Last night we hosted a braii (African BBQ) for the Real Life team and our ministry partners. (a dedicated group of eight young Swazis who work alongside us at the care points. We are pouring deeply into their lives so that they can pour deeply into the lives of the children of this place!) The Real Life team of 12 college age girls has been with us here in Nsoko for the past month. We have grown to love each of them and truly appreciate the unique gifts and passionate energy they brought to this place. They departed this morning for their debrief time in South Africa before they fly back to the States on Friday. It is difficult for our family to see them leave, but even more difficult for the ministry partners and the local community to have to say good bye to another batch of people. You can see it in the faces of young and old alike here. They hate to say good bye. Yet…so many groups and individuals pass through this tiny African country. I was one of those people back in January of 2009! Now I am back with my family but the locals know we are leaving again in just a few short weeks. Even though we are praying about making a long term commitment to serve here in Nsoko, to many here we are just another group that came and will leave. Many leave here saying “we’ll be back…” but through time and circumstance that becomes an un-fulfilled promise!
Last night under a brilliantly clear night sky, however, we were focused on being together.
Eric led us in the celebration of Holy Communion, which reminded us of the one thing we all share in common because of Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross! Through His blood we are forever connected in the Family of God. And even though we have to say good bye here and now, we rejoice in knowing one day we will share eternity together. No more tears. No more grief. No more good byes. No more un-fulfilled promises. The lovely sound of our blended voices rising up into the night was a little glimpse ( I think) of what heaven will be like. Swazis and Americans, even a visitor from Zimbabwe…all united in a single moment of time to bring glory and honor to the Lord!
After a delicious meal (including impala…which does not taste like chicken…), the Real Life team broke up into groups and prayed over each of the ministry partners and over our family (including Dan and Leah – our friends visiting with us from Michigan.) The blessings, promises, encouragement and power prayed over each of us was such a gift! Words, it seemed, flowing down straight from the Throne of heaven. Amazing!
The team had also written notes for each of us, which I have been reading over throughout the day. Beautiful and poignant words directed towards each one of us individually and as a family. Something we will treasure always.
One of the messages seemed to stand out to all of us, especially in light of their departure today and ours looming in the not so distant future. I will close the blog with the words given to us by one of the Real Life team members; yet it seems to be coming from a higher place…a still, small Voice calling out in the wilderness that is Nsoko:
“STAY…this is the land of the temporary but you carry a message of eternal salvation. the Lord has given you gifts to deliver to this fatherless nation. He will continue to relentlessly draw your heart to this place until you commit…”
