Joseph is "the guy who can get it done" in Swaziland. He has been likened to Chuck Norris (to whom all kinds of potency and ability are often attributed) and the Swazi MacGyver (who is able to craft incredibly useful artifacts out of whatever is lying around).
This day, Joseph's task was simple. He drove four of us to the airport to pick up rental cars. I was listed as 2nd driver on my pastor's car, which was supposed to be an SUV but temporarily upgraded to a van. Standard transmission, I knew it would be interesting to drive. The last time I had driven a stick shift was, for the record 2008, also in Swaziland. Angelo drove back to the convent, but I decided to try out the van a little when we got home, and a good thing. The steering wheel was locked in place and the key could not be turned until the wheel was moved, also the reverse gear required a special lever be lifted on the stick - I would not have figured it out myself. Joseph (did I mention he can do anything) showed me and I was able to back the van up and put it back in place. "OK," thought I, "I am ready to drive the van if need be."
Later Angelo informed me that I would in fact be driving some of the team members over to the church, but to my surprise the rental van was empty. Instead, I was to drive a different van, one that I hadn't had a chance to check out. It was, rather, one of the Khombi vans (that's the Swazi term for them) that somehow had arrived for us to use but for which there was no hired driver.
I had to chuckle at myself, thinking I was so clever for preparing with the other van. I felt God smile on me as I ended up doing the very thing I dreaded: climbed into an unfamiliar vehicle full of people (it was a 9 passenger van) and have to figure out how to drive it with an audience. Still, the reverse had the same trick and stick shift is stick shift so it was all good. I drove to the CMC church in Matsapha. The team members in the van actually applauded when we arrived unscathed. I was most worried about the steep, narrow entrance to CMC but to my delight they had graded and paved it with concrete sometime in the past year.
The church service was pretty standard. It was sparsely attended probably because this service is an outgrowth of the Strong Tower radio program but last night the program was not on the air (something about the contract with the station, I think). Nevertheless the service was good. Angelo preached out of Psalm 130, gave an invitation, encouraged the church, and then it was time to invite people to come forward for prayer.
During the prayer time we had many who came forward asking for healing of various kinds. One young woman came to ask for deliverance from a "Sangoma spirit" which means she was either possessed or being tormented by a demon. We laid hands on her and began to pray and at the name of Jesus the demon seized her and she began to convulse. Eventually she went to the floor but in Jesus mighty name we commanded it to release her. For many on the team it was the first time they had seen someone released from a demonic oppression first-hand.
After the service we hung out in the courtyard while babishobi (siSwati for "the bishops" - meaning Nelson, Angelo, and Van) met in Nelson's office to discuss plans for tomorrow. Eventually we were released to return to St. Juliana's and I drove the team back. Afterward I took one of the team members, Mary, to purchase some crayons for tomorrow's Sunday school. When we got back the driver of the other van was anxious to leave and to take the driverless van that I was using. How we got 2 vans and 1 driver I don't know, and how he returned 2 vans I didn't see, but as far as I am concerned, I am now a road-tested Khombi driver in Swaziland!
-Mdu
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