6,5,4,3,2......ONE!!!!

So if I had to pick a word to describe what life looks like for me right now in Swaziland I would have to say transition. Right now I am in total transition to prepare to leave and go back home to Winnipeg. What’s strange is that it feels like not that long ago I was “transitioning” from life in the western world to here. So here I am, with less than a month of time here and over whelmed with so many thoughts and emotions at the thought of leaving here. But in spite of all of that life does go on, this is a 24/7 ministry and things stop for nothing so while transition is the word there is still so much to be done.

This weekend youth from all surrounding areas of Swaziland are gathering together for the first ever youth leadership conference, this event is kind of like the equivalent to Identify at IBC except … well in Africa. This weekend’s event is called pre revolution and it is the first event leading up to a 3-day camping retreat called Revolution. What an amazing day, watching over 80 young African youth stand before God and make a commitment to make a difference and a change in there nation, 80 + youth from all sorts of backgrounds, orphans possibly some infected with HIV just taking a stand for God to stand in the gap for there nation – it was moving and so encouraging. The event was hosted in a place called Bulembu, an abandoned mining town that was bought by a Canadian in 2001 and turned into a mission compound. Imagine if you can a place like Steinbach or portage la prairie with its sole purpose being to help orphans etc. a complete town dedicated to missions and that is Bulembu, quite a surreal place.

I’ve been transitioning out of my various jobs here as God in his perfect timing has been bringing people to fill in the roles I have held while I have been here. The biggest change has been me moving out of the Half Way house with my girls and moving what will be my 5^th home on the farm. God has brought an amazing young women to be “mom” to my girls, so while I am still very involved in the daily happenings in the house I am stepping back and seeing a new vision be cast out for these girls.

It’s been such a blessing to welcome a fellow Canadian to the team here at Hawane; she is a breath of fresh air. I am starting to wrap up the classes that I have been teaching with the Teen Challenge students, I am telling you I had no idea how much I would love not just teaching but teaching these students. What a blessing. God has really been shaking things up with the Teen Challenge students here, and while there have been a few storms in some of there lives its been amazing to see how they have really been planting there feet firmer and firmer in the word of God and seeking God for a deeper relationship.

I am enjoying one day at a time and taking the little extra spare time that I have to really draw closer to God about what he has in store for me next.

Blessings.

My God is Mighty to save!

Right now we are in our spring season, the nights are less cool and the mornings are much warmer. We have welcomed and said Goodbye to different mission groups everywhere from America to Northern Ireland. The kids right now are half way through there school holidays, it’s a great time because we get to spend more time with them in the day. A cause that God has laid on the hearts of myself and fellow volunteers is to teach the kids what it is to be a blessing and to give back. The approach we brought to teach the kids to be a blessing is our own version of “Love Winnipeg” or Splash’s “Random Acts Of Kindness”. Before I get into what we do I should start off by saying that while our kids are Orphans and some are sick with HIV they have a very good life here. The Lord has really provided for this ministry they are given an extraordinary opportunity to be educated and mentored, they are fed and sheltered, medically treated and loved. When they leave this farm the prayer for all the kids is that they will go out and be a blessing, that they will walk in the full potential God has for them, some teachers, some preachers and even some missionary’s. The prayer is that they will be example of rising above poverty and being strong leaders in this nation and others. So the first step for us after keeping them grounded in the word, teaching them that it is more blessed to give then to receive. There are many homesteads surrounding our farm high in the mountains, many of them suffering great poverty, some homes can have gardens and have water to maintain, many cant have a garden because they have no water to keep in growing. Most homesteads have 5 – 12 people living in a home, employment in this nation is 30% and for those who do work the average wage is $5 a week. So its poverty at its height. So we took the kids for a walk and prayed for God to direct us to the right house to plant a garden and help maintain, he lead us to a home of a women who has 7 in her home but is trying to expand her garden because when she can she gives vegetables to others around her. So the next day with seedlings and tools in hand we went to the homestead and helped plant a whole other garden plot to help feed the area around her. At first the kids didn’t love the idea of going to do work on there holidays but when they got there and saw the need, heard her heart they were so eager to do the work. The highlight for sure was watching the kids gather around the women of the house and praying for her, second highlight is hearing them talk and plan to help the next home. This is our ongoing project through the holidays.

I was very blessed to take part in a medical mission called “The Luke Commission” what it is , is a Missionary family from America who now call Swaziland home, they are medical professionals (doctor and doctors assistant) that set up mobile clinics in the most remote parts of Swaziland and offer medical attention, they have eye care, dentist as well as basic medical care. They set up early in the morning and don’t leave until every person has been seen and treated. Wheelchairs are built on site for those that need them; HIV tests are done and minor procedures. This ministry is absolutely phenomenal, one doctor to see upon hundreds of people. A high light for me was being a part of handing out the gifts from Samaritans purse, Christmas in August in Africa, I can’t explain the joy of sitting amongst approximately 5- 700 kids and watch them open what could very well be the only gift they will get that year. I’ve made and sent out these boxes from home but it is something else to be right there when these gifts are opened. I was trained in eye testing and fitting for eye ware as well as doing HIV testing. When I wasn’t working in one of the clinics I was spending hours praying for people and just showing Gods love. Our day started at 8 am and we left and took down and packed the clinic around midnight. It’s busy and intense but rewarding and amazing.

I love being a house mom and getting to know my 6 girls. I’m growing a good relationship with the house aunt that I am training and mentoring to be a full time mom when I leave. These girls are amazing, I find it funny how in the second half of my stay here God called me to be a mom to a house of teenage girls – sometimes I feel out of my element but this gives me the chance to grow that much closer to God, I daily rely on his strength and wisdom while he has allowed me to impart into these young lives. I honestly can’t imagine leaving my girls and I do have my fair share of surreal moments when I have to have talks with them about homework, studying and cleaning up – It gives me a greater appreciation for parents of teenagers everywhere but these girls are teaching me so much. I am learning to love these girls from my Mother heart while I solely rely on the father heart of God.

I ask for your prayers for wisdom and guidance, know that God has surrounded me with many wise men and women of God that walk along side me as I have been called into this season of leadership here.

Much love and blessings,

Danene

Half Way Mark

I can hardly believe that I have reached the half waypoint, it’s amazing and surreal but it saddens me a bit because my next major milestone here will be one of completion. While life is busy and lots happen day to day it is getting increasingly harder to write my blogs because so much of what I want to say just doesn’t translate in written word, these stories are meant to be told aloud. Would you believe that after three months I have moments (regularly) where I still can’t believe I am in Africa having the honor to serve in this nation. Seriously.

So what is new, most of my jobs that I have mentioned in previous posts are the same, I still weekly work through a grief class with a group of kids, weekly I minister to the women of the community both in a church study and a women’s refuge center. I still teach the Teen Challenge students as well as help mentor and teach kids here on the farm. But soon my schedule will start to look a little bit different and some jobs will change. I have been prayerfully asked by the leadership team here to be the Volunteer Director, in short the position is kind of like the job of dean of students – I will be moving out of the house I am currently living in and moving into one of the girls homes. This house has about 8 girls in the age range of 18-21 some were orphans on the farm others Teen Challenge students, they are to old to be in a house with a house mom so they are moved into what they call a "halfway house" its teaching them life skills etc. to prepare them for when they are ready to leave the farm. I have developed a close relationship with these girls and God has placed them heavy on my heart, this was a divine answer to prayer really and I am so excited about it. Another side to that job is also me training up a Swazi women to do the job or mentoring/parenting when I leave.

Last week I had the honor to be a part of my first community feeding station, for 2 days many loaves of bread were baked in our mobile kitchen and 10 massive pots of soup were made, a ministry Soccer tournament was the draw for people to come as well the food. We served many. First prize for the winning soccer team was a goat, second place 4 chickens and third place was 2 chickens. Only in Africa. As you can see in the pictures I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to take in Kruger Wild Animal Park with my roommates, we saw Elephants, giraffes, zebra’s, rhino’s, and hippo’s. It was surreal to see all of these animals roaming around in their natural habitat. It was a great three days we were all blessed. That about sums things up for now please keep me in your prayers and continue to pray for the ministry it is growing and God is moving. Much love and blessings, Danene

2 Months and Counting

They say time flies when you are having a good time, if that's the case here then it feels like I just arrived yesterday. It is so hard for me to believe that 2 months have passed. I have been so blessed here its unbelievable. Life and work is full swing and I love every moment of it.

However I do have some sad news to report, its with great sadness that I report that in the first ever hockey match on Hawane Farm in Africa team Swaziland beat team Canada 13 to 12. It was a grim moment but a solid effort and heart felt game. Seriously though it was so cool to bring a little bit of Canada to Africa, when I brought out the hockey sticks for the kids to play with they had no clue what they were, within less then 5 minutes of my instruction they were ready for action and totally understood the game, we played bare foot in the grass as opposed to laced up in skates on ice but none the less it was a good game. It was the highlight of my Saturday and a for sure high light of this trip.

The kids are teaching me so much and I am getting to know the Teen Challenge students really well, they are a great group. With time coming to the half way point my mind is riddled with lists of things I want to accomplish while I am here, the opportunities are so many I don't know where to begin, honestly I am seeking Gods guidance on where he wants me and when. On a personal level with my relationship with God I am learning to lean on him much, such inner healing that wouldn't of been possible at home. The portion of scripture where it says "I will never leave you or forsake you" is engraved on my heart like no other. He's brought me here to serve but he's brought me here to heal and to train as well and I am humbled at the opportunity.

I do miss my loved ones greatly and I am rejuvenated every time I get an email from home. Knowing that prayers are going out.

I ask for your continued prayers for the kids here on the farm, for the Teen Challenge Grads that are trying to figure out where God wants them as they move on to what he has for them, for Unity amongst all, for the hurting women I am privileged to work with weekly that God will restore there spirits and learn and embrace the father heart of God. Pray for wisdom and strength and provision as I continue on this journey God has for me.

We are in a constant state of saying goodbye to missionaries and hello to new ones, we've welcomed a new guy from Wales who is our own Indiana Jones, a heart for God and adventure. I enjoy getting to know my roommates on a daily basis, we work hard but also enjoy our down time and have fun. Our next adventure is to hopefully make it to Kruger park where all the amazing animals are, we are hoping to go on a safari. I don't get on face book much and my Internet time is spread apart but please keep the emails coming I will reply at some point.

That is all for now, thank you for your prayers and support. Keep my family in your prayers as well as its been a time of change for all of us.

Above you will see various pictures that can tell the stories of life here for me more then I can with words.

Much love and blessings,

Danene

Sanibonani! (Hello)

I pray this finds you all well. Life is good here in Swaziland. We are in the middle of winter and most mornings there is frost, its surreal to see frost in Africa of all places but by 11 am its pretty much all melted away. There is world cup fever here in Swaziland and while we are hundreds of miles away from any of the game action those horns can be heard from every direction. I have started out helping another extension of the ministry, its kind of a mobile soup kitchen. We bake bread and make soup in this small trailer that is completely equipped, we first feed all the children that attend the pre school that come from the community (most impoverished areas) then we take the bread and soup to the homes in the mountains, I am really loving this new duty. I enjoy greatly all the work i am blessed to here however I am really enjoying the opportunity to minister to the Women of Swaziland. Twice in a week I do outreach with women, on tuesday I lead a bible study as I have mentioned and have really been seeing Gods hand at work in that group, the empowerment and strength that only God can bring, these are hurting women and some are putting there safety at risk by even coming to the study but they persevere and continue to seek God and his hand of protection is on them and they are able to come week after week. Every friday I help out at a Women's Shelter and I love it, there are 8 women that range from the ages of 14 - 44, they are coming from all walks of life and all areas of abuse and hurt, its so exciting to see them becoming over comers. The kids are amazing as always, they show me what pure joy in the Lord really looks like ... continue to pray for resources and provision for this ministry. One of the best parts of my day is playing with the kids, it just ministers to my spirit. Every tuesday evening we have a cell group at the farm, we are studying the book and watching the DVD series the Bait of Satan, it is phenomenal, i read the book on my way up here. I am loving learning the language and the songs ... its tough and I am in no way an expert and I'm probably singing the wrong words but none the less God knows right! One of the girls that started this journey at the same time I did has left the farm and a guy from Wales has come for 2 months. There is many teams and missionaries that come through here from all over. My next post I will have pictures of the house i am living in and new pictures from things I have been doing here. I apologize for not being on top of posting new pictures and frequent updates, wireless access is limited and so is time, I totally took for granted to access to these things at home. The connection isn't as fast so it takes a long time to load pictures and even longer for video so it may be some time before I am able to load another video blog. God is so good, he is bringing amazing people around as well ... i am honoured that he has brought me here and while there are challenges and stretching it truly is a gift to be able to be here. Keep praying for me and all of us here. In a little over a week it will be 2 months that I have been here, can hardly believe it. I send my love and greetings to My Family & friends, The Fab Four, My Splash Family and the kids at New Hope Youth,TC Winnipeg and Dakota Community Church I miss you all so much and think of you often. Blessings.

One month later ....

I can hardly believe that it has been a month since I have been here. Time is flying by so fast. I am doing my best to take in everything and get the most from this experience. We are right now in the middle of Winter here, and by Winter I mean a Canadian summer. It does cool off here, the houses aren’t made with insulation and electric furnaces so at night time you do feel the chill. All will be proud to know that this life long city girl has learned to make a fire from limited supplies and resource, that is one of the many things you learn here is to be resourceful. There is no real such thing as garbage; there is a use for it … while they don’t recycle here … that is a Western thing for sure they do not waste.

A common question I have been getting from people back home is “have you eaten anything ridiculous yet?” and to that I have to answer no … nothing extreme however I did promise to take in all parts of this experience so if something is placed in front of me way out of left field I will try it. The most different thing I have eaten so far Is mutton … apparently its aged sheep, It tasted fine but I had a hard time finishing it once I found out what it was. The other story that comes to mind was when I was visiting the house of a pastor in the community for a women’s bible study and they were busy prepping for a meal. The other women from the study were asked to bring food a lot like a pot luck we would have at home, so in walks this women and she pulls a life chicken out of her bag. And right there snaps its neck and proceeds to pluck it etc. I thought I was seeing things but from the corner of my eye I could see feathers flying in the kitchen and the chickens last squawk before its head was in the bowl …..

The young boy Bennelli I had asked for prayer for is doing a lot better we really thought he was at deaths door but God brought him back to us … in fact he is back at school and I am teaching him English and Computers as well, he’s too sick to be in public school so we have a school here on the farm for the kids that are either In too poor of health to walk 20 miles to school or kids that are developmentally challenged and are way behind in learning we adapt a plan here and teach them. So the praise goes to God for saving our Bennelli once again, its amazing though this young boy has prepared himself for God to take him and he’s content to live as he is, he is a pure picture of Grace and trust in God. He’s so at peace at the thought of death, he truly looks at death as a chance at a new life. Keep him in your prayers. And Thank You for your prayers.

Every Thursday we go into the community and bring medical help to the people that can’t get medical attention, you just roll up your sleeves and help in anyway you can. A bulk of the illness is just from poverty and we do what we can but we pray for every person that passes through our clinic. We went on a tour of the hospital and prayed, its such a place of helplessness that all a person can do really is just pray. We visited the children’s ward and my heart broke, myself and my roommate found ourselves in an area called Ward 8 that is the place where abandoned children are, some have mental and physical disabilities and for that reason they are left abandoned and others were left abandoned for reasons un known. It’s a sad sight but once a week myself and roommate Kirsty are going to bring in life, love on the kids, and be Jesus to them the best way we can.

Other then that, life is good, God is so good. I am learning daily what it is to have a relationship with God.

Also a side note I want to wish my sister Sam a Happy Birthday!!! Gods richest blessings on you!

Thank you for your prayers and support! Keep them coming.

Much love and blessings,

Danene

Live from Swaziland ... sort of!