Friday, July 03, 2009

NEWS FROM THE SWAZI AMBASSADOR TEAM

Just received this update:

Hello All-

We just finished our move to Timbutini, where we will be until the end of the trip. We will be ministering there, but we will also be commuting to Manzini once or twice a week to continue ministry in sites we've been working at this past week.

During this past week, we've been working with the Luke Commission (helping them prepare for weekly clinics they hold), working at a local care point, at the Manzini hospital, at the Hope House, and at many other sites throughout Swaziland. We hearts have been broken by the poverty, suffering, and neglect we've seen, and we're continually casting our burdens on the Lord and trusting in His provision and love for all of His children.

We've been incredibly blessed by this team's heart for ministry. The students constantly give all they have, tiring themselves out on a daily basis because they are so excited to put all of their efforts and energy into ministry. It shows in the way the team conducts itself, in the relationships they team has built, and in all the team has seen and experienced in our short time here.

The team has been working so hard that we've decided to take an "off day" tomorrow and attend a 4th of July celebration in Ezulwini. We are also going to use the first part of the morning as our one communication day, so you might be receiving a call or email very early in the morning tomorrow.

Thank you for your continual prayers--they are a blessing and encouragement to us. We really feel that we are being transformed by the way that God is renewing our minds and spirits here in Swaziland. If you can continually pray for our good health, safety, and a fruitful ministry, we would be most appreciative.

We look forward to sharing about our upcoming ministry in Timbutini!

~Swazi Leaders
Photo taken by Adventures in Missions staffer Christine Chenoweth at Timbutini. To read about her ministry in Swaziland, visit her blog at: http://christinechenoweth.myadventures.org/

2 comments:

Andy and Wendy Ingram said...

Wow, Elysa, thanks for this blog! It is such a huge blessing to just be able to get on and read your blog again. God has been putting your daughter on my heart, so I continue to lift her up and will look forward to reading about their ministry in Swaziland. I think we must have just missed meeting her, since we were getting done about the time she started her missions trip.

We did not have good computer access while working with TLC in Swaziland and only had the one opportunity to blog. We are planning to post some now that we are home. We have so many things we take for granted here in America. We met a number of really wonderful people with AIM while we were in Swaziland, so that was such a huge blessing. We got home last night and I can see now what you mean, when you say you yearn to go back again. It was tough to leave and come back to all the plenty and abundance we have here. We have certainly been forever changed!

Elysa said...

Wendy!!!! No way!!!! Y'all are back already? Hard to believe. Did your time over there go by as fast as it seems to have gone by for me or did you feel like it was a long, long time? I know that I can't believe we'll be seeing our girl again in just two weeks. Before she left, a month seemed SO long and now she's really only got a week and a half of ministry left before they drive back to Jo'burg and then fly back to the States.

I'm looking forward to reading lots more on your blog. If you post a more extensive collection of pics somewhere, let me know. Are you on fb?

And listen, if you ever need to talk to someone who understands what you've seen and then what you're experiencing now that you're back in the States, let me know and I'll shoot you my number.

In fact, if you need to talk, this week will be great for me.

Just know I'm here if you need me.

Sala Kahle!
Elysa