here long term. It is also a great reminder that for those who are sponsoring a long term missionary your giving is not in vain.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please keep them coming. Pray also for Mark and Allison, Steve and Amy, Julie, Kriek and Jumbo the full time missionary staff here and the many Swazi nationals who assist them on a daily basis not just to supply food, but the Word of God to the people of this country.

Today we went back to Thulwane care point. What rush of emotions stole my heart. The children were not there, but just to see it brought great joy.

I was taken back to see gardens everywhere. Last time I came to Swazi we planted the first garden there. The ground had been tilled and we plant by plant set out the first of what would one day be enough food to feed the children at the care point. My eyes filled with joyous tears today to see stalks where corn had been. Withered and drying up plants where potatoes and squash had been. There were even signs of fresh plants growing and the very field we had started with two years ago were freshly turned for the next crop.

Oh how my heart swelled, but it was nothing compared to the joy I felt when I saw Mnomsa the gogo walking down the dusty road to meet us. We greeted her with huge hugs and words of joy and appreciation for all she had done to make the care point live. She quickly hollered at the children from her homestead to come. They turned out quickly. All 12 to 16 of them. As well as the children from Love’s house just up the road. So many familiar smiles and beautiful growing up children. We were over joyed! They greeted us with hugs and of course wanting to hold our hands and be right next to us. Ruth even held one of the little ones for the duration of our visit. It is easy to fall in love with this bunch!

Mnomsa proudly showed off the new gardens, the new cooking structure, the greatly used preschool building, and she was most proud of the corn they had harvested and dried from the garden. She explained that green leafy vegetables were coming shortly to redo the original garden for the coming season. She bragged on the sweet potatoes they are now able to grow year around thanks to the new plots of garden. We were so blown away! Then her proudest moment of all came when she displayed the two big trophies the children at Thulwane had won in the competition between the care points for music, poetry and art.

She posed for several pictures, so when I get home get ready! There will be many! Westwood family, you would be so proud of how your investments have paid off in a HUGE way! I am so proud of what God is multiplying through your efforts over the last several years. Only heaven will really reveal the dividends your investments have made.

As always the children gave us a precious gift of a song before we left. I have it on video, and yes you can expect to see it when I return. My greatest joy was knowing that the same heavenly Father that has cared for me and my family over the last few years is the same one who holds these special souls in His hand. He is so faithful and it is evident in the smiles on the faces of the children and adults. It is so evident in their physical health and the fact that none of them look hungry anymore. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to those who have invested and loved these children even from afar.

God is doing a great work! Keep praying.

A lion pride is an amazing sight. We started our day as the sun was rising going on a game drive through a national park here in Swazi. We were greeted by 3 female lions, a male and a cub. We spotted them first through super tall grass. Our driver sped around the field they were in and we arrived at their watering hole just in time to view them come to the water for a cool drink. We were awestruck! As we watched with our hearts beating super fast we observed the protective nature of the father. He lapped his water then came the closest to us making a rumbling sound that would make the hair on your arms stand on end. As I viewed the beauty of these animals and really appreciated the power each had I was speechless!

To think that our heavenly Father truly is the Lion of Judah and He cares for us even more than this father lion cares for his family. He protects us and is much more fierce than the greatest and most powerful animal known to men. Praise the Lord!

This afternoon we visited a wonderful care point and painted with the children. As I saw these children I thought about the cub this morning. The lions surrounded this little one providing every thing it needed. Oh how my heart hurt for the children at the care point many of whom have no parent to care for them. I praise the Lord that He knows them. He loves them. He knows they need adults like us to minister.

Please keep praying as we love like He does and see all that He has in store!

From Page:

“We made it to Swazi!!!!!

We are so thankful for all of the prayers. It was the best flight I have ever had all of the way here. Thank you to all of you who prayed us here. We are well rested or at least as well as you can be after this long a trip. We are also finding our way here.

Ruth is driving a stick shift on the the wrong side of the road. Lol Big time prayers needed! We will be debriefing this afternoon and having a cultural meeting today. Let the party begin!

Thank you again for your prayers. Please keep them coming!”