Still waiting

Hello everyone! I'm so so so sorry I have not written. It has been a whirlwind since everyone arrived on Sunday. (This is Canaan to the left). We now have about 350 volunteers and all our staff here in Swaziland. It is amazing to look around the dinner time and see that many people eating together! I'm grateful for the time.

I have so many pictures to show you and they take a while to upload. So I'm going to

write and then post photos later I believe. I'm exhuasted....it is 12:35 AM my time and I have to be ready by 8:00 AM in the morning. So I'm going to type the last 48 hour events and catch up on photos tomorrow....hopefully!

On Sunday.....170 volunteers loaded into Kombis and headed out to Project Canaan. It was quite the day....the first day of visitors, the first day of tours, the first day of International guests, the first day of National guests.....and it was fantastic! All 170+ of us went to the chapel on

Canaan. We had the Ambassador for Taiwan, the PS to the

Prime Minister, Mr. Mbuso (& his guests), Mr. Mathokoza Mtetwa and the Swazi Gospel Singers. This was the first time they were on the land.....they were amazed. They could not believe the plans, the development and the crops. We dedicated the chapel that day, had a church service and heard from our new friend Vusi.Oh....Vusi!

Amazing story.....a 40+ year old man who has HIV/AIDS. He was infected by a girl....and after he was infected.....5 days later....the girl called and said, "You're going to die!" And then told him....she had infected him. Vusi lived in denial for a year...finally got tested and new that he was in fact positive. He lived for several years, never telling his family! He lived.....to die. Until one day he went to a conference in South Africa for people living with HIV. He found a new hope, found Jesus and decided to live outwardly as an HIV victim. So in 1992 he was the first person to publicly declare he was HIV+. He's spent the next 18 years telling people about HOPE in Christ. Oh.....how I wept. I don't even dream of

these things.....

We sang, we had a hula dance from the Hawaii natives, and we had American's lead worship! Great time....we all toured the land, dedicated the first baby home and then headed

back to the hotel. When we got back....our Inside Out Atlanta team had arrived and it was fun to see familiar faces. I wanted to be calm...but I had to do orientation for Litsemba. With the good news on Friday...we were moving on with plans!

After taking everyone through the details, went to dinner and had a sweet time of worship after dinner! God is amazing and He is on his throne! Then.....I stayed up till 1

AM.....here's why! I've served in Estonia four times. I love it

up there.....love the people.....they have very few Christians.....so I serve there for salvation! I serve in

Africa.....to care for the widows and orphans! So....me Estonian team from the US: Betsy & Daryl Griswold, Shannon Schaefer, Suzy Bowen and Rod Brown got together Sunday night at 7 PM to pray for Africa, pray for Listemba and pray for me! Then they had dinner! And I skyped in at 1 AM! Here are my precious friends! We prayed and wept and sweet coverings of His mercy and grace were asked for in His name! Oh thank you Lord for the internet!!!

Monday morning started the Kombis heading out to the communities. Everyone was excited. They loaded up on their vehicles and struck out for 30 churches in RURAL

Swaziland. Now let me tell you....it was rural. After a long

meeting with all sorts of dignitaries (the Defense Secretary (basically Secret Service), the police, the military, the King's Private Secretary, the Deputy Prime Minister's office....etc etc etc) I headed back to the hotel. Spencer and I decided to

go to Pick and Pay. Well....let me be honest....Ian (Spencer's Dad...my current boss on this job) said, "Take Spencer to PIck and Pay and let him drive!" So I said sure and we headed out. But before we left.....we thought "hmmmm, what is the closest church?" So we headed for church 24.

Now....we drove about 5 to 6 miles down the road from our "luxury" hotel. The hotel is nice.....picture Holiday

Inn......we aren't in anything gross! But 5 miles down the road, we turned left.....and went.....and went......and went! The kids were getting out of school and we wound around a dirt road for miles. And then....there it was! Perched up on the hill....a small wooden shack, tin roof and a fence full of tie-dye t-shirts. I knew we'd found it. And oh what a glorious day! Seth Condrey is here and he was on this team. He's a worship leader friend.

So it was time for worship.....and boy did we ever. I stood there with my mouth wide

open and Seth looked like a deer in headlights. He started playing and the GoGo's (grandmother's) started singing.....however they wanted to worship. This one lady with a hat....took it and she went straight for the cross. They sang praises and hallelujah to our King. The sound, acoustics, everything was incredible! They were so in tune...I could hear octaves above them being sung by the host of angels in that room! Each of them with a child strapped on her back....but their to worship. Children everywhere....precious!

Once it set in...I realized I'd taken Ian and Janine's son. So we headed back to the hotel.....to only find that there were some parent's wondering where Spencer had run off to in such a quick amount of time! I'm not allowed to have the car keys or Spencer with me anymore. :) It was a glorious day and fresh breath of God for me that day! I loved worshiping Him! The evening was great......and we headed to bed.

Tuesday brought a new and hard day! I'd been notified that SwaziTelecom had gotten the fiber line to the stadium and we needed to "test" the webcast. So we scheduled the 4 PM time. I would need to go out to the communities and get Elliott. He was 1 hour away! So I decided to head out with Mann and Jabulani to visit churches. And so we did......it was a great time!

The first church was amazing! There were about 8 GoGos working in the church, making food, learning to knit, and planting the garden! The kids were in school till 2:30 PM. So we took photos, gave them the water and headed out! Our next step was Elliott's church. What a gorgeous garden! I'm so excited and pleased for what has already been done! What great people at Elliott's church as well! The Gogo's were incredible!

I am falling asleep typing...it is 1 AM. So I'm going to close....I'll pick up from the drive home yesterday! But a quick request......

PRAY FOR LITSEMBA....yet again...it is looking a little shaky again. I had a conversation today with Janine, Ian and Mathokoza. At this point....we're 48 hours away from an event.....I don't have an order of service and it is still in question if the children are coming. Well needless to say....no children...no Litsemba. I feel like I'm back at square one. I told Babe Mathokoza.....I'm weary. In the dictionary that means, "calling for a great amount of energy or endurance; tiring and tediuos!" I'm there.......today I cried with them. I teared up and sad, "Mathokoza....I've never been asked to care for 20,000 CHILDREN and be given 48 hours to finalize everything! I'm scared and weary!"

So.....up in the AM and headed BACK to the Minister of Educations office. Please pray for favor. Pray for Janine that she finds rest in the chaos of us trying to balance things! Pray for me.....that I'll be reminded by the nudging of the Holy Spirit that God sits on His thrown and is NOT surprised!

Persistent......and hopeful! Pray this with me.....

2nd Chron. 20:15----"Do not be afraid, the battle is not yours, but Gods".

Thanks for following! I'll update photos and the rest of the story later! Much love......

From Africa with Love,

Masi