Prologue: How my shrewd souvenir shopping affected this year's trip

I've said it many times: whenever I have traveled on mission trips the thing I miss the most is my wife (ok, she's not a thing, but I miss her more than any other person, place or thing).

You see, my wife works in a small oral surgery office, and they are usually very busy in the summer. I have tried in the past to get her to go with me to Swaziland, to no avail. This year I didn't even ask her if she wanted to go; I didn't want her to feel pressured between what I wanted and what her job demanded. But I really wanted her to come with me.

Fortunately, last time I was there without her, I bought her this bag.  It's a nice bag, isn't it?  I bought it in the Manzini market in 2012.  And indirectly, it was the bag that was responsible for my wife's decision to join the team this year.

You see, earlier this year (Jan-Feb) she took a class to learn Windows (the Microsoft operating system, not the glass panes). She took this bag with her to class to carry her notebook and such, and her teacher asked about it. When she told her that it was from Africa and her husband (that's me!) brought it home from a mission trip, the teacher was intrigued.  She said she had always wanted to go on a mission trip. So my wife invited her to come to this year's exploratory meeting (a meeting for those who are interested but not committed to going).

Well, the teacher didn't end up going, but after the exploratory meeting, my wife got to thinking that maybe she would like to go.  Eventually (and with no undue prodding on my part, although I did pray a lot behind her back) she decided she wanted to go and took up the matter with her boss.  While he wasn't thrilled at losing his favorite assistant (that is not hyperbole) for two weeks, he did support her decision to go.

I can't tell you how great is was having my wife with me on the trip this year, but I'll try in the posts to come!

My Swaziland Webmoir 2013

What a sad little, neglected blog this is. I didn't post anything leading up to this summer's trip, and now it's over. Yes, I returned from Swaziland today. So this year, instead of a daily log of my activities leading up to and through the trip, I will be posting a more of a memoir of my trip. So if a web log is shortened to "blog," then I suppose this is my "bmemoir." Hmm, maybe "webmoir" is better. Well, I don't think that either term is going to catch on.

S a f e l y l a n d e d i n S o u t h A f r i c a .   N o w b o a r d i n g a b u s f o r S w a z i l a n d .

Getting ready to go.

Today I am packing and tying up loose ends at home in preparation for my trip. I leave tomorrow at 5:00 am. We will depart from our church in North Philly and take a bus to JFK. The it's a long plane ride (16-18 hours) to Johannesburg SA an then a 6 hour bus ride to Swaziland. Please pray for traveling mercies.

Return to Swaziland

You can leave Africa, but Africa will never leave you!
I have left Africa three times. But Africa does have a way of staying with me. And I find myself drawn there in my prayers, in my thoughts, in actions I take here, and inevitably, in a desire to return.
I had hoped to return to Africa last summer. Unfortunately, my motorcycle crash prevented my traveling there with the summer team. This summer, I plan to return.
The school that Swaziland Relief has been working on for the past five years is nearly completed. There are about ten locations where the local church that we partner with has planted daughter churches. We will visit them all and bring relief supplies that we gathered and shipped in a cargo container in mid-May. We will hold free clinics. We will visit an orphanage and hopefully lay the groundwork to begin the sponsorship of orphans in Swaziland. And we will pray with and encourage and comfort our African brothers and sisters.
Personally, I will be meeting up with Mancoba, a young Swazi whom I have been sponsoring for college. And, of course, I will probably be bringing my puppets to use to tell stories to the children.
I am looking for partners who will keep me and my team in your thoughts and prayers. We have numerous details to work out, training to complete, and support to raise. Also, I’d appreciate any and all prayers for our health and safety as we travel to and in Swaziland from July 7th through the 22nd.
Finally, if you would like to contribute to this summer's mission, you can do so at the Swaziland Relief website.

Benefit Concert

Tonight is the Swaziland Relief benefit concert. Praying for a good turnout!

This brief log of the 2011 Swazi team's work was sent to me by a young Swazi man named Mancoba Hlatjwako.  Mancoba is the young man for whom I am trying to raise money for a scholarhip.

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TODAY’S GOOD NEWS

July 21, 2011 IT was a beautiful warm sunshine weather I and the team were having a hospital at Mankayane everything went very successful. I met a lot of people that love God and that are sick too.

July 22, 2011 IT was a great day we had sunny weather , everyone was complaining of the hot sun .However we had good time with the people of Manfutsani ,some of our American brothers were playing with children and the nurse’s were doing a great job too. People were suffering from a lot of different sickness we hope what the nurse gave them will help them so glory be unto the lord.

July 23, 2011 it was a wonderful day the sky was covered with clouds and it was cold too ,it was our sports day no work took place on this day except playing ,playing! First Mafutseni played with Mankayne , Mankayne won the game . The USA team played with Mafutseni and the USA team won the game . Matsapha played with Mankayane we won the game and in the finals Matspha we played with Madudula team which also won the games against the other four team ,Madudula won the game and we went back home crying tears. WE had good time together saints of GOD.

July 24, 2011 IT was a big day for everyone in the church . all the churches are together in Matsapha . I was the mc there I was standing before 1000 and above people, it was really a good experience for me ,Bishop Angelo gave us the word of God in the morning service all the churches had music to sing to the congregation. Bishop Van gave us the during the midday service . it was a great day.

July 25, 2011 on this day we all stayed in our respective homes to rest after so much work. The USA team went for safari .

July 26, 2011 IT was a busy day at madudula we had a clinic going on down there .They were about three hundred people the first day we were all busy there ,the nurses were treating we were translating a lot of people were helped. 

July 27, 2011 IT was still a busy day but better than previous day everyone got help we broke up and went to a dinner all of us and it was a birthday for one of the girls we had a lot of cakes .we said our goodbye and I send my greetings to you . I hope this report will bless you brother. It was blessing to me too brother.