Adventures in Swazi!

Life in Swazi has this funny rhythm where ministry days are packed and emotional, but the weekends somehow turn into these little pockets of adventure, rest, and joy. It’s such a gift to step back from the routine and realize, “Wait… I actually get to live here.” Here are a few of the things that have made the past couple weeks so special.

Safari

We somehow ended up going on two safaris one here South Africa at Kruger National Park and one in Swazi at Hlane. Still feels insane to say that. We even saw the Big Five, which I honestly didn’t think would happen. We met up with the boys for the safari, and half the fun was just catching up and telling stories from base and care point. At one point we drove past two elephants like it was no big deal, turned a corner, and literally had to slam on the brakes because two lions were sleeping about seven feet from our car. Let me just say: lions can attack in six seconds. SIX. So shoutout to Jesus for keeping them asleep. Our guides were hilarious and knew every random fact about every animal. They made the whole thing feel like this giant field trip in the best way On the Kruger trip I sat in the front seat and had a 8 plus hour conversation with our guide!

Sabbath:

Sabbath is honestly one of my favorite parts of the week. Sleeping in (or trying to, since the sun rises at 5 AM), long quiet time with Jesus, doing laundry in a peela, talking for hours, trying to call home with service that works 0.2% of the time… it’s slow and simple, and it’s exactly what my heart needs every week.

Church:

Church in Swazi is loud, joyful, and just so full of life. Three hours of worship, dancing, praying, and a message that someone always translated for us. The kids go all out during worship and the women have voices that sound straight-up angelic. You can’t sit in that room and not feel joy. It just hits different.

The Luke Commission:

I got to visit Brian and Missi Schmezenbach, good family friends of ours, at The Luke Commission in Manzini. Seeing what they’ve built over the last 12 years was honestly wild. From medical care to surgeries to 700 employees, they’re helping care for over a third of Eswatini’s entire population. Watching people I know and love pour into this country made everything feel even more personal. It was one of those days that reminded me why I love Swazi so much and why it feels like a second home.

Manzini prayer walk:

One of our ministry days was a big prayer day in Manzini. Some groups prayed in parks, some evangelized, some talked with locals. It was simple but so powerful. Meridyth and I were with Deli, Mandesa, Treasure, and Teetee who I absolutely adore and who have become such a huge part of my time here. They’re passionate, kind, and just on fire for Jesus. We met a woman with five daughters who told us she lost both parents when she was five. She wants her girls to grow up with the closeness she missed out on. Listening to her share made me so grateful for my family and my sister. It kind of stopped me in my tracks. That whole day reminded me that ministry isn’t about doing something big it’s about seeing people, listening, and letting God work in ways we don’t always expect. I walked away way more encouraged than I went in.