Swazi!

These past two months, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to do ministry in Eswatini! We traveled from South Africa, and it ended up being only a three-hour travel day—probably the shortest we’ll ever have.

In Eswatini, they speak Siswati—”Sawubona” means hello! I love the language here, but it’s extremely difficult to pick up because of the many unique sounds we don’t use in English.

We are finally a full squad again! We stayed at the Swazi Adventures in Missions base, sleeping in tents because there were so many bugs in the rooms. Plus, it was way cooler outside. During our second week on base, we got a pet chicken from a carepoint. It was so friendly and constantly being held and played with—it was hilarious! He became a member of our squad.

One of the biggest challenges on base was watching out for black mambas and scorpions… definitely my least favorite part! I never personally saw a snake, but a few people on my squad encountered some. Despite that, the base was so amazing! We didn’t have WiFi, and there wasn’t much around us, which really taught me how to be still. But we made it so fun! I’ve realized how little we actually need to be content.

We split into three carepoint groups. Each carepoint has a Shepherd, who keeps the roster and leads the group, and a Gogo(which means “grandmother” in Siswati) who does all the cooking. The kids come after school for a meal and to play. They’ve also started discipleship programs at each carepoint, which is amazing! Their goal is to break cycles of poverty, give kids opportunities for jobs, and bring hope. Many of these children come from broken homes. Eswatini has one of the highest HIV rates, so many parents and grandparents pass away from the illness. Jobs are scarce, and many don’t even try to find work because the wages are so low that it’s still not enough to provide for their families. It’s heartbreaking. Education is free until high school, so many people don’t have diplomas, and university is extremely expensive. Even though the challenges are overwhelming, God is still moving, and the carepoints are making a real impact!

Some testimonies!

We visited a woman during a house visit, and the first time we met her, she shared how difficult life had been and how she struggled to put food on the table. It was heartbreaking. The next week, we went back and brought her a big box of Manna Packs—and she literally jumped for joy! We ended up having a dance circle with her, and it was the sweetest ever！

At the carepoints, we spent our days just playing with the kids, and it was my favorite thing ever! Their laughter and joy were contagious. Some older kids came as well, and I loved getting to talk with them and encourage them. One girl named Sweetness, who was around my age, would often come and chat with me while little babies slept in my lap. At the end of our time there, she gave me a note, which was so special. It reminded me that even when we feel like we’re not doing much, just being intentional can make a huge impact.

A typical week for us looked like this: Mondays were for worship and teaching with the AIM staff, and Tuesday through Friday, we spent our time at the carepoints. It was perfect! Every day, I left feeling so full. I am beyond blessed to have been a part of this ministry!

Some fun things we got to do!

We went on a border run to Saint Lucia for the weekend, which was such a blast! It was a beach weekend, and we stayed in a nice condo. We even went hippo hunting since they roam around town at night—but unfortunately, we didn’t catch any (probably because we went too early in the night).

One of the biggest highlights was having my parents visit for a week! Doing ministry with them was the best. My dad was hilarious with the kids, throwing them around, and my mom was so loving. The kids adored them! That week was packed with teachings, worship, and carepoint work. We also got to go on a safari, which was incredible—I loved seeing the elephants and giraffes! Having my parents there made me realize just how grateful I am for them.

Our last week in Eswatini was Awakening, a conference where three squads came together for a time of teaching and worship. It was so refreshing and fired me up for our next country! God moved so much that week, bringing me into even greater freedom. There were so many testimonies, and it was amazing to see how real and personal God is.

Start praying big prayers—He listens! Pray for your family and friends’ salvation. It’s not just people across the world who need Jesus; it’s the people right in front of you. Even if you’re not ready to talk to them about it, start praying on their behalf!

If you ever need prayer, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Also I made it to Maylasia after 50hrs!! More updates to come:)

Thank you!!