Eight months is a long time. I think back to our pregnancies and how long they seemed... and felt. {Notice how I said 'our' -- I gave you a little credit, Steph. After all, you did hold the vomit bowl during 'our' three c-sections. :)} I think of a typical school year in the States and how it is just over eight months. I think about our itinerating and support-raising, and how that was about the same timeframe. And then I think about being here in Africa for eight months. The time has flown.
Yesterday I was blessed to enjoy lunch with two amazing women -- Brandi Jones and Jacci Bickford. Brandi is a six-week intern at Global Leadership Academy from Baton Rouge, living with 22 other interns and experiencing so much of Swaziland in such a short time. We've had so much fun getting to know her. I love how God continues to expand our territories, not with the American dream of riches, but with amazing people and experience. God is so good.
And, Jacci Zuniga Bickford. She is a long-time missionary, now a newlywed and finding her home and mission field also in Baton Rouge (after living in Mexico and Swaziland for over 12 years!). Jacci was on the ground with Children's Cup and hosted our teams during our visits in 2008 and 2009, so she has been with us every step of the way. Jacci remembers us the first year being rocked by Swaziland but also relieved when we weren't "called" -- relieved that we could return to our lives in the States relatively unscathed (or so we thought). And then, Jacci remembers me bearing my soul after our second safari in 2009. We sat next to each other in the kombi, and I shared the tug I felt while returning to Swaziland for our tenth wedding anniversary, wondering how this would all add up, trying to figure out what God was doing in our lives. I also recall asking Jacci if there were conveniences like hair color in Swaziland, as Steph sat next to me thinking about the stadium he was in the midst of constructing. I think my heart was spiraling out of control long before I realized it.
During lunch with these girls, we talked about our journeys and our time thus far in Africa. It is so amazing to look back on the years before Swaziland, and God's hand and preparations in our lives -- even at times when weren't truly living for Him but rather just going through some really good-looking motions. Our seven years of moves to Ohio, Kansas, California, back to Ohio, and then settling in Minnesota. The River Valley Church flyer that landed in our mailbox when we were really desiring a home church. The "dream career" for Steph with LeJeune Steel that came with a significant salary cut, just as we had stepped out in faith and starting tithing, all at the same time starting to explore this crazy Financial Peace thing. Our first trip to Swaziland falling three months before becoming debt free, eliminating $60,000USD in 27 months on lots of beans and rice, dollar store toiletries, and "it's not in the budget" becoming a very regular part of our vocabulary. All of those big and little forks in the road that we met along the way, He was charting our course. I'm overwhelmed to think about how very faithful He is.
These eight months have come with challenges and much learning, but they have been the most incredible eight months of my life. I never imagined what letting everything go, picking up and following God wholeheartedly could mean. My heart has never been so full. I am continually in awe that, of all the people He could choose to serve in Swaziland, He has chosen our family. We are BLESSED to do this, day in and day out.
Yesterday afternoon we took Brandi to one of our handicraft markets in Ezulwini so that she could buy some gifts for her family and friends. Each of the kiddies had E20 (about 3USD) to spend as well -- they love handicrafts. They knew that they needed to stay within budget and did a little bit of bartering and negotiating with the bomake. They are quite the little business people! Avery bought an ebony lion and Ellie bought an ebony rhino, but Iliea decided to make her money go a little further. She bought a necklace, a keychain, and a coin pouch. As she picked out the pouch in the shop, it was dark and she couldn't see the colors but decided she liked the style.
This morning, Iliea brought down her new finds and said something that just hit my heart. She told me that when she got the pouch out in the light after she bought it, she realized that it wasn't black and brown as she thought, but in purple. She looked at me and said, "Mom! God planned for the Swazi bomake to make it just for me, in my very favorite color."
On our eight month-a-versary, I am again reminded that this journey is tailor made, right down to the colors of Iliea's coin pouch. Every little detail is woven, and His intricate plan is awesome. Thank you for sticking with us, praying for us, and loving us. As Steph would say, "this gig is sooo good."
He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail -- even numbering the hairs on your head!
-Matthew 10:30, MSG
