Swaziland Day 7

Hello everyone,
Please forgive me for not posting until now! I am blessed to get to finally do it tonight. Let's just say the internet and

timing is less to be desired so here is your warning...THIS IS A LONG POST! BUt I don't know when I will get to do it

again! So let me start by saying the water source is interesting and lacking at times and the breakfast....hmmm...well I'll

just say I am glad I don't normally eat breakfast!

Now that I got that out... that is all I will dare to complain about!
I am overwhelmed with JOY and thankfulness to God for him consistantly revealing himself to me, our team, the Bomages

(Carepoint Mother's that we were calling Go-go's...oops:) and to the children and their families. There have been several

moments thus far on the trip that God has shown us that He is in control and we are just along for the ride. For instance,

all 24 bags were waiting for us in Jo-Burg when we arrived, we were spared turmoil even though there was a strike crisis

and people were being arrested by the large police force (even from our hotel as we walked in!). Everyday we have handed

out gifts for the kids at the end of the day like a bag of school supplies, fruit, candy, balls, frisbees, the little

dresses we made (I'll tell you more about this awesome gift in a bit!) and shoes, however while doing this there were

several times that I was getting nervous as I saw what was in my hand and knew the line of children were much longer than

what we could give.  I just prayed that God somehow mulitply our supply and sure enough we would have the EXACT amount with

not one item left over OR another bag of whatever we were given just so happen to show up!!  I'm telling ya...I have story

after story of this happening to us while we have been here!  I have been so encouraged by our team and how they are

overcoming so many obstacles (because even the simpilist of things down here are just difficult most of the time and yet

everyone takes it in stride. Especially our two teens who are with us. This young man and young lady are true gems! Their

heart to serve our Heavenly father shows by their flexiblity (a reality we have all had to learn), their respect and their

desire to constantly love on our Carepoint kids is so guniuine and touching. GOd is using our entire team in wonderful

ways. Don our team leader has been doing a much better job blogging about our trip so I would encourage you to take a look

at our www.Knowntome.net website for daily details and pictures. These kiddoes are cute as pie so I know you will want to

see them!

Yesterday was a really fun and exhausting day! We got to go see where the Mobage's of the carepoints get to go and make

purses and bags for a little income for their families. I was expecting to see a mini factory well I guess you could call

it that except the only machine there was one sewing machine! It was great to see these hand made bags and purses and I am

excited to bring many of them home! We are going to be selling these purses at our upcoming CHOSEN adoption conference in

October!

Then it was time to head back to the carepoint to hand out the dresses and shorts. These kids have been so grateful for all

the other gifts they have been given that I was confident they would love these beautiful clothes that many of you have

made for them and I was right! IT was so beautiful to see the children's faces light up when we dressed them in thier new

clothes! They are going through so much and many of these kids are so broken and hurt by their situations so to see them

feel special was such a GIFT FROM GOD!  At the end of the day we were all getting so worn out and a couple of our team

members felt emotionally drained that I started to wonder..."Are we really making a difference here?" Will candy, hugs,

smiles, clothes, playing really make a difference in the lives of these kids? Will they really draw closer to Jesus because

of these simple acts?

Then today happened! It really didn't start so well but once we did our team devotional this morning it all started to

change. In this study God reminded us to serve Him through WHATEVER He asks, WHENEVER He calls, WHEREVER He leads us and

WHOMEVER HE wants us to serve.

SO then we head to the carepoint to Wash "these babies feet" as one teammember says :) and to hand out shoes to the kids

afterwards. Let's just be honest...washing another person's dirty feet is not exactly on the list of must do's in our

life....or at least it wasn't on mine....UNTIL TODAY :) SO the serving God in WHATEVER He asks really humbled me.  I think

God gave me a little attitude adjustment. DON'T get me wrong....I was planning on doing it without complaint HOWEVER GOD

WANTED MY WHOLE HEART IN THIS ACT!

Then not too long after we went to the carepoint...we were asked to do a home visit. Now these home visits have by far been

the most emotional experences for me...and too many stories to share now but the way these families live is so humbling.

This is where we heard many heartbreaking stories and so today I was extrememly taken back when we were asked to go to a

homestead where three of the children had just lost an aunt...the one that took care of them! So on the way there there was

an older man who has been helping at the carepoint and a bomage following us. THey were talking behind me as Behki (one of

our decipleship teammembers at our carepoint) and I carried a 45 pound bag of food to the homestead. (BTW it was about a

1/4 of a mile of rough, rocky, thorn bush path led by three little children the youngest not being more than 3years and

they walk this everyday by themselves!) At one point Behki looked over at me, smiled and said the people here can not

believe how kind you all are, being willing to come and be with this family in thier time of need. It was what I

needed...that word of affermation that we ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! BUT God didn't stop there. NO you see we went to this

homestead and spent some time praying with this family, sharing GOd's word and hearing there story and AGAIN, GOd affirmed

us because the Eldest gentleman thanked us and said they were all so blessed that in their time of need we came and visited

them. THey said they felt encouraged that we were there. He also said thank you for leaving our families, traveling so far,

 caring for the kids at the carepoint, visiting homesteads and bring food! He said their community has NEVER experienced

ANYTHING like this and they are very overwhelmed! It was our opportunity to turn our work upward and to Glorify God with

our hands and feet!

SIGH....it was just the start of a beautiful day!

I will finish the rest of the story at a different time...until then.
 Please continue to pray for our team, our kids at the carepoint and the families we are reaching....we are starting to see

positive change!

Blessings to you!!

Love, Michelle