Our days of ministry are finally coming to a close. Today we loaded up and sped off to Tsaneni to visit the churches in the Northeast. We spent the morning visiting, teaching Sunday school, and worshipping with our Swazi friends here. We also were able to take communion alongside our Swazi brothers and sisters. All good gifts! We then spent the afternoon driving around a local game park looking for animals and pretty birds, all the while enjoying a gorgeous sunset over Sand River Dam, and a quiet dinner at the guest house.
Today we worshipped alongside the nations: with our Swazi friends and another church group from Northmead Baptist church in Johannesburg, South Africa. We loved visiting with other Christians and it was so encouraging to our hearts to see other Christians from around the world worshipping alongside up and growing in our faith together. Pastor Jason of Northmead preached the service and led us through the story of Jonah. “‘Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city and call out against it, for the evil one has come up before me.’” (Jonah 1:2, ESV) Pastor Jason made an excellent point to all of us this morning: God tells ALL of us the time to go! The word for go in Siswati is “Hamba.” We love this word because it is a part of the Siswati words for goodbye, “Hamba Kahle” or in English, “go well.”
What does it mean to go well? As we’re ending our time in Swaziland, we’re considering this phrase more closely. God has called each and everyone of us, including you, to go. He will appoint the time and the place, maybe not as clearly as Jonah, but he will call you. He will tell you to go. How will you go? As God is calling us back home in the coming days, we want to go well. We want to honor our Swazi brothers and sisters by going well, by honoring the gifts they have given us and by sharing their stories among our family and friends.
As we considering what going look likes for us, we urge to consider what God is calling you to. We’re called to follow God with trust and joy, not run away like Jonah did. Are you following God’s call for you life? We pray over you as you consider this question. We hope you will pray for us in return, as we finish up ministry in the North tomorrow. Pray for us to rest well in the coming days at Kruger. Pray for us as we learn to Hamba Kahle.
