Eswatini Impact!

Three countries down, one left!

Going into the Race, I was the most excited for Eswatini. I had no idea why, because I knew we would only have kids ministry (something I’ve always struggled with), we’d be in the middle of nowhere, and we’d be staying in tents at base (honestly, that was kind of a plus for me, so maybe ignore that last part).

Now that I’m through Eswatini, I can say it was such a sweet time and God really did a lot through it! Guatemala is still my favorite country (it’s kind of hard to beat Euchre every night and still having the whole Squad), but Eswatini is a close second!

Let’s start with the ministry! Something some of you may not know is I actually really struggle with physical contact, specifically skin on skin contact. It’s just overwhelming to me because I feel everything, and even after the person pulls away I still feel them for a long time.

Now, imagine I had to go to a country where I don’t speak the same language as the kids that it’s literally my job to show love to. What do I do? I hug them, carry them around everywhere, and play whatever games they want. All these things require touching them.

But God is so amazing! Every morning I would pray that He would take away my touch sensitivity so I could love the kids well, and every day He was faithful. The kids could touch my face, play with my hands, and do my hair, and none of it bothered me in the slightest! Even more, God gave me an instinctive ability to know how I could best connect with the kids, so even though it’s not natural for me to be silly, it felt so natural!

Another thing that was so cool was how God affirmed over and over again that I hear His voice. I was kind of struggling with doubts during Eswatini, because I thought I was hearing God promise to do things that were almost impossible, and I didn’t trust that I wasn’t just hearing my own emotions or wishes.

However, God told me in every way imaginable that He was really speaking to me! Through other people randomly saying things to me, to dreams and visions, to being prophesied over, to God asking me to do things for Him and proving without a shadow of a doubt it was Him, He left no room for doubt!

Eswatini has been a time of knowing God deeper, forming deep relationships with members of my Squad, and learning what it means to love people with the love of Christ!