the True Love Waits presentation.

One of our responsibilities and our platform for coming to Swaziland was to present the True Love Waits program. We were required to go into the schools and meet with the headmasters and set an appointment to share the program with the students. The AIDS rate in Swaziland is amongst some of the highest in the world. This is an epidemic that is sweeping this nation and killing thousands. Our hope is that teaching the students what God desires for their lives and the choices that He wants them to make will cause the rates to decrease. We explain to the headmasters that the program is an AIDS prevention based on the Bible. We teach abstinence instead of safe sex. We tell them that it is an interactive program that gets the students involved. We get the students involved during several sections of the program by “acting for the purpose of learning.” Usually at the primary schools (1^st-7^th grade) it was very easy to make an appointment. At the high schools (8^th- 12^th grade) it was a little more difficult to make an appointment because their schedule was so busy. But most of the time we were able to make an appointment at every school.  The actual presentation takes about 2 hours to present with a translator and we even modified it so that it could be understandable for the Swazis.

The first section is called “My Dream Family” and it talks about the families that they dream of having. We tell them that God has the same desires for them to have loving, healthy, happy, and secure families just as they do.  We tell them that we are going to tell them how they can reach these futures dreams by making wise decisions now. The second section is called “The Multiplication Factor” and it shows how when two people have sex they become one for a lifetime. They give apart of themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the other person. We get the students involved by “acting for the purpose of learning.” We use a simple demonstration of taking a sip of water and spitting it back into a cup to show how body fluids are mixed. This is a very visual learning aid for the students because they are so surprised that they could potentially are connecting themselves to hundreds of people by having multiple sex partners. We also tell them that there are not only physical but emotional consciences for sex, and that this type of sexual activity will not help reach their dreams. The third section is called “What are the Choices” and it is talking about how condoms are not 100% effective. We also confront some of the myths about how HIV is or isn’t spread. Some believe that if they have sex with someone who is healthy that they won’t get sick. But we show them that you can’t tell that someone is healthy just by looking at them. Someone could look great on the outside but they could be sick. The fourth section is called “Beautiful Water, Beautiful Sex.” By using Proverbs 5:15-18 we show the connections between water and sex. How water and sex both bring life, but everything that they have the power of bringing life to they also have the power to destroy. How a flood causes much damage and how when sex floods outside of a marriage how it also causes damage. Since 70-75% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, how it does not destroy us because God put it in boundaries. Just like God put water in boundaries, He also put sex in the boundary of marriage not to imprison us but to protect us because He loves us. The fifth section is called “What is True Love?” In this section we tell two different stories from the Bible to show what true love really looks like. We use the story of Amnon and Tamar from II Samuel 13:1-15 to show what true love is not and the story of Mary and Joseph in Matthew 1:18-25 to show what true love is. We show them what the ultimate picture of true love looks like through Jesus Christ. How God showed us what love really is by sending Jesus to die for our sins. And that even though Jesus was fully God, he was also human. Which means He grew up the same way we did, and His body went through the same physical changes that our does. And He never did anything wrong. He was perfect and yet He died for us. He died so that we can withstand the temptations we face every day. He gives us the strength to fight the temptations. And He gives the power to repent instead of just saying your sorry and we describe the difference. Then we talk about how God is the only who can heal a broken heart and who can forgive your sins. The last section is called “True Love Waits: Commitment Cards.” This is what the card says, “Believing that True Love Waits I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my country, my friends, my future, and my future children to remain sexually pure until the day I get married.” We tell them that this is a serious commitment and not a joke. And that is a very possible commitment to keep but only with God’s help. We also tell them that isn’t just a call to sexually purity but to a lifestyle of purity. To remain pure in what you watch, you listen to, you say and in every aspect of your life. This presentation is a presentation that is engaging and informative. Not only are we teaching the students but the teachers as well and usually they get just as involved as the students. This presentation is calling students to a commitment and it is changing Swaziland for the better. 

a day in our lives.

Our days would start at 6 or 7 every morning and this was usually because the stupid chickens woke us up. So yes for those of you who know me, I was up before the sunrise! Be proud! Usually in the mornings we would go and make an appointment to present the True Love Waits program at a school or we would actually do the presentation. We had to rely on public transportation to get us to all the schools, which could be very annoying. We would have to sit around and wait on a kombi (van) to come and pick us up or wait on the kombi to fill up because the drivers refused to leave if it was not completely full. After the presentation we would go home and eat lunch. Then we had Bible study with the people in the community in the afternoon. Each of us would take turns preparing a message to present to the people. After Bible study the kids usually came and played at our house. We would have anywhere from 6-20 kids playing in our yard. And they love anything and everything you did with them. They liked songs, playing soccer, throwing Frisbee, jump rope, coloring and drawing, and dancing. They were so much fun to be around and by the end of the summer they were very comfortable with us. So we were able to hug and to just love on them! We would send the kids home once it got dark outside. Then it was dinner time! We usually had rice with vegetables mixed in, with chicken or beef. Some nights we had potato salad, beet root, or mash. Mash is like mashed potatoes but with vegetables. So we had squash mash or pumpkin mash. Some times we had thick porridge instead of rice. The best way I can describe thick porridge is it is the same consistency as grits. So I didn’t mind thick porridge. Thin porridge however is disgusting. It is like cream-of-wheat. Thankfully we only had to eat thin porridge on the first morning we were here, then they found out we didn’t like and they didn’t make it for us anymore. After dinner it was time for bed. We were in bed every night by 7 or 7:30. Some nights we even made it to 8 or 8:30! But literally once the sun goes down in the bush there is absolutely nothing to do and everyone just goes to bed. Plus by the end of the day we were so exhausted that we were ready to go to bed. If only I could go to bed this early every night while I was at school.

right? wrong? or just plain different?

This probably one of the most valuable lessons I have learned so far on this trip. When entering a completely new culture, the instant mindset is to compare our culture with the host culture. In this frame of mind the constant thought process that is used is that the way the people do something is right or wrong because it is not the way that they are used to. However, during orientation Deborah challenged us to think in a different way. Instead of seeing their way of life as wrong, see it as different. With mindset the way you view the host culture is brought into a whole new light. You can begin to see the differences and value the way they do things. And you can learn from them. You can begin to ask questions and start learning how and why they do things the way they do. You have to realize that the way they do things isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s just different. Just because someone does something differently than the way you do, doesn’t mean that it is wrong. This even happens within the culture, even within the States. Not everyone does everything the same. Not everyone has the same Christmas or Thanksgiving traditions and not everyone prepares food the same way as your momma did. It’s not that it’s wrong but that it’s just different. To determine if something is wrong or different, the Bible is the authority. You have to use the Bible to back up what you are calling wrong because it could be that it’s just different and there is nothing wrong with it. Looking at the culture from this point of view is so crucial when interacting with the people. It creates a whole new level of respect for the culture and it also helps you to be on guard with what you say. Instead of criticizing their culture and calling it “stupid” or “dumb” and completely destroying the relationship with the people, you can say “Well that’s different” or “That’s new” or “Woah! I’ve never seen that before!” or “I’ve never thought about doing it that way.” You never realize the damage that your expressions can do on a relationship. When you act like it is wrong and completely unacceptable, why would someone want to interact with you? Instead of being critical of their way of life, you accept it for what it is…different. And it can actually flourish the relationship because the people will see that you are accepting to their way of life and are willing to learn and be around them. It is showing them Christ. Christ is accepting. Christ is understanding. And He accepts people just as they are and appreciates all of our differences. I mean after all, He created us that way. 

dancing...swazi style.

We’re not exactly sure how we got involved or why we were invited to join, but we were asked to be in a traditional Swaziland wedding. In order to participate in this wedding we had to learn the dances. So we started going to dance practices every day the first week we were on the homestead. We would go and try to keep up and have all the kids laugh at us when we would mess up. You would think it wouldn’t be that hard because all you’re doing is stomping, but dang it was hard. Thankfully I have a marching band background so it wasn’t too difficult for me but it was still hard. You had to stay in step and every song had different steps and rhythms. But we keep going and going to practice and eventually we start recognizing the songs and knowing what steps to do. Well the big day finally comes…wedding day! and it’s time to dance! We get all dressed up in our Swazi wraps and we are welcomed once to wedding by “You are so beautiful!! You are Swazis now!!” Which I’m not gonna lie…it felt really good hearing that! Once the bride finally comes out of the hut she is dressed in one of the craziest get-ups I have ever seen. She was wearing a head-dress with lots of feathers sticking out of the top and then these white strings things were hanging in front of her eyes. She also had on her shoulders this cover up that was made up of horse hairs. It covered her shoulders, the front and back of her. It looked extremely heavy. Once we finally get lined up like we had practiced, we dance for two hours or more. It was exhausting. And we each got several of proposals. It is a big deal that each of us girls walked away without a husband. I mean really!! They will come up to you and say “Hello I am in love” and the first that comes into your mind is “oh great.” The men are persistent and they don’t understand “No. There is someone else in the states waiting for me. I don’t need a Swazi boyfriend or husband. It doesn’t matter how many cattle you have I can’t marry you.” Really it is very draining. And unfortunately it was only the end of day one.

Saturday morning we woke up and got all dressed up again to go dancing. Apparently today was the actual ceremony. We walked down to the where ceremony was taking place and everyone was still getting ready. After about an hour of waiting again, everyone lines up and we march up extremely slowly to where the wedding was going to takes place. After the bride goes up and talks to some elderly woman (I’m assuming asking for permission to be married), the dancing began. Again it lasted for two or more hours and it was exhausting. We still got marriage proposals from several different men. This was one of the most hilarious and confusing things that I have seen so far. They would run up to carrying a stick or shovel or whatever they had. But they would run up to us and then slam it down on the ground in front of us and then look up at us and then run away run. Everyone around us would laugh as we were looking at each other going “what the heck was that?!” We asked our translator what it meant and apparently it means that they are asking for our hand in marriage. Perfect. But all in all the marriage ceremony was a huge learning experience and a lot of fun. It was a definitely an experience that I am extremely thankful for and we hope it will hope a lot of doors for us to pour into these women’s lives. 

deployed.

We were at a Youth Leader’s Conference the first weekend we were in Swaziland and one of the leaders said something that completely struck me and I just had to steal it. The youth leader’s name is Musa and he is an incredibly person. Musa loves Jesus and he is on fire for God and he is impacting Swaziland in a mighty way through True Love Waits and in so many other ways. He was giving the closing/encouraging statements to the conference. And he said that we are about to be deployed into the field. He said that when troops are deployed they are focused on a mission and have a specific purpose. They all work together for a common goal and they work together as a team. Nothing stands in their way. They make decisions based on what’s good for everyone involved. They are focused on saving the innocent people and are determined to make the situation resolved. He said that is exactly what we are doing as Christians being commanded by Jesus to make disciples. We are deployed out onto the mission field to change the beliefs about AIDS, to tell people about the Gospel, and to make disciples of Swaziland. We are going. We are deployed by the power of God. And we are called to do this wherever we are. “God’s design for taking the Gospel to the world is a slow, intentional, simple process that involves every one of His people sacrificing every facet of their lives to multiply the life of Christ in others.”- David Platt, Radical. Christians need to realize that God has deployed each and every one of us to make His great name known throughout the world. And anything less is disobedience. 

a joyful noise indeed

One of the things that I love the most is the way the Swazis worship. Actually this usually happens everywhere else in the world, except in the US. But the Swazis will praise Jesus with everything they have. They will sing at the top of their lungs, using every ounce of energy they have. It is a beautiful sound. What’s even crazier is that everyone here can sing! No one here has a bad voice. And they harmonize so naturally. Even the little kids who can barely talk, but when they sing it’s a sound unlike any other. I haven’t quite figured out how everyone here can sing but not everyone in the states can sing (even though they like to think they can). It’s almost like God knew that these people wouldn’t have access to pianos, guitars, drums, or anything else to make their music even more elaborate, so He just gave them all beautiful voices so their worship would be something unique to them. That way when they worship it would be a beautiful sound to everyone who hears. It catches your attention. It makes you stop and listen. Even though I don’t know the words I can be a part of their worship service. I can worship right along with them because it is so uplifting and just amazing. And everyone sings….no matter what. To start the next song, someone just starts singing. It doesn’t matter who, what age or if they are male or female. They don’t have a worship leader because they all are so involved in their worship service. The songs last for a while too. They just keep singing and singing, repeating the same lyrics over and over again. There is no set amount of time for a song. It’s so different to be a part of these worship services then what I am used to. These people love to worship!! They don’t want it to ever end. It seems like people in churches in the US aren’t even singing along or truly participating because they just want it to be over. This is mostly because they aren’t coming into the worship with the correct mindset because they don’t understand who they are worshipping or why they are worshipping or maybe it’s because they don’t know how to worship and don’t feel comfortable worshipping because they feel as though everyone is watching them. And they care more about what over people think of them then worshipping their Savior. Honestly, I even get caught up in this mindset. But being around these people, God is teaching me that it doesn’t matter who is watching, JUST WORSHIP. With everything I have. Because after all He is done, isn’t He worthy of my worship? My adoration? There is nothing else I should be doing...just worshipping Him. 

you can't save swaziland.

One of hardest things to learn. Our missionaries told us this during our orientation but it didn't make sense and I wasn't sure what they were talking about. But now, after living with these people for nine days, I know. And all too well. Everyday at our homestead we have children to come over and play, with a maximum as of now, at about 19 kids. But these kids come and play every single day. They love soccer, running, drawing, music, playing tag, being tickled, just being wrapped up in a hug. They absolutely adore the attention, because they honestly don't get it enough. Not saying that their parents don't love them, it's just that their parents are too busy surviving that it seems like they forget that their kids need attention and lots of it. When these kids come to the house they are usually covered in dirt. Just so dusty. I really just want to give them a nice warm bath and clean them up. And usually they have no shoes or shoes that look like they have been handed down from their great-great grandmother that wore them. Or something that I have seen a lot is the boys will be wearing girls shoes and not comfortable ones either. Usually the ones that little girls wear when they play dress up. The plastic ones that are good for only play and not actually wearing. But these boys will be wearing them because it's all they have. Or more often then anything they won't be wearing any shoes at all. And they can walk anywhere because their feet are so calloused from walking anywhere. They will chase after a ball on rocks in their bare feet. I can barely walk on the pavement in my bare feet and these kids are running on jagged rocks or stepping on thorns and not feeling a thing. And they usually come in the same clothes more than three or four times. And their clothes are filthy dirty. And they are rags. Torn dresses and clothes that are too small. It just breaks my heart...down to the core. Plus these kids haven't had a bath either...so honestly they don't smell like roses. It's just something to get used to. But you have to do is down put your stuck up ways and show these kids the love of Jesus. One thing that comes to my mind is the song by Casting Crowns, "Love Them Like Jesus." That's really what you HAVE to do. Because if not, they would not see the Gospel any other way. But like I said...I can't save Swaziland. I have to let the Gospel be enough. Now this is something that we in American don't do at all. We like to do everything we possibly can just to make people happy and not to offend people that we completely forget to tell them the most important thing that saves. Letting the Gospel be enough means you stop trying to save the world through your ways and making people feel all happy on the inside...but just telling the Gospel. The Gospel. The Good News. What saves beyond any good feeling conference or book or speaker that tells you have to do all these steps. But just the Gospel of Jesus. And the Gospel of Jesus is told verbally but also through actions. So showing these kids love...the love of Jesus. The beautiful, sweet love of Jesus. I am realizing that I can't save Swaziland but the Gospel can...and it is.