What were you doing back in 1983?

I remember the 1980's fondly.  For me, 1983 was my freshman year of high school.  It was the year that our Marching Band won states. 

Here is a link to some other events from 1983, just to jog your memory.

Ok, are you back?

In 1983 in the Kingdom of Swaziland, Pastor Nelson Vilakati began his ministry, and he and his congregants began to pray for God to "show us our brothers and sisters, not only in Africa but overseas." 

In 2007, when our first team arrived, he told us that they were glad that finally this had happened.  You can watch the video of Pastor Nelson saying this, I'll be here when you're finished.  (I encourage you to watch the whole video, but if you don't want to just now, you can scroll to 4:21 on the first of the two videos on the page.)

Ok, back again?

Now let me take out a napkin and write a neat math problem for you.  From 1983 to 2007 is 24 years!  Twenty-four!  Two dozen.  Just shy of a decade in a half.  8766 days.  210,384 hours.  Ok, you get it.  It's a long time.

That is how long Pastor Nelson and his congregation prayed for partners from overseas to join them.  I was standing in the room when that video was filmed.  It sent a chill up my back to think of what a momentus occasion it was.