The Swaziland Experience

After my last update, I thought to myself that maybe the number of stories that I have and the length of my emails would decrease. That night, I was about 15 yards from a lightening strike. Since then, I’ve met a lady who is recovering from being struck twice by lightening. So, I think that these are simple messages that my life here won’t get dull.

The patterns of life here have been the same. I have been visiting homesteads and going to meetings for the home-based care groups. I have also been able to develop relationships with random people around town, and this has been great.

I had a great Thanksgiving celebration with a couple other Americans and a few other internationals from Doctors Without Borders. I don’t know if turkey exists on this continent, but the chicken was great. I made mashed potatoes.

Much love from Africa. Thanks for the words of encouragement that many of you have sent and for the prayers. I understand more and more why missionaries often say that their biggest need is prayer. I have so many people praying for me, and I ask you please to continue! I have also been praying for friends and family more than ever before in my life.

Again, I ask you to read on if you’re curious for more. I really want to keep these emails a bit shorter, but I just can’t do it. Read what you’d like below, but please try to hit the prayer requests at the end.

+++++++++++ For the curious: +++++++++++

1. I’m Not an Idiot
2. There’s No Other Way
3. Friends at the Library
4. Thirsty
5. Thobile Update
6. Meeting Physical Needs
7. There is a Lot of Death
8. Names, Genders, and Ages of the Orphans
9. Thanksgiving
10. Prayer Requests

—————————————-

1. I’m Not an Idiot
I now have proof that I’m not an idiot. I need a medical clearance for a residence permit in Swaziland. So, this week I went to a doctor’s office to complete the Swaziland form. The certificate reads:
“I hereby certify that I have examined Timothy Deller and find that he is not mentally or physically defective in any way, … that he is not an idiot, epileptic, insane, mentally deficient, … and that he is not suffering from leprosy, tuberculosis, or trachoma.“
You might wonder what this examination consisted of. They took my blood pressure, charged me 60R (approx $10), and signed the form. Welcome to Africa.

2. There’s No Other Way
I’ve been thinking a lot about what Swaziland needs to improve its situation. When I was talking to one of the Peace Corps girls, she was convinced that addressing the gender inequality issue will fix all of Swaziland’s problems. I remember meeting a really great guy at a week of training with GE, and he said (almost a direct quote), “I believe that education is the answer to all the world’s problems.”
I agree that gender inequality and lack of education are gigantic issues in Swaziland and throughout the world. However, I do not believe that these are the root cause of the many problems. I genuinely believe with all my heart that what Swaziland needs (and any other country for that matter) is to live for Jesus. I know that to many people, sharing the word of God seems like a frivolous activity and a waste of time. My belief is that there is nothing better that we can do to help a hurting nation than to share about Jesus. Read on for more thoughts on this…

3. Friends at the Library
On Thanksgiving Day, I was in town with some time to kill. So, I went to the library to write a couple letters. As I was writing one of the letters, four or five high school guys came up to me and started talking to me. They were trying to intimidate me I think, but I just sat and talked with them. They asked why I’m here, and I explained what I was doing. Somehow, I got on the subject that I read my Bible almost every day, and I asked if they had Bibles. They didn’t. I had two Zulu Gideon New Testaments that Peter had given me, and I gave them out to two of the guys. We continued to talk. Swazi boys like to talk about sex, and the subject came up in reference to living Godly lives. I talked about the fact that condoms help to prevent HIV, but that sex outside of marriage messes with your head. I said to them just imagine how special it will be one day for me when I will have sex for the first time in my life with my wife. Their eyes lit up, and they really seemed to agree. They asked so many questions: What if I was dating a girl who had had sex before? How could I possibly trust my girlfriend in the US while I’m in Swaziland? Do other people in the US have sex before marriage? … on and on. It was funny to see them change from joking around and making fun of me at first to listening intently to my every word for an hour. I believe that the Spirit was working in their hearts. I tried to paint a broader picture that following God is more than just a set of rules. Following God makes lives much, much better. I asked them to imagine Swaziland if no one had sex before marriage. Would there be an HIV/AIDS problem? What would happen to the orphan situation? What if no one stole in Swaziland? What if men respected women instead of whistling when they walk by? What if people didn’t lie and you could trust them? Do you know anyone whose life has improved by excessive drinking or by smoking marijuana? You could really see their brains chugging.
A few minutes after they left, one returned. He said to me that I could keep writing my letter and that he just wanted to come back to be with me. Instead, I started asking him questions. His name is Lwazi, and he’s 15 years old. He has two siblings. His parents are alive and together, and the five of them share a room. His dad is sick with TB (which almost always implies AIDS), and he thinks his mom is getting sick too. They can’t work right now, so they can’t afford food. Lwazi’s grandpa had seven wives, three of which are still alive and living on their homestead. Alcohol and marijuana are used a lot in his family, but Lwazi has tried to avoid them. His grades are down because of his home situation, but he’s trying. I read with him the last few verses of Romans 8, and it was emotional for me. I’ve never been in a situation in which I needed those verses for encouragement. One thing that amazed me was that Lwazi never asked me for anything. I set up a time to meet with Lwazi again in a few days.
I did meet with Lwazi again, and his friend Mifiso also came. We went through many of the important verses found in the back of the Gideon New Testament together. This was a good way to present the gospel, and I believe that follow-up is so important after presenting the gospel. I am hoping to meet regularly with them during my time here. Please pray that this works out, particularly because transportation will be more difficult for Lwazi after school lets out for the summer next week. I had a really good time with these two guys. Mifiso told me that before he did not believe in God, but now he does.

4. Thirsty
After meeting with Lwazi and Mifiso, I thought a lot about the times when Jesus referred to a thirst for the Good News. I see a thirst in Lwazi and Mifiso like I’ve never experienced before. I feel like I understand so much better why Jesus was attracted to society’s underdogs, because they recognized and acted on a desire for truth.

5. Thobile Update
When I first met Thobile (the girl at the clinic who I wrote about in my first update from Swaziland), she told me where she works and asked me to visit her there some day. On Thanksgiving, I stopped by to see her. I was so happy to find her alive and healthier than the last time I had seen her. I returned again to bring her some spinach from our garden at the farm. She was grateful. Everyone is grateful when I give them spinach. I will continue to visit her at work from time to time. She runs a computer at a tire repair shop.

6. Meeting Physical Needs
James 2:15-16 and many other verses throughout the Bible address meeting physical needs in addition to spiritual needs. I’ve been praying about the best way to put this into practice here in Swaziland where both the physical needs and spiritual needs are overwhelmingly large. For example, how can I help to meet Lwazi’s physical needs in a wise, God-honoring, and loving way?

7. There is a Lot of Death
The first two weeks that was here, I think that I visited about 12 homesteads. I have been told that already three of the people who I have visited have passed away. Before I came, my biggest prayer was for emotional and spiritual preparation for what I would encounter while I’m here. I believe that God is honoring that request. I have not yet developed a relationship with someone who has passed away, but if/when that happens, I trust that God will continue to help me to process these things in a healthy way.

8. Names, Genders, and Ages of the Orphans
I have had a couple requests for the names, genders, and ages of the orphans for curiosity and prayer purposes:
Nontobeko, F, 15
Precious (nicknamed Taiwan), F, 13
Bogiwe, F, 13
Bongi, F, 12
Menzi, M, 10
Zinhle, F, 9
Lindani, M, 9
Siyabonga, M, 9
Neliswa, M, 7
Image, F, 4
The house mother is a 57 year old Swazi woman named Constance. We call her Gogo, which translates to grandma. Gogo and I like each other a lot. If you looked at my pictures from my last update, then you saw her.

9. Thanksgiving
This year, I celebrated Thanksgiving with a group of Doctors Without Borders workers. There were two other Americans (one born in Jamaica), as well as a person from each of the following countries: Kenya, Belgium, Italy, Niger, and Luxembourg. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast, and I felt very blessed to celebrate Thanksgiving with a group of people. Note to my Milwaukee friends: the Kenyan is named Isaac, and he actually knew Albo seven years ago with Nairobi Chapel’s Salt ministry (I think this is for college students).

10. Prayer Requests- Gogo’s health (Gogo is the house mom for the orphans.)
- Visa situation for both Swaziland and South Africa. This is looking a little trickier than I had expected, although I’m not worried about it at this point.
- Lwazi, Mifiso, and their other friends who I met
- Understanding of appropriate ways to meet physical needs as well as spiritual needs
- That I follow the path of ministry that God has mapped out for me here
- Prayer for the people who I am visiting and for wisdom in how to encourage them, pray with them, and understand how to meet their needs
- Pray for the orphans and their development in all areas (names, genders, and ages above)
- Praise for an incredible amount of joy and contentment here, and prayer that it would continue

Hello friends,

I have now been in Swaziland for three weeks. I’m feeling quite at home and comfortable. I’m learning public transportation, making some friends, and having a good time.

I’ve been spending most of my weekdays doing one of two things: A couple times a week, I go around to the homesteads and visit the homes of very sick people. We try to encourage them, we pray for them, and I try to bring them a small amount of food. They are so grateful for our visits, and they are usually quite excited to have an American visit them (or anyone for that matter). On other days, I’ll often go with Arnau to meetings of the home care groups. One of the reasons that the home care groups are strong is because of good weekly meetings. I will likely spend more time at these meetings, especially with the younger groups.

It’s been over two weeks since my last email, and again it seems like I have decades of stories. This email might seem long, but it’s about 1% of the things that I would love to write about. So, if you’re interested, read on. You may also skip to the prayer requests at the end if you’re interested.

Also, this just in. My wonderful family (thanks Neil & Christy) have uploaded some pictures for me. I sent the pictures to them on CD through the mail. If you have a Snapfish login, use this link:
  http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=897191195515190267/l=328904321/g=98620709/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
Otherwise, you may view them in two parts at these links:
  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7831&l=e4b68&id=591774512
  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=7832&l=9f9fd&id=591774512
My Internet is far too slow to go to the links to give a commentary, but if I recall the first few (any of them in a big city) were taken in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. After that, there are a few random pictures around Swaziland, and then there are quite a few pictures from the farm. Some are of the farmer’s family, some are of the orphans who live on the farm, and some are of the farm workers. You might notice that I have short hair these days. Read more thoughts on picture-taking below (chapter 11).

+++++++++++ For the curious: +++++++++++

1. I Got Sick
2. I Had a Very Scary Incident
3. Public Transportation
4. Home Based Care
5. A Typical Day
6. A Typical Homestead
7. My Swazi Name
8. World Vision Award
9. Buying a Car?
10. I Have Met Some Americans
11. More Thoughts on Pictures
12. Good Food in Town
13. Calling Me

—————————————-

1. I Got Sick
  Well, my first major international sickness came on my second week here. I will spare you the details, but Tuesday the 6th was a pretty rough night. It was not fun, and it rivaled January 7th, 1996 for my sickest night ever. I was quite exhausted for a couple days, but I recovered well.

2. I Had a Very Scary Incident
  I had a very scary incident on Friday the 9th. I’ve never been scared quite like this before. I was playing with a small girl, probably about 2 years old. While we were playing, she fell and bumped her head on concrete. She did not bump it hard, and I wasn’t sure if she would even cry. I held her in front of me to try to make her smile. Her eyes glazed over quite severely, and she started to twitch a bit. She began to foam at the mouth, and she started to shake quite severely. I was quite scared. Her mom (I think it was her mom) came to get her, and Arnau drove us all to the local pharmacist (who somewhat works as a doctor). He pulled back her eye lids and shined a light in, but her pupils did not respond. We took her to the local clinic, and while the doctor was looking at her there, she woke up and began to respond. He said that she would be okay, which was quite a relief. I have since found out that she is seizure-prone and had had a seizure the night before. This is so frustrating to me… In my other life I make medical imaging equipment to see inside the brain and diagnose these problems. In this life, a CAT scan or MRI is not even a possible option. She will probably never receive any diagnosis, treatment, or medicine for her problem.

3. Public Transportation
  I’ve been learning the public transportation system here. It has been quite an adventure. The primary method of public transportation is taking the kombi. The name kombi is from an old VW model, and the kombis are large vans that the locals pack into. They typically have two town names on the front and back, and they just drive back and forth between these two towns. I was quite nervous to start taking the kombis, but it has been quite an enjoyable adventure. Although several percent of the Swaziland population is white, they certainly do not take the kombis. So, I get some interesting looks and questions. This has really been helpful for me to learn some of the local ways, and people have been very friendly and helpful in getting me to my final destination. I could write a large book on my experiences from only a couple weeks on the kombis. On Friday, I took a kombi to Manzini en route to Mbabane (the capital), and I was one of six people sitting in the back row. A giant speaker was mounted where my head was supposed to go. It was quite an adventure. Kombis do not run on a schedule, but rather they leave one town for the next when they are full. Sometimes they leave right away, but I once sat on a kombi for over an hour before leaving for my ten minute trip.

4. Home Based Care
  The church group that I am involved with here makes a goal to be the “hands and feet of Christ in the community.” The main idea is to train people in the community to be caretakers for the very sick, usually with AIDS-related sickness. This includes many areas of care, including washing the patients, cleaning their homes, playing with children, encouraging them and praying for them, delivering food, clothing, or medicine when available, etc. I have been going out with these groups two or three times per week. My main role is to encourage and pray for the patients. Many of these patients are very close to death. Sometimes it is hard to know how to pray and what to say, but I do my best. I also pick some spinach (not exactly what we think of as spinach…more lettuce-like) from my farm to give to the families that I visit. It’s not much, but it is a day of food. They are very grateful, as many of these families have virtually nothing to eat. There are many hungry people in Swaziland.
  For more information, check out the links from the bottom of the very first Tim Update email I sent out.

5. A Typical Day
  On days that I go out on the home care rounds, I usually hitch a ride to town when the youngest girl is dropped off at school. From there, I take the kombi to Dwaleni. I get off at the coordinator’s homestead for the Dwaleni area, where I meet one or two community members at approximately 9:00. We go around and visit several homesteads. There is usually a lot of walking involved. To visit three homesteads, we would probably walk at least five or six miles. There is no shade, and it’s quite hot. We walk back to the coordinator’s house sometime in the early afternoon. Usually I’ll spend a little time there, as I enjoy their family. Then, I’ll hop on the kombi to Nhlangano where I’ll stop by a restaurant, store, and/or the Internet cafe if I have the time and energy. I’ll take another kombi that stops near the farm, and I’ll take a 15 or 20 minute walk home from there. I often go spend time with the orphans at some point in the early evening. I try to spend about an hour a day with them if I can. Then I’ll eat dinner with Peter & Michelle (the farmer and wife), the Afrikaans farmhand Eduard, or by myself in my room. I’ll often spend time with Peter & Michelle and their two kids until the kids go to bed. Then, I’ll go to my room and read, write letters, write in my journal, and/or play guitar.

6. A Typical Homestead
  I could write for hours about the homesteads that I have visited thus far. Most of the homesteads are on a small plot of land with several mud huts. Often the huts are falling apart. Some of the homesteads have homes with better building materials than mud, but not all.  I’ll tell you about one of the families as an example. One homestead that we visited had a very sad and very sick 21 year old girl sitting on a bed. She was softly crying while were there. She has full-blown AIDS and is not in good shape. On another bed beside her, another young girl, probably a teenager, was nursing her baby. This is hard to see, as nursing is a common method of passing HIV from mother to daughter. However, virtually no homes can afford formula for the baby’s safety. Between the beds was the mother of the two girls. Most likely, she will raise her grandchildren when they become orphans. This is a very, very common scenario right now in Swaziland. At most the homesteads, we bring a smile to their faces, and they are clearly very happy to see us. This homestead was a bit different, as I never saw a hint of joy or happiness in anyone’s face. I do believe that they appreciated our visit, but it’s hard for them to smile in their current state. We tried to encourage them, and I prayed for them.  Ahhhhh, I am thinking about the other homesteads that I have visited, and I want to write about each and every one, but there is just no way that I can.

7. My Swazi Name
  My Swazi name is Sipho Khumalo. Sipho means “a gift.” Khumalo is a common last name here, and that is the name of the coordinator for the Dwaleni area who I enjoy quite a bit. The Swazis love when I tell them my Swazi name.

8. World Vision Award
  The pastor who I work with here, Arnau Van Wyngaard, recently placed very highly in a competition focused on AIDS care and relief from World Vision. The award was granted due to his work with organizing the home-based care groups throughout southern Swaziland. Here’s a link: www.courageousleadershipaward.com/2007_swaziland_reformed.html

9. Buying a Car?
  I am still deciding whether to buy a car. There are many disadvantages, and the main one is that it would set me apart from the Swazis quite a bit. I love the ways that not having a car has helped me to identify with them through the kombis and walking. Buying a car would carry many advantages though. The home based care groups are scattered throughout all of southern Swaziland. For me to take an active role in the administration of these groups, I really need a car. Also, if we move forward with a church in Lavumisa, I would need a car to travel there. Please pray for this decision. Money is not as much of an issue as simply making the best decision for ministry.

10. I Have Met Some Americans
  I have met quite a few Americans. The Internet cafe in Nhlangano is the meeting spot for internationals. I met one Peace Corps girl there, and this past weekend I went to Mbabane to meet 20 Peace Corps volunteers. They have been in the Peace Corps for six months now, and they were all gathered together in Mbabane for training to help them start projects. I stayed with them on Friday night. It was fun, but it did remind me that I am quite different from the average American in his/her 20’s.  I also met a Kenyan at the Internet cafe who is part of Doctors Without Borders. He invited me over to his place yesterday, and I met several of the other Doctors Without Borders people, two from the US, one from Niger, and one from Belgium. I had a nice time with them, and I’m going to their place for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I don’t think that turkey really exists in this country, and I haven’t been able to find beef tenderloin either. But, I do plan on making some mashed potatoes!

11. More Thoughts on Pictures
  I have taken several pictures around the farm, but I really can’t take nearly as many pictures as I would like. I would love to preserve the visual memories, but it’s very hard to pull out a camera and start taking pictures of extremely sick people and their homes that are falling apart. It’s also not wise for me to take out my camera in town to take pictures.
  On Friday, I was at a homestead with an incredible picture opportunity. Three Swazis were sitting under a tree beside a mud hut with beautiful mountains in the background. I so badly wanted to take a picture, but there was just no way that I could do this. We were visiting the homestead because they had lost a young woman to AIDS-related TB on the previous day. She left behind a young daughter and a very sad sister and mother. It is hard in this situation to pull out a camera and take pictures, so I did not.
  I hope that you enjoy the pictures linked above though.

12. Good Food in Town
  I’m learning where the delicious food in town is. There is one place to buy a big ball of wonderful fried bread. The good muffins are at Builders Supermarket. There is a gas station were I like the people so I buy water or soda there. The Cadbury Lunch Bars are maybe the most incredible candy bar ever. You get the idea… I’m very happy to feel comfortable in town and know my way around. A couple of these food tips came from folks in the Peace Corps.

13. Calling Me
  If you have a computer with high-speed Internet, a microphone, and speakers, then you can call me for about 15 cents per minutes using Skype. Let me know if you’d like more details.
Please pray for…
- The people at the homesteads that I’m visiting … especially that they could understand how much Jesus loves them
- Decision of buying a car
- Encouragement for Rina, who lives on the farm and works with the orphans
- That I could develop into the ministry role that God has mapped out for me here
- For continued happiness and joy during my stay here
- The seizure-prone baby
- Continued prayer for potential church plant in Lavumisa
- Praise that I am feeling very comfortable and at home
- Praise that I have been able to receive phone calls from a couple much-loved people
- Praise that God has shown His face to me continually during my time here. (Psalms 143:7)
- Praise for the many people praying for me!

Sowabona,

Here we are for Tim Update #2. I’m sending these updates to quite a few people– ranging from my parents and very best friends to people who I don’t know nearly as well but who are curious about my trip. So I will start with a brief summary, and then if you’re curious you may read on.

I don’t have much email access at this point. I am typing up this email on a borrowed computer with no Internet, and I’ll burn it to a CD and take to town to email it out in the next couple days. So, please write letters!

My address is:
 Tim Deller
 Pasture Valley
 PO Box 1129
 Nhlangano
 Swaziland
 Africa

—– Summary:

My travels were very good. I’m now living on a large farm in Nhlangano, Swaziland called Pasture Valley. We have vegetables, cows for milk, some fruit trees, and lots of timber.

This week I went all around with Dr. Arnau van Wyngaard, the missionary who I’m working with. We first toured southern Swaziland and met several of the leaders of the home-based care networks. I also saw several of the churches. On Thursday, I attended an orientation meeting with a new home care group, and on Friday I attended a meeting of the volunteers of the original home care group in Dwaleni. I had the chance to introduce myself through an interpreter. I told them that I came a long way to be with them, I have so much to learn from them, I hope to become friends with them, and I can’t wait to see how God works among them. Then, Arnau & I stopped by a health clinic where we met several very sick AIDS patients.

This has been quite an adjustment! I’ve felt quite a range of emotions, but I’m so glad to be here. A couple times, I’ve asked myself what I got myself into, but I really believe that the Good Lord has placed me here. He has also given me a farm full of people who help to satisfy my extrovert personality. Thank you Lord!

Over the next few weeks, we’ll figure out what work I’ll focus on while I’m here. It will likely be some combination of working with administration of and going out with the home-based care groups and working with a new church plant in Lavumisa. Arnau is curious about trying a new type of church there, which has me excited as well.

Overall, I’m doing very well. This has been an unbelievable week. I feel like I have decades worth of stories from only several days! I have had some sad and scared moments, but I’m feeling very acclimated and glad to be here.

—– If you’re curious, read on (or skip to prayers at the bottom):

1. My travels
2. How am I feeling?
3. AIDS Clinic, Thobile
4. Root48 Group in Swaziland?
5. I love to hear the Swazis sing
6. Connectivity
7. Languages
8. Who do I miss?
9. The Good Lord placed me here.
10. The hills are alive with the Sound of Music!
11. Pray for…

1. My travels
My travels were great. My flight was the first on a larger aircraft from Atlanta to Jo-burg. So, we had some extra delays when we touched down in Dakar for fuel. We were about an hour late. I rode with folks from OM for the 4 hour drive from Jo-burg. I arrived in Swaziland on Tuesday.

2. How am I feeling?
I’m feeling pretty good right now. There have been some difficult moments for me. I want to thank the people who sent notes along with me. They have provided such comfort. I have read them a couple times and been able to let out a much-needed cry. My world is so different today than it was two weeks ago! Processing all of these changes has been challenging. I have been journaling a lot, which has helped so much. I have not felt lonely, but I have been scared that I will feel lonely. It’s interesting how the romantic idea of living on a farm in Swaziland has become a reality. I have focused on a prayer from (I think) Psalm 143:7 when David asks God not to hide His face. This has been my prayer during my adjustment time: God, please do not hide Your face, because right now in my life I need to see it continually.

3. AIDS Clinic, Thobile
On Friday, I visited an AIDS clinic with Arnau. We spent most of our time in one room with four women. One woman was quite old and seemed at peace with me standing beside her with my hand on her arm. She did not speak English, but she was talking quitely. The second woman was very close to death with TB (a common AIDS-related disease). The third woman was probably in her upper-20’s. She had an AIDS-related disease that was causing dimensia. Near the end, we scared her very much, and she tried to get out of her bed to get away from us. It was very sad. The fourth was a 25 year old girl named Thobile. She spoke very good English and was so happy that we were there. We talked for several minutes, but we eventually had to leave because woman #3 was so scared. Thobile did not appear as sick as the other women, but she was dehydrated and had an IV. She works at a local tire shop, and she tried to get me to promise that I would visit her there. I told her that I would sure try. Thobile made quite an impression on me, and I hope to see her again. (I’m starting to tear up just a bit thinking about her.) We were able to pray for her, and I think that she really appreciated it.

4. Root48 Group in Swaziland?
Arnau is considering a new style of church in Lavumisa. This is based on some work of another pastor, and it is based on Matthew chapter 10 (especially verse 11). The idea is to find one strong person or family in the area, and then to develop that person. For a while, only that one family would be worked with, and then as they build a foundation, people from the community would be added. At least at the beginning, this would not be a bricks-and-mortar (or sticks and mud) church, but rather a home-based church. Wow, it’s like Root48! So, Brian, I’m working on a new Root48 plant here in Swaziland. Brian, thank you so much for your training and developing of me as Christian and a leader. I hope to pass it along here in Swaziland.

5. I love to hear the Swazis sing
I love to hear the Swazis sing. It’s beautiful… absolutely remarkable. You’ll have to come visit to hear it for yourself.

6. Connectivity
For now, I’ll be able to use an Internet cafe in town, but it’s quite expensive and I don’t always have trasportation to town. It is also slow Internet. So, I may or may not be able to read emails. This might change over time, but it won’t get much better. I’m typing this email on a borrowed computer on Friday the 2nd, and I’ll burn it to a CD and email it from town when I can.

7. Languages
In Swaziland, people speak English, Afrikaans, and/or Swati (related to Zulu). The whites speak Afrikaans and/or English. Almost everyone who speaks Afrikaans also speaks English. Many young Swazis also speak at least some English, as it is taught in school. Arnau, the missionary to Swaziland for 20 years, can speak quite a bit of Swati, but he usually speaks through an interpreter if he’s talking for a while. Since many people speak both English and Swati, finding an interpreter is usually possible.

8. Who do I miss?
If you have read down to here in this email, then I can almost guarantee that I miss you!

9. The Good Lord placed me here.
Whew, this is quite a story. A 23-year-old guy named Brian was trying to arrange plans for about 8 months to get to Swaziland and work with Arnau. For some reason, as Arnau says, God blocked him from coming. I don’t understand exactly what happened, but something with finances through OM and Swaziland was not working out. Then, in total contrast, Arnau heard about me on October 5th, and by October 13th I had purchased a plane ticket! I am even using the housing arrangements
that were set for Brian. I believe that the Good Lord placed me here. I really do. Incidentally, Brian is now working for a missions group in Sudan. Pretty neat, huh?

10. The hills are alive with the Sound of Music!
Many of you know that 2 years ago I had a really fun time in Milwaukee when about 10 people came over to sing along to the Sound of Music. On Friday night, I watched the Sound of Music with 14 people (including the 12 kids who live on the farm)! It was truly a blessing from the Good Lord to keep my spirits high.

11. Pray for…
- Relationship building with the Swazis
- Relationships with people on the farm
- A continued sense of peace, joy, and happiness for me
- My potential role with the new church plant in Lavumisa
- Should I buy a car? There are many advantages/disadvantages.
- The new home-based care group orientation next week
- My first time of making the rounds on Monday with a home-based care group
- That God would continue to make his presence abundantly clear to me
- The people who I miss and who I love

Hi Everyone,

This is the first in a series of updates about my trip to Africa. I don’t know how often I’ll be able to send updates, but hopefully a couple times per month. If you don’t want my updates, let me know (or if you’d feel badly about that, you can set up a filter to get rid of emails with a subject that starts with [Tim Update]).

On Saturday, I’ll be leaving for Africa. I will be there for about seven and a half months for international missions and volunteer work. I arranged the trip through a missions group called Operation Mobilization (OM), and I’ll be partnering with a church group in Swaziland. Swaziland is a small country about the size of New Jersey that is land-locked between South Africa and Mozambique in southeast Africa.

I’ll be working with a group that goes into the community and does home-based care for AIDS patients. I’ll know better soon what this will look like for me on a daily basis, but there is wonderful information if you click on “AIDS Ministry” at this web link: http://www.swazimission.co.za/English/.

Thanks for your prayers! As many of you know, I was having some difficulty with my final placement through OM South Africa, but so many people continued to pray. On Friday, October 5th, I was very discouraged that no solid plans had been set, and I didn’t even know where in southern Africa I would be heading. People continued to pray and pray, and within a week, all of my trip details came together beautifully. I really believe that this was God’s hand placing me in Swaziland. Thanks for your prayers!

Please continue to pray! I know that I will rely so heavily on prayer from friends and family to give me the strength I need while in Swaziland. Please pray especially for:
- Emotional and spiritual preparation for my trip
- How I will deal with being so far from the people I love, and how they will deal with it as well
- Cultural adjustment to my new surroundings
- Cultural sensitivity and awareness for me in Africa
- An appropriate view of the global church and my role
- Flexibility for God to use me in whatever way He desires (which might be very different than what I am anticipating)
- That God would give me an unbelievable love for the Swazi people and an ability to form relationships
- Safe travels and successful connections with the people who are meeting me at the airport
- My mom