GOD HAS MY BACK July 15–21, 2013

Here on mission I have become acutely aware of the closeness of our Savior.  Everywhere I turn I see His handiwork and His presence in everything that happens to me, my family and the Swazi people.  Sunday, Sibusiso was walking home with me after a missionary fireside put on by the Ezulwini elders.  Dennis had to attend another meeting which left me to walk home by myself.  So Sibusiso said it would not be safe for me to go alone, so he walked with me to ensure that I was safe.  We talked about so many things….his concerns, his worries,  his love for the gospel and calling as Assistant Mission Leader, his schooling and exams that are coming up, his gogo that passed away a few months ago, his mission in 2015, the spiritual feeling that church music gives him, the differences between our church and other churches and why he chose ours less than a year ago, his dreams of the future.  He still worries about being kicked out of where he stays.  Men have been coming by when he is not there asking propping questions about him.  If they force him to leave, he will have no where to go.  He then said that he needs to find another place before his mission because he would have no where to put his “stuff” for two years.  Seriously, that is something that I never thought about for these young men.  A question that I would never have asked….”Do you have somewhere to store your personal belongings for the two years that you are gone?”  Why would I, we have families that will be waiting for us when we come home that have taken care of our belongings.  But not for some of these young men.  I assured him that they could be stored in our garage and we would make sure that the next couple would know that and would take care of them for him.  As we approached the gate where I enter the nursery, he said, “ you’re now safe.” I said to him, “Will you be okay walking home by yourself (another 20 minutes)?  Who will protect you?”  He started walking up the dirt path, turned his head back, smiled and said, “God has my back”. 

Yes, God has his back.  God will keep him safe.  God will make sure that he has a roof over his head, a place to put his ‘stuff’ when he serves Him, comfort him when he is missing his gogo – the one that loved him, keep him strong when those around him are pressuring him to do wrong.  In so many ways, God has his back. 

God seems to go out of His way to make sure ‘He’s got our backs’.  You know, the way He whispers in your ear that He’s aware of what you are battling and where you’re hurting.  Ways He tells you He has NOT forgotten.  Ways He assures you that your prayers are not just hitting the ceiling.  “That He’s on it!  That in your WAIT He is at WORK.” Yes, God has our backs!!

Monday, July 15th we woke early to take a surprise breakfast treat of a smoothie, muffins and rolls to Sibusiso for his birthday.  He had said earlier that he has never celebrated his birthday. Shame! I completed some laundry, developed some pictures of our temple trip, visited with a sister to discuss our District Relief Society Spiritual camp, ordered from Manzini Market for friends,lunch at a new place called “The Italian Job” – pretty good,  Monday night FHE with the celebration of Sibusiso’s birthday.  A good day.

Sibusiso’s Birthday

Tuesday, July 16th we delivered a temple trip collage that I made to the Lobamba boys. Then off to Nhlangano to attend Elder Preslars last DDM.  He leaves for home – Morgan, Utah -  on Tuesday.  He will be truly missed.  His lesson was superb. It was on receiving and recognizing the spirit getting direction from Gerald Lund’s talk –“Teaching by the Spirit”.  Truly a great lesson.   After,we visited Pres. Bulunga at his school.  It is nice to experience how our friends spend their days.  It was really a nice school.   Apparently, he is well liked among the students.  We ran into one of our Nhlangano YW – . Dennis had a déjà vu moment.  We continued home but stopped to see Babe Hlope.  He was not home but his sweet mom and little ones were. Luckily, they had not forgotten us.  It has been such a long time since we had visited.  We took a short detour but turned back because it was getting dark.  Later that evening, some elders were returning from an appointment with two sisters that come to FHE that are scheduled for baptism on the 28th.  One of them is pregnant and they are starving.  Their mother is a drunk and is refusing to give them any food.  They had not eaten for two days.  We gathered what little food I had to offer and Dennis and the elders drove back to where they stay so they would have something to eat that night.

Elder Preslar

Elders Wilson and Preslar

Nhlangano District – Elders Wilson, Preslar, Nzioka and Armstrong and then of course, the most amazing Elder in the mission – Elder Lombardi

On the streets of Nhlangano

Pres. Bulunga’s school

One of the Nhlangano’s YW – Dumsile Sibandze

Greeting Pres. Bulunga

Babe Hlope’s homestead – this was the last of our Dum Dums……..sos, I need more!

Not sure who these two are but they stay at the homestead – the one on the left is pregnant

Our short detour coming home from Nhlangano

These goats were high on this rocky mountain.  I have no idea how they prevented from rolling down that mountain

Another DDM was on the agenda for Wednesday morning.  This time it was Ezulwini with Elder Stengile giving us his last words and testimony.  He will be transferred next Tuesday.  This young man is a great teacher.  He will do wonders in leadng  his branch at home.  He is a good, respectful young man from East London, South Africa.  We rushed home so Sbu could wash our car and Machawe and Zweli could wash our home windows.  They are starting a new window washing business to help raise money for missions and ours sure needed it.  They did an awesome job.  I fixed them all taco soup and corn bread.  Dennis went to Manzini’s branch presidency and District presidency meetings.

Ezulwini/Mbabane District – their last group picture; it was a great group

Machawe, Zweli, Sbu and Dennis – resting after their hard work

Thursday was such a frustrating day.  Dennis was to meet Mancoba from Gege at 9:00 a.m to help him finish up his mission papers.  He did not show up until after 11:00.  Reason, kombis!!!!!!!  Mancoba was at the kombi rank at 6:00 a.m. where he was to board a kombi to come to Matsapha to meet Dennis.  The kombi did not leave until after 7:30 waiting for more people to get on so his revenue would be higher.  Then he made another stop along the way and stayed again until more people boarded.  I know that Mancoba was frustrated with Dennis constantly calling him to see where he was, but 2 hours of waiting is a long time.  When he finally arrived, they rushed to the doctors where they had a 9:30 appointment – but they still took him in and finished his work.  They hurried to Mbabane to get his passport and police clearance.  They accomplish most of it – passport was completed but not in hand.  He has to come back and pick it up in person – eish, such a long way for him to come.  They picked me up and we drove to Gege where we dropped him off at the Malinga’s for family home evening.

Mancoba after a long frustrating day…

I love days that are full of making people smile.  Friday was one of those days.  Dennis started the day at 8:00 a.m. meeting with Jerome to solicit some money for our Helping Hands project. Machawe, Zweli and Nhlanhla came over to wash windows at the elders boarding.  You will appreciate the work they do when you look at the picture and see how those windows are constructed.  Of course, then needed breakfast after so country gravy over homemade biscuits was served.  Swaki Construction, the company that provided us with the paint for our care point project, wanted to do something else for this group, so they gave Dennis two Pic N Pay vouchers worth E750.  We wanted to deliver them to Abigail, Nonitu and Zenile but I didn’t want to go empty handed so we bought some oranges from a roadside vendor.  You should have seen Nonitu’s reaction when we presented them with the vouchers.  She started jumping up and down and cheering.  The expression on her face was priceless.  They said they were going to immediately make a list and go purchase what they needed. Next on our spreading cheer was at the Shongwe homestead.  It was Elizabeth’s, gogo, Shongwe’s birthday so we needed to celebrate.  We took a chocolate cake to her with candle and wishes.  She is such a sweet 83-year-old lady.  We found her outside on the ground surrounded with dried corn and she was picking off the kernels into a bowl so she could grind them into maize.  She was surprised!  Then off to the Silver Smith to deliver some brownies – they have been so kind to all our elders and senior couples, that we wanted to express our appreciation.  The owner showed me a drawing of a ring that he designed and I think I am going to get one but will replace the diamonds with birthstones of my children.  Nombulelo works in the same complex so we took brownies to her.  She has a new job!!!  We are so excited for her and starts in a couple of weeks.  She will be working in Mbabane, so will move there.  She will now have the weekends off so hopefully we can get her to church. Next on the list, was Manzini Market to pick up 15 skirts from Thombile, our skirt maker.  I found out that she lives quite a ways away and travels everyday on kombi to get here.  What a sacrifice.  While in Manzini, we decided to stop in at the butchery with Bro. and Sister Mahlalela work to say hi.  They are always fun to see.  On our way to Mbabane, we stopped in Matsapha to deliver a Book of Mormon to Thokozani Gamedze – the man that Dennis met on the “hump” while driving and gave him a Book of Mormon but he lost it and wanted another one.  He was selling jewelry at a fair but came out to our car to get his book.  Wow, he was an impressive young man.  I pray that some of these amazing people that Dennis is finding, will find their path into the waters of baptism.  Our journey to Mbabane was disappointing.  They wouldn’t give Dennis Mancoba’s passport. We were trying to save him a trip.  We met Nathi and Masisi in Mbabane to say hi, went to Pic N Pay to give Patricia a letter, went to Spar for groceries and Dennis was able to give out another Book of Mormon to a man who belonged to the Jericho church that he met shopping – he even waited for us outside until we came out.  Dennis is amazing!!!!  Our day ended with playing games with the Manzini elders in their boarding.  Smiles surrounded us today! (Actually our day ended with making cole slaw for 100 people)

Cleaning the elder’s windows – it took the three of them two hours; eish, there was a lot of windows.

Buying oranges – she wears that yellow MTN bib to show that she also sells airtime.

Her son that was just sitting on the ground by her – when I tried to give him a sucker, he started crying.

Nonitu from the Lobamba Care Point

Their vouchers

This man was cutting wood for them and was so fun to watch. When he connected with the wood, he would cheer and jump around. 

Elizabeth Shongwe’s birthday – 83-years-old

 

Thombile - our sweet lady that makes our skirts

Night games with the Manzini elders – Shumway, Caldwell, Whiting and Lime

Saturday we awoke early to finish the cole slaw for the Nhlangano activity today.  We left at 7:30 to arrive at 9:00 in Nhlangano for the baptism for Babe Magagulu from Gege.  His wife is a member and he has been dragging his feet.  The baptism did not happen until 10:30 because the kombi that they had rented cancelled on them and they had to wait for another one.  There are so many problems with transportation for these wonderful people.  How frustrating for them to want to be somewhere on time but they are at the mercy of someone else.  After the baptism, the 3 kombis arrived to take the Nhlangano and Gege saints to the Mahamba Gorge for a day of food, games and hiking.  Elder Armstrong and Wilson made all the sloppy joes for 80.  We brought the buns, cole slaw, oranges and cookies.  They played games and went hiking.  It ended around 5:00 but when the kombis arrived to take them home, the drivers decided they wanted a lot more money.  Pres. Bulunga was so mad but they wouldn’t budge on the matter and all the members were already on the kombis.  We didn’t have enough so some of the members had to come up with the extra.  Shame that they can do that and get away with it.  I really just wanted to take all the people out and load up our bakkis and take them home and leave the drivers with NO money.  But we couldn’t. The counselor, Bro. Zulu, told us to not let it ruin the wonderful day…..no problem!  Home late, exhausted but had to make additional cole slaw for tomorrow.

Elder Armstrong, Bro. Magagulu, Bro. Malinga, Elder Wilson

They were trying to warm the water (they were heating the water and then pouring in; also, they bought a warmer for it but it didn’t work) for Bro. Magagulu

This is Malinga’s bakki and they brought people from Gege in it – I am sure the members appreciated the mattress

Loading up for Mahamba Gorge

Pres. Bulunga and his car – it finally got fixed

Elders Armstrong and Wilson heating up the sloppy joe and preparing drinks

I seriously forgot that my sunglasses were on.  Elder Wilson was making fun of me and I didn’t even know it!

Our stick game

The hike

These are the three kombi drivers that insisted on more money – shame on them

Bro. Malinga and Dludlu

Mancoba

Pres. Bulunga and his children

Another Sunday in Swaziland…..they are coming around very quickly and just keep getting better.  We attended the Manzini Branch for sacrament meeting then to Ezulwini for a missionary fireside the Elders were doing.  They did a great job.  They had excerpts of talks, role play, the reasons we need the members to help with missionary work and then had testimonies from 3 of the Lobamba boys how other members influenced their decision to be baptized.  They had 50 attend the fireside and they were well fed spiritually as well as physically.  After, we served them bologna (it is a little different than what we have at home) sandwiches, cole slaw and no-bake cookies.  Dennis had to leave for his district presidency meeting which left me without a way home.  It is against mission rules for the elders to take me home, so in situations like this, I walk which I really do enjoy.  You have already read about my walk home. One addition conversation I would like to share.  As assistant mission leader, he had the opportunity to teach the gospel principles class for the first time this Sunday.  He said he was so frightened that when he got up he forgot everything that he had studied.  Eish, his mind went blank.  Then he continued to say how when it was over he thought of all the things that he wanted to say but didn’t.  Doesn’t that sound extremely familiar?  If not for you, it sure does to me.  That is exactly what happens to me when I get in front of people.  He also said that is what he liked about our church when he was an investigator……that it wasn’t just the pastor that served.  He enjoys serving so much that on Sunday he is the first one at the chapel waiting for the president to unlock the gate and the last one to leave after everything is over and cleaned.  After I arrived home, I made what I thought was going to be for Dennis but ended up for a lot of elders.  Even though they were not suppose to come over for transfer news, they did anyway.  I really didn’t mind but had to scramble for dinner for 8 additional people. Needless to say, the rolls were gone very quickly.  We are losing and gaining 6 elders this transfer.  Hate/love situation.  The Manzini elders stayed and played games – Mormon Bridge and Rook.  We had a good time.  Dennis went to bed while I stayed up.  After they left, I decided I needed to make muffins for our journey in the morning. 

Preparing sandwiches for the fireside

Role play of how to start a gospel conversation on a kombi

Cleaning up

Jeremiah 29: 11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  I love it!  It reminds me that God has my back, has Sibusiso’s back and yours!