Things I’ve learned during my time in Swazi!

Being here in Swazi has stretched me, challenged me, and honestly changed me in ways I didn’t expect. Life looks completely different than it does back home slower, quieter, simpler and because of that, the Lord has been teaching me so much. Some lessons have come from ministry, some from conversations, some from sitting in the heat doing nothing but thinking, and some from watching the people here live with such faith and joy.

So here are a few things the Lord has been showing me in this season:

Letting myself be taken care of:
I’ve always been someone who tries to do everything on my own. Independence is easy for me, asking for help is not. But here in Swazi, I’ve learned that it’s okay to let people step in. It’s okay to admit I can’t do everything. Being a Christian was never meant to be a solo thing. We’re meant to build each other up, carry each other, and grow together as the body of Christ. It’s been humbling and beautiful to be reminded that community is a gift, not a weakness.

The joy of a slow and simple life:
Life here moves… differently. The days feel long, but somehow the weeks fly by. And even with the kids yelling and laughing nonstop, things still feel simple. We spend hours just sitting in plastic chairs, talking about memories, hobbies, and random cravings. We hand-wash laundry in a peela, cook every meal from scratch, spend way more time outside than inside, and barely touch our phones because, well… the service is basically nonexistent. But all of that simplicity feels like such a privilege. It’s taught me how sweet life can be when you strip away the extras and focus on the people right in front of you.

Appreciation:
Being here has made me appreciate the little things in a way I honestly didn’t before. My family, my friends, my church  all of it. In Swazi, so many communities know loss and broken homes far more often than we do. Some of the stories we’ve heard have been heartbreaking. And it’s made me grateful for things I used to take for granted: good healthcare, stable homes, and the support systems we have back in the States. It’s changed the way I see “normal life.”

Hearing the Lord’s voice:
One of the biggest things I’ve been learning is how to actually hear God  not just talk at Him. Out here, with so much stillness and so few distractions, I’ve been able to slow down enough to listen. To really ask Him what He wants to show me. His voice isn’t always loud; sometimes it’s gentle, sometimes it’s just a nudge, sometimes it’s a peace that doesn’t make sense. But learning to recognize it has been one of the sweetest parts of being here.