bus ride.

WRITTEN SUNDAY JUNE 24TH!!!

I promised in the last post to tell about the public transportation “experience” in another post....so here you go...straight from my journal :)

“today was a tiring day & a very adventurous day. after the team left , we had to scadaddle off to Nsoko....on public transportation. on the way to the buses, matt tells us that we are going to have to just get off in the street when he stops & so we did. we get out there & there is a mess of people everywhere. we cross the street & i look back and see the police officer has the hand of jesse and grabs my dads hand. she tells us that we crossed the road the “wrong way” & therefore we need to go to the police station. seriously?! 

jesse finally talks her out of it & then she makes us recross the street the “right” way. throwback to first grade. after that, we stop at the corner because there are people EVERYWHERE & ALL of the bus drivers are yelling at us to get on their bus. sssttttresssfulll. 

as we are standing there, a bus backs up without warning, right into where people are standing. all the sudden, i look back & there is a gogo (older woman) that literally was 2 inches from being smashed from the bus. my dad luckily grabbed her out of the way. so that was interesting.

next we had to figure out the bus that we were supposed to get on. it was literally just a mess of buses everywhere!!! we finally got on the right one, and it was cccrrrrraaammmmmeeed. there were people in every single seat && the aisle was as jam packed as it could’ve been. okay then, guess we’re standing here for the next hour & a half. 

there were hands & butts all over me. it was interesting. if this wasn’t crazy enough yet, people started to need to get through the aisle within the first 10 minutes. like uh, nope, i reallly don’t think this is gonna work...just saying. but they somehow managed to get through. lets just say there were a lot of butts and a lot of crotches. 

we got lucky, and after around 45 minutes or so, we got to sit down. 

after we got to sit down, it was fine. actually enjoyable. the scenery is beautiful & there was a nice breeze.”

So that’s our bus adventure summed up. 

Nsoko

WRITTEN ON SUNDAY JUNE 24TH!!!

saturday morning “the team” left. it was so weird to watch them go, knowing that we might not ever see them again. we all bonded so quickly & connections were made on the deepest of levels

saturday afternoon, we arrived in Nsoko, the city where we will pretty much spend the rest of our time. Nsoko is a place of beauty. both the people && the land are gorgeous. we got here on public transportation...which ummmm deserves a post of it’s own & will sure get one;) we got here in the afternoon && then relaxed for the rest of the day. 

today we went to Eskhaleni for church. the worship here is breathtaking. literally. the voices of these Swazi people are each so strong && sound angelic. during church I close my eyes && just listen. taking in the sound of their voices brings me so so close to God. so so close. 

after church while waiting around for something, i went over to see some cows :) so just for fun, here's some pictures :)

tomorrow we get up bright & early to meet our sponsor child, Lwandile. i am so so excited. today we were able to go & buy a bunch of groceries & supplies for their family with extra raised money.  

Real Talk

This trip so far has been a contradiction. I have seen the most beautiful landscape && people that I have ever seen in my life && in the next moment the sickest baby I have ever seen. 

I have felt so filled up with love from God && from the people around me & yet each day I go and hold the children who rarely feel love.

Contradiction.

Each day my stomach is full & then we go and meet people who don't have enough food for their families. 

It hurts my heart. It frustrates me & confuses me. 

Right now I am not sure how to put my feelings into words that actually make sense. I feel so much & yet can explain so little. This too frustrates me. I want everyone at home to know-truly know. And yet I know that they won't ever truly. Especially so, if I do not explain to them.

Amidst all of this frustration and confusion, my heart is so full. So so full.

Little Faces

"I saw myself in those little faces. I looked at them & felt this love that was unimaginable and knew this is the way God sees me."

-Katie Davis

"Children want to play, eat, learn & be loved. We are all the same. We do not live in different worlds; we live in the same world."

-Katie Davis

The First Week....

Sanibonani!

 We have been in Swaziland for around a week! It has been a wonderful week for me, full of emotions, a happy heart, frustration, and love. Since Monday, we have been spending our days at the care points.

 Each day we spend time teaching a bible story, helping where needed, and lots and lots of time loving and playing with the children. At around 3 or so, we head out for a home visit. For this, we head out in groups of 3 or 4 and head to a home that the go-gos (grandmothers who volunteer at the carepoint) think could use some encouragement. In this culture, it is a normal thing to show up at houses and talk to the people. We try and ask them about themselves and their lives, and then read them some bible verses to encourage, and pray for them. I can’t really put my thoughts into words right now, but these home visits have touched my heart so deeply. So often we hear about the need and about the people. But to meet these people & see their tears as they tell us about their needs is so different. To hear them talk about how they don’t have enough food, and see tears rolling down their faces, touches you on the deepest of levels. I am convicted as I think about how much food is sitting in my kitchen in home. I want to do something, I need to do something. Im just not sure what yet. 

My heart is so happy and so content here. I am frustrated and overwhelmed with emotions & yet I am at peace. In the bus on our way from Jo-burg to Manzini, I heard God say in my heart this, “You will love these children, and you will not even be able to help it, because I have instilled this love in you.” It is so so so visible to me that God has been preparing my heart for all that he is doing long before I set foot on this country. I would not have been ready a year ago, nor would I have had the desire to even be here. 

I am learning so much & seeing so much every day. To be able to hold a child that is so hungry for love is such an amazing & beautiful thing. It is so apparent that these children want love & are so hungry for it. Children are extremely eager to be touching some part of your hand or arm at all times. They rub your hand against their face, desperate for skin to skin. It breaks my heart.  

I am seeing such a disconnect in what the bible teaches and what we actually are doing as Americans. It is disappointing & frustrating. I don’t know much of what I think right now, but I know that I need to spend my life doing what God has commanded us to do. To be putting what God has commanded us to do into action here feels so right. 

To be on the continent where God has given me so many promises is so amazing. My heart is so full. It just feels right. Thank you to all of you for giving me the opportunity to be here. I am so thankful for all of your prayers too. 

Off we go...

Tomorrow is the day. The day that has given me happy butterflies for months. The day that scares the heeber jeebers out of me. Why? Because there's no turning back.  

We're off to be the hands and feet of Jesus. To hear with our ears and see with our eyes the place and people that we have only seen pictures of. 

My feet are soon to step on the ground of the place that God has been speaking to me about for a year. My heart beats faster and my mind races as I think about that. 

Hard goodbyes have been done && suitcases are packed. Thank you to all of the people who have made it a reality. We truly could not have done it without you.

We are off!!!

Because I can't hug everyone thank you...

THANK YOU!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who contributed to our trip or has prayed for us! We have raised over our goal amount, which is amazing because now we can help meet needs there!! 

I want to thank each and everyone of you! You have helped to make this trip possible for us! I am forever grateful and so amazed. To all of the people who donated to us on indiegogo, you all rock too! Special shoutout to Patricia Carter! :)

Quick little updates:

*We will be seeing our little world vision girl, Lwandile*

*It doesn't look like I will be able to write anything here for the first part of the trip, but hopefully the second part*

***2 weeks and 5 days until we are in Africa***

Thank YOU! You have encouraged us so much, and have made this possible for us!

Lots o' love

amy xoxo