The Fruit.....fruit that will last....

THIS IS LONG....beware!

John 15:16-17

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: love one another." NIV

"You did not choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you. But remember the root command: Love one another." The Message

That is the Litsemba 2010 verse....and that is what we did! Friday's gathering, Listemba, was fruit....fruit that will last here in Swaziland. Let me tell you the story.

I will start with Wednesday and give a quick background! I went to the Minister of Education's office with Mathokoza. According to our knowledge (word from communities around Mbabane and Manzini), the letter promised the previous Friday that would be sent out telling all the children that school was closed and they could come to Litsemba.....did not happen. So on Wednesday, we headed to the Minister's office. Just a quick note....Thursday, July 22 is their Thanksgiving Day. It is the day that they celebrate King Somhlolo's vision he received from God about the bible. It is like our Thursday of Thanksgiving....so a national holiday. Friday would be a continuation and celebration. However...the letter didn't go out. Ian, Janine, Elliott and I had a long conversation with Mathokoza and explained....that the children would have to be invited for their to be a gathering...it was for them. Mathokoza was in a tough place....but he had till noon on Wednesday to get us the letter. And we got it! I was in the office....there was tension, discussion, frustrations and I couldn't really tell why....but I knew the PS for the Min of Education wasn't all together pleased about having to write the letter. But...we had it. The rest of Wed was full of last minute details! Radio checks and powering, gathering the cinder blocks, the helium, confirming deliveries to the stadium, getting the banners, etc etc etc. Wednesday afternoon I had a meeting at the stadium with all sorts of officials. The stage and trussing was to go up at 2 PM.....audio on Thurs am and line checks at noon on Thursday. So.....Wed night, I had this thought (you should listen to your thoughts....they are the Holy Spirit if you believe Jesus is who he says he is....and I do....so I know the Holy Spirit's voice.....but I didn't obey what I heard).....a thought of "ummmm, maybe I should go by the stadium tonight.....naaa...it's late, it will be dark, and it will be closed......I'm sure the stage is up!" To bed we went.....

On Thursday morning....it was go time! All the teams headed out to their communities and safari. Those not going to safari, came to the stadium.....it was a powerhouse of 23 people. There was a lot to "stage", set up, organize and plan! The Prod Manager, Brian Korosec, and the Front of House sound guy, Jeff Wood, and myself went to see the audio go up! Brian and Jeff went into the stadium, I started staging with my team. We had to unload the containers of beanies, stage the blankets, move the police barricades (because they didn't do it), prepare for the metal detectors, package the beanie/bible/juice in Kroger bags, blow up 200 balloons, move 2500 blankets to the guest entrance with 2500 gifts, build the signs, on and on. It took all day!

However....at about 10:00 I see Brian coming towards me.....he was walking in a calm but pretty firm walk.....you know that kind.....the one with frustration! He said, "ready for this....guess what....the stage and trussing didn't go up last night!" Of course my immediate reaction was...."For the love...I know you Holy Spirit...I heard you and ignored you and brushed you off! Thank you for telling me.....forgive me for not listening!" Then.....I got ticked! Let me just say....at this point (10AM) I never really returned to the front gates.....the battle had started, my shield was on, but the warriors were tough. Let me go ahead and say, if you don't believe in Spiritual Warfare, if you don't believe that Satan is after the destruction of what God is doing....then you're wrong. I was in the battle. However.....I was able to stay alive through the attacks and not fall into destruction by repeating in my mind AND outloud.....often.....The enemy has been defeated, death couldn't hold You down!!!! I could belabor the tireless times I had to "get on some people", the tough conversations.....but let me just say....what should have taken two days for a third world Production company to do.....they did in about 8 hours...that was the first miracle of this journey. They had NO idea what they were doing. It was so over their heads....but I was determined to use a local. I was assured by my closest friends over here......they knew what to do. And the stage design was good.....so I was good....but they had NEVER seen it. It was a stage used for the World Cup.....it was like tinker toys to this crew. Without Brian Korosec or Jeff Wood.....we would have never had a stage or sound. Brian was hanging on chains and pulling up PA, Jeff was rewiring EVERYTHING. The equipment was good....the cables and lines...terrible. At one point, Jeff Wood (funniest guy ever) said, "I've got a bag of....."I have to plug this in where?" that you can use." He is hilarious.

The gentlemen who did the production was actually a friend. But he had failed...miserably. I had called him on Wednesday night....he was sick and said....Tom, this is my 3rd call.....what is happening at the stadium. He again assured me with these words at 9:30 PM, "Masi, we'll stay up all night if that's what it takes to get the stage up!" Needless to say...I believed him. Here's the thing...my high schoolers know this is my thought process, my friends know this too.....I give you trustworthy - freely! It's a gift that we're to give.....we trust one another! And I really do....but you EARN yourself untrustworthy with your own actions....not mine! And I do the same to others. Well....Tom came up to me and said, "Masi, I'm so sorry...." and I replied, "Tom, I'm sure you are and your apology is accepted and my forgiveness is given. However, at this point.....sorry doesn't problem solve and I'm not sure you really know how! So know that I love you as a sister in Christ, but I'm mad. I'm mad that you didn't follow through with your word.....which doesn't make you trustworthy! So give me solutions now or I'll give you them for you!" Here's the sad thing......they aren't problem solvers here. They would rather say YES....and not do it, than to say NO up front. URGH....frustrating.

The day went from bad to worse.....found out that Tom's crew had in fact come back to load in at 9:30 PM the night before, but the stadium crew wouldn't let them in. The Stadium director's team wanted to make our day bad on Thursday. They didn't want the children to come, they didn't want them to celebrate. Children weren't important to them....and they didn't like us.....so they basically put Tom in a tough place and did it with a malicious heart. But we forged on in war....battling the enemy....and Christ defeated him minute by minute. Sound actually came out of the lines....around 5 PM. Sound checks were to start at 2 PM....we are now 3 hours behind.

The front gates were set, the beanies/bibles/juice boxes were stuffed, the tables delivered and setup, it was all ready! So the most fabulous team on Thursday (23 of them) and I headed back to the Lugogo at 6:30 because I had to debrief 350 volunteers about Litsemba. So here comes the other battle.....these volunteers had been given an "overview", they had been digging gardens, leading children in bible studies all week in rural Swaziland....now they had a new hat. I've been studying this process, planning for this day, for months (almost a year)....and now I've got to cram it into a 30 minute presentation and say GO! So I did. I met with the team leaders (31 of them) and gave them folders with their teams responsibilities. Each numbered, everyone divided, and descriptions clear....but they still had NEVER seen the field!

I headed back to the stadium around 9:30 PM and we were there sound checking till 12:00 AM on Thursday night. It was a long night. There was this one guy who came into the stadium late, he drove around the track and got out of his car. He walked straight up to Jeff Wood and said something along the lines of "you're crazy if you think 5000 people will be here tomorrow...nobody's coming". He was scary, felt creepy, and was not at all encouraging. Jeff replied "Are we really going to start this conversation like this?" If it was me....I'd a punched him....but Jeff was gracious! I felt like he was demon possessed.....call me crazy....but he did. We finished sound checks and left. We were up till about 1:15 AM working on paperwork, programs, schedules, prod tech sheets, etc. I showered, wrote a blog entry and off to bed at 2:45 AM. My alarm is set for 5:15 AM.....quick sleep!

The alarm goes off and my stomach feels nauseous...partly from pure exhaustion, partly from the expectation of the day. Brian, Elliott, Jeff and I headed over before the teams. The morning was damp......the dew was thick.....guess what that meant!?! No PA...the entire left side was gone and basically under water. The connector box for all the electrical work was below the stage and it was covered in water. Jeff Wood.....amazing....started rewiring and he got sound within a few hours. All of the teams started to arrive, Spencer got the radios out and we got the gates ready. This is how crazy this place can be....I'm watching this truck at the front gate. I get a radio call from Ian, "Hey Masi....they are bringing a metal detector to your gate!" About that time......the little Isuzu truck pulls off and it went so fast....the detector slides off the back of the car and hits the ground....so I radio to Ian, "Ian....the detector just slid off the truck....." They put it up anyway! This is Swaziland! Ian and I chuckled for a while.

Gates are ready, blankets are getting handed out....and the first kids come through the gates around 7 AM. The buses from the communities we'd been working in were arriving. They came in single file lines, one by one, beanies on their heads, arm full of blankets, bible and a juice! My heart fluttered and I thought....this is it Lord! You win! Funny thing....our team started to panick....then they realized it was about 300 kids! But still....they were coming in and the volunteers wanted everything perfect! Perfection was FAR from the definition of this day. My pride had to shutter and I had to surrender because chaos started. The first act.....PET...one hour late and they had decided to not even perform. The second act....Vessel of Glory.....was to arrive at 9 AM...they arrived at 10:30. Youth Ablaze....sound checked the night before with their 20 person team and informed us that their keyboard player had to take an exam on Friday. If he didn't get an "excuse" for leaving....they would be out for the event. So we had to call the school and ask for him to be released.....he was.....they were about 2 hours late. The schedule is now all out of wack! But the kids kept coming.

While all of this is happening, the live webcast is not functioning. We can get audio and we can get video, but we can't get them together. SwaziTV was to be there and setup ready by 7 AM....I think they were still loading in and tweaking details at 11 AM. Which meant......I had no feed for you to watch! With His Majesty possibly coming.....we could not have a film crew....so we were relying on SwaziTV. But the kids kept coming…..I'm sorry for those who got up early and got nothing....your prayers were still felt! By now the field is about halfway full of kids. It's a field....a soccer field....astro turf....the really expensive kind with black rubber sand. A very expensive field. They were rough housing, the were running around, they were fighting, mugging, yelling and laughing. And the funniest....when we look over and two were actually peeing on it! Oh joy...welcome to Africa. But the kids….kept coming with smiles like I've never seen before....white teeth, dark faces.....sun in their eyes. Joy!

Blankets have become costumes,a Superman Cape a common theme, was the best option, the beanies were on heads and around hands, bibles were weapons for hitting people and orange juice boxes everywhere! Here's the thing....they were ALL kids! That's what children do.....but we loved them! They smiled from ear to ear. They hugged our necks and jumped for joy. This is why we did it.....the moment of celebration....the moment of Litsemba (HOPE)! The stadium seating was full.....the entire stadium covered in children. They came from all over....to celebrate....to find Hope....to hear of our Hope...Jesus Christ. That site was a sweet site! But my favorite….many children, their blankets lay neatly on the ground, their bodies out stretched and them on their stomach’s with an open book……written in Siswati….and they read….the BIBLE! It was an amazing site…..that brought joy….that was it….the finish line…..the “book” that Somhlolo had the vision about….had been passed down! A new generation for this nation!

I'm going to sum up the entire program as chaos…..the production part. But it really wasn’t about production anyway…it was about HIM and HIS glory. People are stopping me all over the field with children crying....and I'm saying, "What's wrong...." They reply, "He's lost or she's lost!" I'm thinking...Lord....where is the Red Cross, where are the Boy Scouts, and where are the Girl Guides....all promised by the Swazi people. No where to be found....that's where! The police were not working with us. The performing acts kept building....all of a sudden I'm getting people (Swazis) asking me can they go on stage. I realized this was a talent show in the past....but not on this stage. And I keep saying…..He has already conquered you Satan. But at the end….the children came…..and finally the American worship band takes the stage.

Seth Condrey is amazing....incredible, humble guy. Matt Walding and Joseph Patrick Moore.....right beside him with the same heart! They are talented men, humble hearts, and giving spirits. Elliott Moon on drums bringing stability and depth.....he's a rockstar! He led them well....and brought amazing value to this gathering. He has walked this with me since October…..he has been crafted in the image of God and it is evident. They finally take the stage....and Seth starts with a worship song....and half way through it...I got a message that the song had to stop. Immediately....all I could do was go to middle field and cut at my neck to motion Seth to stop. I had a really mean man yelling at me to make me stop. He was the second time I felt like there was someone demon possessed in front of me....he scared me! They literally stop Seth singing to make an announcement. Over the speakers "all children need to be orderly and clean up the mess....the king is arriving".....my thoughts, "whatever...He's already here!"

I was SO irritated. I'm thinking....seriously, you stopped a worship song for THAT.....but it is a Kingdom...and there are rules. I'm thinking....can someone tell me what in the world is going to happen if the king actually arrives. I haven't been "briefed" on what to do.....the Swazis keep saying, "Oh...you'll know!" I'm thinking....."no I won't I don't live in a kingdom!" So they start leading worship again.....and I turn around....and here comes the motorcade. 2 by 2 these motorcycles enter, one group after another, and a car drives right up to the royal box. The king is arriving and Seth has to stop singing....I'm thinking, "Oh Lord....Seth doesn't know the cue!" But thankfully, Brian Korosec was side stage and gave the signal to Elliott. With the drums he immediately slowed the song and brought it to a stand still.

I'm thinking....."is this really happening" and yes...it did.....the king of Swaziland had arrive! The place was excited and the pomp and circumstance starts. We step back. The program is not even following what is written. Jeff Wood is thinking he's driving until he realizes someone else is driving the train and we're all in the caboose getting slung from one side of the tracks to the other. So many people speak, Janine speaks and gets to go over to the king and presents a blanket to him for his mother, The Queen Mother. She bows and tells him she has 500 to give.

Many people speak and then the Inside Out team does the Everything skit by Lifehouse. It was powerful and they were awesome. Then our guys go into a worship set....Seth starts.....and what do you know...he is singing in Siswati! He is singing, "God Bless Swaziland". Chills run down my spine wondering what the king must think. God had given Seth a song, a word for these children and he'd written it with the guys the night before. They were so excited! The stadium was full and the kids were on their feet cheering from the stands. While they played...Scott Erickson painted right at the front of the king's box. He was mesmerized! Scott was on stage when I got a radio call or a text.....MOVE SCOTT across the field to right in front of the king....so we take off running! It was awesome.....a painting of hope. The king loved it. (oh…and they stopped Seth again to tell the children and Americans on the field NOT to turn their backs on the king….for the love…this is craziness)

Once we finished....many people spoke. Stephen Lungu delivered a powerful message for everyone to hear....a message of HOPE. And then his majesty spoke. Now let me remind you.....he was to ONLY stay one hour.....we're rounding the corner of 2 hours and 15 minutes at this point....when he takes the microphone. When he started talking.....he was full on preaching and he told the children to turn from their worldly lives and live for Christ. He was sharing the gospel and calling the children to repent. How ironic....he should have been preaching to the adults! He talked for 45 minutes….and at the end….he’d been there for 3 hours. Our KING is the king of all kings…..we worship Him.

The event ended and the mass chaos & riots started. There were 5000 meals….and there were 1000s of children that would go without food. So they got scared, they started pushing and the Somhlolo Festival of Praise committee had no one there to hand out food. It took all 300 volunteers on our team to help and fights still happened. The children were starving and their caretakes were taking the food. Crazy! The craziness went on for at least two hours. But at the end….we still had food. I told Shirley (works for HFA), "Shirley..we’re going to run out." She with confidence had told me…in a Mrs. Doubtfire South African accent, “No dear, I’ve prayed and asked God to multiply it….He will!”. AND HE DID….we could not get to the bottom of the boxes. It was like the fish and the loaves…..it kept coming. At the end….Seth walked out beyond the gate with a box of food….and quickly realized he was in trouble. They came from all directions…..and started grabbing at him. He had to drop it and run…..We finally got everyone cleared out, a group photo taken and headed back to the hotel by around 6:30.

It was over….I wasn’t sure what to think. I had been beaten and battered and abused and yelled at. I had never done anything this chaotic. I’d never had so many people lie to me about what they were going to do! I wanted to rejoice….but honestly…I was so beaten up and my heart was heavy! We’d been hung out with the wolves! It was rough…..but God showed up, He reigns, and it was obvious…..He’d peal back the layers for me so that I could evaluate the hurt, the excitement, the fear, the confidence, the anger, and the joy! I had experienced multiple miracles. Not one that you kind of make into a “modern day miracle”….it was a miraculous, monumental, historical day.....He had gotten children to the stadium without transportation, He’d gotten the king to the stadium to deliver His truth of eternal life, He’d kept everyone safe and out of harms way, He’d multiplied the food….and we WILL rejoice!!!!!

The battle had been won! God showed up and history was made. We didn’t give up….we didn’t walk away….we pushed forward and in that place….the children of Swaziland were passed the torch....the message...that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Dr Hynd said he had never seen that many children gathered….ever in his life…..and ever in his Dad’s life. Dr Hynd is 86. It was glorious….the king of Swaziland called them all to Jesus. It was a start! It was a miracle. We sang of Jesus’ love…..and grace….and we hope for tomorrow. Next year will be a new year…..a new adventure. Hope – Litsemba…..is in this land. Children……singing, dancing and shouting for Him! Gardens are planted, churches have been filled with the voices of many, and a national gathering has occurred where 1000s of children with blanket, beanies, and bibles were provided.....Fruit...Fruit that will last!

He conquered the grave, He conquered Satan….the battle is won!

This is way too long….so I’ll pause here and try to catch you up on Saturday – Monday tomorrow night! But at the end of Friday….I couldn’t really tell you how I felt!

OK…..I’ll make one whole post of just photos! Pray for fruit….fruit that would last….and pray for the greatest command in His word……

LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

More tomorrow......I'm headed to bed! Check out a few photos:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=13667860&id=702695528#!/photo.php?pid=13667860&id=702695528&fbid=10150234754325529

Good night….

From Africa with love.....

Masi