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.