Youth Sports Camp day- Aug 2011- Mbekelweni Swaziland

Through the eyes of Mitch Hildebrant our Swaziland Director at Cup.

A POWERFUL day in Swaziland. Cool temps and clouds this morning as we had
concerns of more rain. 400 youth from 10 CarePoints came toghether at
Mbekelweni for our first annual sports camp day. Ages 12-18 showed up to
compete for trophies, and to hear about THE trophy of Heaven. Opening
ceremonies brought Njabulo(en-jah-boo-low) to speak and explain a personal
relationship with Christ... One by one, young and hopeful boys and girls
became to come forward, by the time we started the competitions- over 100
students gave their lives to Christ! OH what joy, OH what success, OH what
celebration. We would have celebrated over 1, but to see so many understand
what Christian character, relationship, and love is about- THANK YOU GOD!
Tournaments for boys and girls, Netball(like basketball, but no dribbling or
backboard), Volleyball, and Soccer.
The best part?- well, yes, it was about competing to win a trophy for each
respective CarePoint...but several kids commented "It is just great to get
to hang out and be friendly".
Coliding cultures from around the country with one thing in common-
Friendship. And the best example of that is Jesus Christ.
I am OVERJOYED and filled to the brim with a beaming smile. Our
Discipleship team pulled this off. Mduduzi (em-dah-doo-zee) was the drive
behind the whole event-and he had this great idea just 10 days ago. Portia,
Nelly and Alice jumped on board to make sure everything from the tournament
to a GREAT meal of Borewors(sausages), rice and gravy would be ready for
all. As excited as I am about all of the youth-I am 10fold more excited to
see those we are working with that are from this culture run with wreckless
abandon to reach the hurting and lost.
Today, I saw "it" working. Our end all goal-equip, don't enable...leave
this country in a better position by training up leaders. Along with the
"D-Team(discipleship)".. All 23 Interns served with pleasure and smiles.
I...AM...BLESSED!

When it all works together!!!

The last few weeks has been busy and exciting to see how all the different parts of Children's Cup work together to make a difference in the lives of children at all our CarePoints.

It just so happens that at the CarePoint I oversee, Mangwaneni, had several exciting things happen in the last month on different levels and I just wanted to share.

Mangwaneni, like all the Mission of Mercy affiliated CarePoints was also blessed with a

seesaw to go with their swingsets and slide. The kids are loving it!!!!

Healing Place Church, Swaziland (HPC) in working with Cup's after school program, started a

homework club to help play educational games and other activities to increase their academic skills. The photo was the introduction day and we had several children dance for us.

And then, it was Mangawneni's turn to have their youth lock in. A full night from sunset to sunrise of games, testimonies, teaching, food and just fun. The discipleship team provided security guard to make sure they all had a safe night. I got to help with frying potatoes (french fries from scratch) in a big kettle on an open fire which the kids had with russians (polish sausage like hot dogs) and bread. We also popped popcorn afterwards in the big kettle. Some of the games were musical chairs and a dance competition. I am thankful for the discipleship staff of Cup and the HPC voluteers for making it through the whole night and pouring into the youth. Between my non fluency of the Siswati language and my age, I made it only to midnight but know it was a night of impact on the youth of Mangwaneni.

I just want to say that it takes a team to change lives. There are those that support missionaries like me individually as well as all the other Cup missionaries and those who support the ministry of Cup in general or in specifics like the playground equipment. There are those who work through the local church to be the hands and feet of Christ as they volunteer their time and talents. There are those who might be "staff" but who pour their hearts into loving and sharing and caring for these children of God. God uses us all as we are obedient to sacrifice our wills for His. Healing is taking place and lives are changing as we touch the hearts of kids across Swaziland with the love of God. Is everything easy? Not at all!!! But we do not walk alone!!! He never will leave or forsake us!!! I am so amazed that I am a part of such a Christ driven team of amazing people!!!!

P.S. Sunset from Mangwaneni CarePoint

and the late night view.

Sometimes My Job is a Blast!!!

Sometimes my job is a blast!!!! I might have put a lot of kilometers on my bakkie (truck) but it was worth it to visit all the CarePoints and see the joy the new swings and see-saws have brought to each one!!!

Lomahasha,

our CarePoint near the Mozambique border had never had any play equipment and the children are so excited!!!!

Here are some of the responses to the new equipment:

A teacher said "More children are coming and it is exciting for the children!! We have to chase them now when it is time to go home!"

Another said that there is a line at the gate when they come to open the CarePoint now.

A cook said that she is very thankful. "They are now playing. They are now having fun. They eat fast so they can go play."

Another child said "I am happy to have more swings. Now I can fly higher than anyone!"

One child said "I like the see-saw. I had never seen one before. I love going up and down!"

It is because of our partnership with Mission of Mercy and donors like Pastor Jim and Gary that made this all possible. As one child put it, "May God bless those that gave us the swings because I like playing to see how high I can fly on the swing."

I Won't Go Back

I have changed! I am not who I used to be. Praise God!!! I pray I will continue to grow to be more in His image each day.

As I look at my past; my self reliant, defiant, manipulative past; I see how God has molded me into a better person and I am grateful. Do I seek to be rich in wealth? No, I seek to handle what God gives me with an open hand and a giving heart. Do I seek to have it "my way"? To be honest, sometimes I fall back into that but when I can see or hear God's way, I have learned that His is the better plan. When I failed to submit to authority in the past, I now realize I was opposing God not any particular person and I've come to trust Him even in what seems like failure or disaster. Sometimes, submitting to authority seems like you are the passenger in a car and you see the driver heading for a head on collision and you want to jerk the steering wheel to avoid the crash!!!

Have you ever felt that way?

I now realize that by doing so, I prevent the driver from steering away from the danger or I'm not trusting that God will either intervene or grow me through the recovery after the collision. See how my perspective has changed? It is so freeing and less worrisome.

So why and how did I change? Is it because I live in Africa? Is it because I see poverty daily that is so beyond what I would have thought of when I lived in the states? Is it because what I perceived as problems a few years ago were really selfish whines failing to see my amazing blessings?

Yes and no. I don't think it is so much that I live in Swaziland as it is that I became surrendered to God. Maybe, for me, He had to remove me to Africa to get me to really look at my life. But on the flip side I don't think that if you really look at your life He will move you to a foreign country. LOL When I can get just glimpses of seeing with His eyes, my whole being strives to be gentler, kinder, more loving and full of mercy. And it is not "me" it is Christ "in" me that has enabled me to change. It was Him doing all the work once I just let go, trusted and obeyed.

I still fail quite a bit and stumble over my bad habits but I can see I am changing and I won't go back!! Does that mean never physically move back to the states? No. The change is not about where I live but whom I seek. I don't plan on leaving Swaziland but I know if God calls me back to the US or even to another country, He will give me the grace I need to go.

Thanks for letting me share my recent epiphany!!! I am blessed!!! I am happy!!! I am a child of the King and loved beyond measure!!! I am on a journey and I will continue to draw ever closer to my Lord!!!

And I won't go back to the person I used to be!!!

My Inspiration

So often I get put, by some, on a pedestal for moving to Africa. Those that know me well, know that I am no different from any other Christian who hears God prompting them to do something and follows through. (Maybe I'm in Africa because I wasn't as good at hearing God's voice as I am here. . . where there are less distractions.) We are all called to trust God and obey what He has us to do during each season of our lives. I want to share with you a friend of mine who is doing just that and is blessing children halfway around the world from where she lives.

My friend is Patty Tebon. This is her 3rd trip to Swaziland. The first time she came to visit, she came to meet the sponsored child she had through Mission of Mercy at one of our CarePoints. On that trip, besides just raising the funds to come, she raised enough money for a CarePoint to have a slide & swing set. By American standards, Patty would by no means be considered rich. She just let God use her and followed through with what she felt God was nudging her to do and WOW!

God continues to bless this! Patty came out last year and brought a couple of suitcases of winter hats, gloves and blankets for the children at the CarePoint. She realized that the area, even though it is "Africa" gets cold in the winter and the children live in drafty, mud & stick homes. She also sponsored a second child with Mission of Mercy on that trip. Sponsoring a child is not an enormous monthly commitment but it is a significant one and one Patty takes seriously. She goes without cable TV or the internet so you can afford to sponsor a child. You can tell where her heart is. God keeps moving her heart for the children of Swaziland and she keeps obeying. When asked how she can "live" without having the internet, she asks "which child would you want me to give up in order to get it?"

This past year, Patty started collecting donations of blankets and letting others get involved in the ministry. She told me "God taught me this year that He is using me but I just need to get out of the way and watch Him multiply it!" She gathered over 2,300 blankets!!!!

It is one thing to collect the blankets but how do you get that many blankets over to Swaziland? For anyone who has tried to send me something in the mail, the cost has probably stopped most of you in your tracks. But God is sorting it!!! You might think to just send it with the people on teams who are coming over? Easy to say but Patty lives in Wisconsin and the rest of the team she was coming with were from North Carolina and Louisiana. But God is AMAZING and orchestrated people traveling through her area to the other states to distribute most of them and others donated money to pay for shipping and for Patty to have extra luggage on the flight!! The rest will come over later this year with the Back-To-School shipment. If you hear all the intricate details God worked out, your jaw would be left dropped open.

When Patty arrives in Swaziland, she just oozes love!!!! Her eyes light up and her arms open to give lots and lots of hugs! She was able to distribute some of her blankets herself at Moneni "Moe-nay-nee" and at Mangwaneni "Mahn-gwah-nay-nee". The children left warm with blankets and hats. Patty said "my heart when I am back in the states is still with the children in Swaziland. Americans don't realize how blessed they are!" But Patty is being faithful to what God has called her to for in this season of her life. She is raising awareness and providing for needs for the Children's Cup ministers to year round. She is an amazing, loving example of being God's hands and feet. . . and did I mention she has now sponsored her 4th Mission of Mercy child!!! Thank you Patty!!! You are an inspiration to me!!!

Love in Action!!!

Just wanted to share the story of one of our cooks who is the epitome of being God's hands and

feet!!!

Thuli Mdluli is a cook at one of our CarePoints. She has compassionate heart, and has shown this by extending care for 3 kids that don’t even belong to her.

John was abondoned by his mom, and left to his father (who is now re-married). The new wife wanted to leave him because John was not her son. The father decided to harm John, in fact he tried to kill him by throwing John in a homestead where there were fierce dogs. Momma Thuli “Two-lee” rescued him. She took the small boy to her homestead where she is also living with Phephile “Pay-pee-lay” and Muzi “Moo-zee” and Rosenna who are all double orphans.

Thuli is a volunteer cook at the CarePoint, and is taking John with her everyday. he is too young to attend the pre school class because he is only 3yrs old. The boy now flows with joy. He recently sang a song that they sing at bible clubs and he shared a Memory verse from the bible club…we are so amazed at how he can take the Word in his heart. It was cute, ,he was stammering saying 1John 16:16 “I…chose… you… to.. go… and… bear fruit “, the recovery that the Lord is bringing in the child’s life is awesome. May He be praised.

Phephile and Muzi came to stay with Thuli when they were 3 and 5 yrs old, now Phepile is 18 yrs and Muzi is 20yrs old and they are very active youth at the CarePoint. Their education is being sponsored by a nearby school. (the schools are required to leave open X number of slots for double orphaned children-and are not supposed to charge them for education)

Rosenna, (now the 4^th child) has also lost both of her parents. She is 5yrs old and Thuli rescued her from her uncle. The wife of the uncle did not like and did not want anything to do with Rosenna. She was abusing the child emotionally and physically in unthinkable ways. She would strangle her and torture her by putting a hot iron on her forehead. Even now she is still healing from the physical scars. But God is restoring her. She is now a happy child(our goal for all of these kids), and is attending our CarePoint school and bible clubs and playing with other kids and feeling the love of Christ through Mama Thuli!!

These kids are the NORM here in Swaziland. I wish we had to dig hard to find stories like this, but for now-that is not so. The PIECE of hope we cling to is that because of great women like Momma Thuli, these kids have love back in their lives. The PEACE of hope truly passes all understanding.

Birthday Away from Home!

A few things usually hit you harder than others when you are a missionary. I know my first year in the field, the fact that my birthday was now in the winter instead of the summer hit me harder than I expected. Instead of being a couple of days before the longest day of the year, it is now a couple of days before the shortest day of the year. It doesn't effect me as much anymore, I'm getting use to it. Sometimes being away from family on special days are hard.

This year I was blessed to be loved on more than I could have ever imagined even though I live on the other side of the globe. As seen in my previous post, I was thrilled to have my mom come to Swaziland for an early birthday present. It was great to get to share my life here with her and hopefully help her feel like I am closer by being able to picture my house, my friends, my work and the CarePoints I work at.

And then my birthday fell on Father's Day Sunday so I got lots of hugs and birthday greetings at HPC church in Swaziland.

And my home church, the Oasis Church, in Loganville, GA included a greeting from me in their bulletin and prayed for me during their services.

Between my home church, friends, and family I had a record number of FB posts to my wall wishing me a wonderful birthday!!! So many, I had trouble getting them all read!!! To finish my day I had two wonderful young friends, Bethany and Tamara who baked me a cake and came over and made me dinner.

I might not have my family or stateside friends with me but that did not stop me from having an amazing birthday on the other side of the world!!!!!

The Lord continues to amaze me and bless be abundantly!!! Thank all of you who sent me birthday wishes, prayers and blessings!!! And thank those of you who read my blog and let me share my life!!