There’s a Mountain in my Backyard

Hi, I live in Nsoko, Swaziland somehow. This place has mountains so big that sometimes I forget I’m in Africa. Although there aren’t lions and warthogs running wild, we occasionally pass a giraffe on the way to the store. Yes, actually. In addition there are herds of endless goats.This is a place the Lord took his time with and as a result, everything is a little slower. You have to wait a while for a kumbi (public transport) to come to your bus stop, sunsets seem to last a little longer, and even the way the locals speak you can hear the peace in the responses. When asked “unjani” (how are you) you always get a really drawn our “ngiiiiiy-aaaapp-piiiiiiii-lahhhh” in response as you walk by; long enough to know you are welcome and always in the time it takes to pass a smile. On nights when our power goes out,  you can wait outside to see shooting stars fly across the crazy clear milky way; but only if you’re super patient. 

I live in a house with 15 girls in my room and 18 next door. We are living large with 6 showers between both rooms and 6 glorious American toilets. The blessings just keep on coming. My entire squad is together for this country, meaning that all 3 months we are here we will all live, eat, and do life at the same place (such a blessing!). Every morning (mon-fri) we have squad devotions where we get to read the word, pray, and seek the Lord together. Sometimes someone from leadership will teach, but other times we just sit in one big room together and connect with God in whatever way we do personally. 

Our ministry here in Nsoko happens to be serving at a care point. These are parts of land all throughout Nsoko that are dedicated to pouring back into the community. They meet the immediate need, to feed the kids, and also disciple and pour into them spiritually. Every team on my squad goes to a different care point every morning at 10 am and my team happens to the Anchor Center. AKA the care point we live on!!! The care points also give water to all the homesteads in the community. You can often see Mama’s pushing wheelbarrows full of water jugs with a baby strapped to their back down the road. It has been such a blessing to get to play with the kids, help cook with the Gogo’s, teach bible lessons every Friday, and do house visits in the community. A huge advantage about living on the care point we do ministry at is getting to walk kids home almost everyday. This has been such a beautiful relationship builder for our kiddos and a mutual blessing for us. Another thing about the Anchor center that differs from the rest is that we are also the cook team! Since we don’t have to travel to and from other places, every week day 2-3 from our team walk back around 2/3pm to meet Dolly, our local Swazi cooking conosoir. Dolly has been one of the hilights here in Swaziland for me. She is a woman of the Lord and a good friend. She’s also the one who gave me my swazi name “Nonduduzo” (non-tutu-zo) which means comfort. The rest of the team comes back when all the kids leave (usually around 4/4:30pm). 

I remember the first night at training camp, we had all gone to our tents for the night, and none of us really knew each other yet. I peaked out and saw all the tents lit up next to each other in this giant maze. The Lord gave me this sweet reminder: “this is the beautiful design of your squad. All seeking me earnestly, looking for truth, growing your light personally. The mess that gets to come together and each bring something different about me to each other. All the light gets multiplied when you share what you have.” It was a still night, except for the cicadas, and when the Lord brought that up again It made me smile so big. Life with 40 people has been messy. Yet I have gotten to see and learn and taste so many new parts of Jesus through them. One month in and I have seen Papa’s heart so evidently here in this place with these people. 

I hope this gives some insight into what my life looks like right now. Africa is not what I expected, the mountains have been surprising (literal and spiritual) but I have loved getting to do life with the Lord in this new way. You can be praying for my squad and I as we travel to Petoria South Africa for an Awakening; a fancy term for when two world race squads meet up for an event to pour into one another and be filled up by the Lord. As well as month one debrief in Nelspruit, South Africa.

We have super limited wifi while we are in Swazi, but feel free to reach out!!! 

Edit: we are at debrief so reach out if you have questions!!! This will be the only wifi for a while 🙂

Miss all of you dearly,

                                 Carissa