May 2007

I am going on "the" trip. And not only am I going on a trip, its a trip that leaves from Chicago... Chicago is right beside Indianapolis... which is not only is it the home of HQ, but my best friend. So I am going a few days early.

The trip shall be chronicled on my other blog. If you want the link, leave a comment.
BBC Bloggers, the link will soon be found on Matthew Rose's blog. [Matt I'll get you the link, and you can remove this one for now].

Consider this blog discontinued until I head back to Swaziland.

Back to Swaziland?

I was really hoping to get back to Swaziland for a few weeks in the fall of 2007. Now its looking more like early 2008, because… well I am probably going to a different country June 2007.
For the next few years I have decided to reside in North America, probably 3 years. Then I would raise my support team and hopefully be on the field by 2010! Its a lot to think about, but for now this is what God has told me to do.

So if you could keep the June 2007 trip in your prayers, it would be wonderful. And if you'd like to prayerfully consider coming to Swaziland in 2008, let me know you are interested. Its never too early to plan.

a Prayer

Dear Lord,
Help! I can't seem to get back into the North American frame of mind. I have work to do, but have placed relationships, people ahead of what needs to be done. I can't handle the stress. I just want to be finished with school so that I can focus on people completely and study your word with the freedom of not worrying what I'll get for a grade.
Heidi

debriefed!

I know I mentioned in my last post that I was planing on filling in the details of my adventure which hasn't happened yet. I discovered that upon arriving home that it wasn't as easy as I thought. I knew that I would have dificulty readjusting, but not in the way I anticipated. I had absolutely no urge to do any work, and thought that I was just being lazy and undisciplined. Actually I was suffering from something called 're-entry' where you re-adjust to your own culture.
So we, the global Bethany interns, had a special two day debriefing concerning our time abroad. It was really comforting to know that I am not the only one who was having trouble getting back into the swing of things. I praise God for this time of renewal and that I am ready for one last amazing semester.

In Transit

I am sitting here in the London Heathrow airport waiting for my aunt and uncle. My flight got in at 5:15 GMT, and now its almost 7:00. So in Swaziland that would be 7:15 and 9:00 CAT. In the Maritimes its 12:50 and 2:50 AST respectively. So the majority who read this are still asleep.

I realize I need to fill in gaps in my blog, and post lots of pictures. I think the count is now about 3052 pictures taken, with a few still left on my camera.

here is a portion of my final newsletter:
... I have continued teaching children at a care point (feeding station). I have gone most Thursdays since then. The children are a joy and a challenge to teach. Their English is slowly improving, although the younger ones still have a tough time with the alphabet. I use alphabet pictures, which expands their English vocabulary. They like the letter i because of the ice cream picture. They especially enjoy singing songs and listening to stories. My last day there I took them freezies (ice cream would have been too messy). I have also been teaching Sunday school and working with the Good News club.
I have learned interpretation can either be a blessing or a hindrance. It can give you time to formulate what to say next or you can completely forget your train of thought. I did some teacher training in the middle of October. It was stretching as I had to do a lot of preparation, but the delivery went well. On the other hand I preached several weeks ago and several portions of my sermon did not translate the best.
Graduation was the first week in November which sealed the end of the academic year at EWBC. It was hard as I had to say good bye to many of my friends. There were 14 graduates of 1-year, 3-year and 4-year programs.
Two weeks ago was my vacation week and I went to Johannesburg, South Africa to spend it with the two other Bethany interns. Let me tell you an interesting story about the trip there. I drove with Sibo, a student and her father (both black Africans). We were stopped by the police as they thought I was being kidnapped. But when they saw his last name, Nkosi, meaning king, they let him go without further questioning.

I want to leave you with a quotation from a DVD series that I watched while is Swaziland. These two guys traveled the world sharing the gospel, and this is what the final episode closed with. [naration alternating with preaching].

... one more day with our brothers and sisters. Will we see you again? I hope soon.
But the one who has the implanted word of God in their life, we start to see that their confession is different. They start to say, I am a conqueror through Christ Jesus and you see them they start to take the word of God. Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world.
What was this journey we were on? What was this pain we shared? When we leave this place, will we remember who we were?
It says in verse 20, therefore with respect to the word of God, he did not waiver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully assured that what he was promised, he was able to preform.
Will you be in our heart and never let us forget. This land. These people. The life you called us to live. Give us strength as we journey home. And let your witness be upon our lips.
The encouragement is to stay strong in faith no matter the circumstance.
Will you take us to these lands again? Will our feet once more walk upon the hill? Will you send us to share of your great love?
... the blood of Jesus is protection today.
Oh Lord, we ask you to send us again. To use us now and forever more. Let not our passion wane and your good work. Establish the plans you have for our lives and show us the day we will return.
say, Lord I believe your word is true, I believe your word is perfect and I believe it will work in my life.
Give us peace as we leave this place. Be with us now. Now.
- Travel the Road, Tim Scott. Episode 12. "The Road Home"

My time here is Africa has been great and I have learned a lot. God's timing is perfect and it is time to return home. I am excited for what God has in store for me in the future. Perhaps I will come back to Swaziland. The doors are open there to return with a team. The church I attended is in the process of building a permanent structure, so I was told I had to come back for the dedication. Lord willing.

Today

Life is supposed to be lived today, not tomorrow.  This past week I found myself looking forward to tomorrow, only to find when it came I was still dissatisfied with it because I was still looking for something called tomorrow.  All I have is today.  Today is what matters. Today is the opportunity I have to make a difference.  Today is the day I must get my work done, for although tomorrow might look better, I'll have twice as much work to do.  Yes, I am a little homesick, and sometimes I want to leave.  But the truth is, its only 7 weeks till I am home, and I'll be wondering where the time went.  Then I'll probably be wishing I was back here in Africa.  I can't live in the future or the past, only today, the present.   A present, a gift from God that I only get to spend once.

4 months down. . .

. . . and only 2 months actually closer to 8 weeks left.  I have been sick this past week, which has been interesting.  At one point my power was out-just my building, not any of the others.  We had to run an extension cord for my fridge so my food wouldn't spoil.  I got to thinking, usually at home when the power goes out for long periods of time there is usually snow out side and so the contents of the freezer end up in the snow bank just out side the back door.  And if most food needs to be keep either below or above a specific temperature without spoiling, if I had put my meat out in the sun would it still be okay?  One day it was so hot I couldn't sleep.  I am managing and getting better, prayer works! I was able to go to Johannesburg last week for a couple days to visit two other Bethany Interns.  It was so nice to see Jess and Rachael, and get a taste of what they are doing for ministry.  I got to go to the squatter camp where they help out with a children's program.  In that area there are about 2 million people living in all different kinds of housing, mainly one room houses.  Some are government built and have running water, others are makeshift dwellings.  The children were really cute and I was glad I had the opportunity to play with them, although I missed the children I usually teach at the care point.