Preacher Double Feature

Q: What do you do if you have 7 churches who need a preacher and only 6 preachers?

A: Send someone to 2 churches.

Tomorrow that someone is me.

Our team will split up and pay a visit to most of the churches in the CMC network.  Our largest groups will go to the churches with the most children (100 kids expected in Madudula, 120 in Matsapha ).  I am being sent to two smaller churches.  Alone.

I admit to a certain eagerness.  I  recall the stories of the od Methodist circuit riders that I learned about in Sunday school as a kid.  They would ride around from church to church tending to several distant congregations.  My journey will be easier; they're sending a car.

Still, I don't take the responsibility lightly.  I dearly wish for your prayers for me.  Please pray for me as I prepare, specifically :

1) for good fellowship and against loneliness. 

2) for the Lord's anointing on my mind and my lips, to deliver a message that will bless and encourage His people.

3) for the other teams that go to the other churches.

4) for physical health and safe travels.

Thank you all.  I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes.

The first 4900 miles are the hardest ...

... after that you really hit your stride.

As I compose this our plane is about halfway to South Africa.  Veterans of this trip will recognize the ubiquitous "flight map" that displays on the entertainment screen.  Lots of people watching it.  This is my 15th viewing (the only movie I have seen more is The Princess Bride).

So, since I can't sleep -- I've never been able to sleep on the plane -- I will spend some time praying.  Will you join me?

1) Many members of our team have yet to meet.  There is one man meeting us in Johannesburg, plus we are picking up about half a dozen South Africans who the first-timers have yet to meet.  As we get acquainted, please pray that this diverse group connects and unifies as a team and a family.

2) Even once we land, there are obstacles to overcome.  Please pray against lost luggage, problems crossing the border, mechanical breakdowns, etc.

3) Pray that we recover quickly from the fatigue of travel.

4) The team will split up on Sunday and visit about a half dozen churches.  Everyone will be teaching Sunday School or preaching, so please pray for us all as we prepare.

A circle of prayer

5 am at New Life Church in Glenside.

The team gathers into a circle for prayer prior to departure.

On to New York!

And so it begins ...

Up early this morning.  

4 am.

My is cat in the hallway wondering what is going on.

I have to meet the team at 4:45 am to board a bus for JFK airport.  Our flight leaves later this morning.

I know that some members of our team, those who live further from our rally point at New Life church in Glenside, are already up and on the road.

So begins our day of travel.  Two buses and a plane.  We will arrive in Swaziland late Friday afternoon.  Please pray for our group as we travel.  With a 15 hour flight ahead, I assure you that getting there will be considerably less than half the fun.

This also begins my regular updates.  Thank you for agreeing to come along with me on this trip (electronically, that is).  I appreciate all of the support that has surrounded me as I prepared to go.  I'll be in touch as time and internet connections permit.

Swaziland Trip on Facebook

As you know I am heading to Swaziland, Africa soon.  I leave on Thursday June 30th.  During our trip Swaziland Relief will be posting photos and reports of our relief work on Facebook when internet wifi is available.  If you would like to receive these reports on your Facebook News Feed then please follow these two quick steps below...

1) "Like" the Swaziland Relief Facebook page if you have not already, here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/relief.swaziland

2) Send a friend request to my friend Ken Stracuzzi since he will be making the posts, here is his link:

https://www.facebook.com/ken.stracuzzi

I will also be posting as usual on my own blog (www.comfortforswaziland.com) and Facebook as internet conditions permit, but following Ken will give you a more consistent and broad picture of the trip.

One week to go!!! 

School's out forever

Well, not for me.  However, since school is not officially out for the summer in the district where I work, I will now have time to turn my full attention toward preparing for my trip to Swaziland.  And to updating this blog, which has been neglected for weeks.

When I titled this post "School's out forever" I was referring to my indvodzana (that's siSwati for "son") Mancoba.  I met him in 2007 when Swaziland Relief made its first trip.  A few years later, when he was in "form 5" (equivalent to a senior in high school), Mancoba asked me if I could possibly arrange a sponsorship for him to attend college.  In him I saw a young man with great potential and determination but meager means, and after discussing it with my wife, we decided that we would help to fund his education.  Our relationship has grown since then and he now calls us "Babe" and "Make" (pronounced "Bah-bay" and "Mah-gay") which means Dad and Mom in siSwati.  

So it is with great joy that I announce to you the graduation of our Swazi son, Mancoba, from Mancosa University in South Africa.  We are proud of his achievement and look forward to seeing what he will now accomplish with his business degree.

Follow the blog at:  http://www.comfortforswaziland.com

or on Twitter:  @Comfort4SWZ

Zindwendweni - a report from the center of the drought

Last summer the Swaziland Relief team visited Zindwendweni, a remote village deep in the bush in Southeastern Swaziland.  We performed our usual routine:  medical clinics, clothing distribution, prayer chapel, and classroom visitation.  I meet some students who loved mugging for the camera, and when their teacher came along they begged me to take their picture all together.  I promised the teacher I would send him a copy of the photo.  

Once I got in touch, we corresponded back and forth for several days.  Below you will see an edited transcript of our conversation (I removed personal information).  

There are two things I'd like you to know from reading this text conversation:

1)  The donations that you made to the container are anticipated and greatly appreciated.  Thank you again to everyone who donated!

2)  As I mentioned in a previous post, the situation in Swaziland is grim.  This year, for the first time, we are taking a special offering specifically targeted to purchasing food to distribute in the most needy areas in Swaziland.  This offering will be collected at the June 4 service at Bridge Community Church in Glenside (meeting at Westminster Theological Seminary's Van Til Hall) but you can also donate online on Bridge Community Church's "donate" page.  If you do so, place your donation amount in the "Designated" box and write "Swaziland drought relief" in the memo.

Blog:  ComfortForSwaziland.com

Twitter:  @Comfort4SWZ

Facebook:  facebook.com/comfortforswaziland