Hello everyone from Africa! I am still alive and well! I normally had planned to write these on Sundays which I still might write one this week on Sunday but for some reason I felt the need to write one today. We have been spending our time in Manzini this week which is another city in Swaziland. We spent the first part of the week just walking around and exploring the city. Today we went to a bible study where many of the missionaries go to and a few Afri-Kans go to. I just wanted to write about that today and say I was impressed by this bible study. The women who were part of the small group were so transparent with each other. It was so refreshing. The woman who was assigned I guess to lead the group today just opened up at the end of the message and began to share a struggle that she had in her life. The women of this group just sat and listened to her and one at one point went and sat with her and began to comfort her heart. The other women began to give this lady encouragement and bits of truth from the Word. It was just so refreshing and cool to watch. It was not a bible study though it was full of missionaries about missions but it was honestly about the Word of God. It was just so cool because in 2007 I went to a Passion event which was there I began to really feel the Lord calling me into missions. I otld the Lord I would go anywhere for Him but Africa. It was a video from this Passion it was the Beth Moore portion of the speech that we watched but still it was so cool. I thought what are the odds that we would use this video and the video would come from an Afri-Kan lady here not even an American lady. It was just so cool how the Lord worked that out. During the study it was so cool because we began to talk aobut how we have many plans in our lives but yet we need to humble ourselves to God’s plan. Beth moore said something very profound she said there are many times the Lord will call us to something and it will be something out of our comfort zone and it is not going to be something which is easy and many times it is something we just have to keep pressing on to get through. It was just so refreshing to hear that. How we need to learn to humble ourselves or humus which means earth. She said it meant we needed to place our knees on the earth and start praying from there and realize who we are in the Kingdom of God. It is just real cool because this week I have also been learning about how wretched we are but yet the Lord still pursues our hearts. We are filthy sinners but yet the Lord still pursues us to righteousness. It is just so cool to me how cool God is.
This has nothing to do with what I was talking about but after the study we went to a gas station. At the gas station here they have gas attendants and the gas attendants fill up your gas for you. Then they check the tire pressure of your tires and place air in them if they are needed. Then they also use the window cleaner and clean your windows. I thought to myself how cool is this! I also got to try some chocolate from here today and it was amazing can I just say! This is just a little bit of information I wanted share of something I saw today.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Why is Africa so cold?
Hello everyone!
I am alive and well in Africa! No I have not been eaten by any wild animals or anything else which would eat me here! no, I am not burning up nor do I have a nice tan yet it is actually quite the opposite here. We are in the mountains which by the way is absolutely gorgeous especially when the sun sets and rises. This pass week has been a week of learning the culture and starting to learn the basics of language. We learned things such as the proper way of handshakes and greetings. We also learned that they do not date here but you have special significant others that you are seeing which I thought was quite interesting. We also got to go out into the city. Swazialnd is known for there beautiful candles and glass and we got to go to both a candle and glass factory and watch them make both of these items. It was really cool and it is really pretty! We also have gotten to go to the market which was quite interesting in itself! Then to top the week off we went to a Swazi church yesterday. It was really interesting though i did not really understand much becuase it was all done in Siswati. My partner and I got to go to the front of the church and introduce ourselves and the work we are doing here to the church with a translator of course. It was really cool because the church just meets in a little cinder building. You sit on wooden benches for church and the place was very full and it a service full of clapping and singing. These people can sing. It was really cool. The church went for like hours, we got there around 11 and did not leave til like 2. It was really good. Well, I have to go for now! Thanks all you for your prayers and encouragement!
I am alive and well in Africa! No I have not been eaten by any wild animals or anything else which would eat me here! no, I am not burning up nor do I have a nice tan yet it is actually quite the opposite here. We are in the mountains which by the way is absolutely gorgeous especially when the sun sets and rises. This pass week has been a week of learning the culture and starting to learn the basics of language. We learned things such as the proper way of handshakes and greetings. We also learned that they do not date here but you have special significant others that you are seeing which I thought was quite interesting. We also got to go out into the city. Swazialnd is known for there beautiful candles and glass and we got to go to both a candle and glass factory and watch them make both of these items. It was really cool and it is really pretty! We also have gotten to go to the market which was quite interesting in itself! Then to top the week off we went to a Swazi church yesterday. It was really interesting though i did not really understand much becuase it was all done in Siswati. My partner and I got to go to the front of the church and introduce ourselves and the work we are doing here to the church with a translator of course. It was really cool because the church just meets in a little cinder building. You sit on wooden benches for church and the place was very full and it a service full of clapping and singing. These people can sing. It was really cool. The church went for like hours, we got there around 11 and did not leave til like 2. It was really good. Well, I have to go for now! Thanks all you for your prayers and encouragement!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my blog aobut my adventures through Africa. For those who do not know I will be leaving June 15 and coming back Dec 15th. i have called my site what i ahve called it because in SiSwati that means friend. I am hoping by going to Swaziland to befriend people who have lost all but hope and show them the hope and love of Christ which is why i called it friend. I only found it fitting....Well, i am a little less than two months and are starting to get ready to finish up here at Liberty so I can set my focus on Africa! I ask you all contiune to pray and just pray the Lord provides. I am going ot place a copy of my letter on here below. also below is a video of somewhat of what i will be encountering it is not a video from the IMB so it may be different but I am sure somewhat similar. Okay, well I love you all! Heather
my Support letter
Dear Family and Friends,
Hello! I pray this letter finds you doing well. Signs of spring are starting to show here at Lynchburg and with that, hopefully the warm weather will soon follow. I want to start off this letter by telling you a story. Three years ago I went to a conference for college students called Passion. It was at this conference that Louie Giglio spoke about the people of Heaven and who was going to be there. He spoke about the need to go "harvest" people for Heaven, for if we don't, there were will be people missing. It was through this message that the Holy Spirit began to lead my heart into missions. I told the Lord at this event I would go anywhere and do anything for him, except go to Africa. I am convinced the Lord just laughed at my "negotiation". It has been over the past two years through a series of events that the Lord has given me a burning passion and has broken my heart many times for the people of Africa. Well, as many of you know, this is my last semester here at Liberty and the Lord has given me an amazing opportunity through Liberty to do my internship with the people I have been praying for and have had a heart for. The Lord has opened a door for me through the International Mission Board to go to Swaziland, Africa to work, live, and minister alongside the people for six months (June 15th-Dec 15th), teaching HIV/AIDS prevention and the True Love Waits program.
Swaziland, Africa is interlocked within South Africa and North of Mozambique. It is a country that has been stricken by the HIV/AIDS virus. In 2009, the World Health Organization deemed it a pandemic in Swaziland, saying Swaziland has one of the highest death rates in the world of HIV/AIDS and as a result, Swaziland has one smallest life expectancy rates in the world. If this continues, whole people groups may eventually become nonexistent. I am excited to say I have a chance to be an answer to the problem.
You can also help be a part of the answer by ministering alongside of me. In order to go first and foremost, I am going to need prayer support. I have learned since being here at Liberty that prayer is one of the most important necessities in the life of a person in ministry. I ask you all too please be in prayer. Second, you can also be part of this ministry by helping me to go financially. In order to go for six months, I am going to need to raise $2900 by June 1st. This amount will completely support me for six months. It covers my transportation there and back, training/debriefing, food, lodging, health insurance, and whatever else I may need. I know these are trying times, but I also know the Lord promises in Philippians 4:19: He will be the great provider.
If you would like to join me in my mission by giving financially, you can send money/checks to Cornerstone Baptist Church 1543 Anderson Hwy Hartwell, GA 30643. If you write a check, please do not place my name on the check but make it out to Cornerstone Baptist Church and in the memo line write Swaziland project. This is done in order to make it tax deductible and they are ones who have been put in charge of keeping up with the financial part. I promise all support that comes in will go towards this trip.
I want to thank you all in advance! I pray that the Lord continues to bless you all! I have faith the Lord is going to provide. I truly do believe this trip is of the Lord for I have seen his hand on it since the beginning. I just now ask if you will be a part of it with me. While there, I am going to have a blog. If you would like to follow my journey the address is http://changetheworldafrica.blogspot.com/. Thank you all again!
In HIS name,
Heather
Luke 10:2
Welcome to my blog aobut my adventures through Africa. For those who do not know I will be leaving June 15 and coming back Dec 15th. i have called my site what i ahve called it because in SiSwati that means friend. I am hoping by going to Swaziland to befriend people who have lost all but hope and show them the hope and love of Christ which is why i called it friend. I only found it fitting....Well, i am a little less than two months and are starting to get ready to finish up here at Liberty so I can set my focus on Africa! I ask you all contiune to pray and just pray the Lord provides. I am going ot place a copy of my letter on here below. also below is a video of somewhat of what i will be encountering it is not a video from the IMB so it may be different but I am sure somewhat similar. Okay, well I love you all! Heather
my Support letter
Dear Family and Friends,
Hello! I pray this letter finds you doing well. Signs of spring are starting to show here at Lynchburg and with that, hopefully the warm weather will soon follow. I want to start off this letter by telling you a story. Three years ago I went to a conference for college students called Passion. It was at this conference that Louie Giglio spoke about the people of Heaven and who was going to be there. He spoke about the need to go "harvest" people for Heaven, for if we don't, there were will be people missing. It was through this message that the Holy Spirit began to lead my heart into missions. I told the Lord at this event I would go anywhere and do anything for him, except go to Africa. I am convinced the Lord just laughed at my "negotiation". It has been over the past two years through a series of events that the Lord has given me a burning passion and has broken my heart many times for the people of Africa. Well, as many of you know, this is my last semester here at Liberty and the Lord has given me an amazing opportunity through Liberty to do my internship with the people I have been praying for and have had a heart for. The Lord has opened a door for me through the International Mission Board to go to Swaziland, Africa to work, live, and minister alongside the people for six months (June 15th-Dec 15th), teaching HIV/AIDS prevention and the True Love Waits program.
Swaziland, Africa is interlocked within South Africa and North of Mozambique. It is a country that has been stricken by the HIV/AIDS virus. In 2009, the World Health Organization deemed it a pandemic in Swaziland, saying Swaziland has one of the highest death rates in the world of HIV/AIDS and as a result, Swaziland has one smallest life expectancy rates in the world. If this continues, whole people groups may eventually become nonexistent. I am excited to say I have a chance to be an answer to the problem.
You can also help be a part of the answer by ministering alongside of me. In order to go first and foremost, I am going to need prayer support. I have learned since being here at Liberty that prayer is one of the most important necessities in the life of a person in ministry. I ask you all too please be in prayer. Second, you can also be part of this ministry by helping me to go financially. In order to go for six months, I am going to need to raise $2900 by June 1st. This amount will completely support me for six months. It covers my transportation there and back, training/debriefing, food, lodging, health insurance, and whatever else I may need. I know these are trying times, but I also know the Lord promises in Philippians 4:19: He will be the great provider.
If you would like to join me in my mission by giving financially, you can send money/checks to Cornerstone Baptist Church 1543 Anderson Hwy Hartwell, GA 30643. If you write a check, please do not place my name on the check but make it out to Cornerstone Baptist Church and in the memo line write Swaziland project. This is done in order to make it tax deductible and they are ones who have been put in charge of keeping up with the financial part. I promise all support that comes in will go towards this trip.
I want to thank you all in advance! I pray that the Lord continues to bless you all! I have faith the Lord is going to provide. I truly do believe this trip is of the Lord for I have seen his hand on it since the beginning. I just now ask if you will be a part of it with me. While there, I am going to have a blog. If you would like to follow my journey the address is http://changetheworldafrica.blogspot.com/. Thank you all again!
In HIS name,
Heather
Luke 10:2
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