Friday, July 26, 2013
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.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, May 28, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
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.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Praying and sending; not going
There are three ways a person can be involved in mission work. The first is to pray. This is something that everyone can do. Pray for the safety of the team, pray that the container makes it through customs in South Africa, pray for the work that will be done, pray for those who will be ministered to through the nursing, the preaching and teaching, the kids' activities, the construction, the distribution of clothing, and the meeting of other needs.
The second way is to send. Mission team are costly, and getting there is half the expense. Few people can afford to self-finance, especially on top of giving up a week or two from work. So teams wash cars, sell CD's or T-shirts or other items, have fund-raising dinners at local restaurants, and make direct appeals for cash donations. If you are unable to go on a mission trip yourself, but want to substantially help the effort, then being a sender by participating in the activities mentioned above is a great option.
The third way to be involved in mission work is, of course, to go on a trip yourself. I was planning to go to Swaziland again this summer up until the day I had a very bad motorcycle accident that cost me three months of work and, temporarily, the use of my left arm. My summer will now be spent rehabbing my broken shoulder.
Nevertheless, I will be involved in the mission. First of all, I will be praying for the team as they go out. Secondly, I have written a few checks, bought some CD's, and tonight I will go to Applebee's in Jennkintown to help raise more money for the trip. I also helped train some puppeteers who will be telling stories to the children using our collection of African animal puppets.
I am sad to not be going, but I am glad that I have a chance to participate as a pray-er and a sender. Will you join me?
The second way is to send. Mission team are costly, and getting there is half the expense. Few people can afford to self-finance, especially on top of giving up a week or two from work. So teams wash cars, sell CD's or T-shirts or other items, have fund-raising dinners at local restaurants, and make direct appeals for cash donations. If you are unable to go on a mission trip yourself, but want to substantially help the effort, then being a sender by participating in the activities mentioned above is a great option.
The third way to be involved in mission work is, of course, to go on a trip yourself. I was planning to go to Swaziland again this summer up until the day I had a very bad motorcycle accident that cost me three months of work and, temporarily, the use of my left arm. My summer will now be spent rehabbing my broken shoulder.
Nevertheless, I will be involved in the mission. First of all, I will be praying for the team as they go out. Secondly, I have written a few checks, bought some CD's, and tonight I will go to Applebee's in Jennkintown to help raise more money for the trip. I also helped train some puppeteers who will be telling stories to the children using our collection of African animal puppets.
I am sad to not be going, but I am glad that I have a chance to participate as a pray-er and a sender. Will you join me?
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