It was a HOT one in Eswatini! Today the Lubombo North team headed back out to Myangombili and led a day camp with over 100 children, youth and adults! They saw more decisions for Christ, praise God!
The Lubombo South team also headed back to Vovovo to help lead the 2nd day of their retreat. Over 200 people – men, women, youth and children were scattered across the yard, doing Bible study, praising, singing, dancing and worshipping the Lord. We played games and had a wonderful Swazi lunch made by some Make at the church. It was a hot and dry day in both locations and we praise God for less muddy roads and that it has dried out!
Over the last two weeks, we have been criss-crossing this country, seeing highveld and lowveld, rain and mud, sun and sky. One of the small interesting things going on in this country right now? An African army worm infestation that is threatening crops and food security in the Kingdom. In fact, we actually saw some of this worm infestation in Shiselweni. The worms eat anything green and a threat to maize crops. If you spray them, they will kill the birds that eat them. It’s becoming a real situation here.
But the worms also bring an enormous amount of butterflies. As we’ve been driving and teaching in Lubombo South, there are butterflies EVERYWHERE. On one drive, I stopped counting at 100. These butterflies are small and white or yellow usually and fly very fast. When I see what I can’t help but think of transformation.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
The Spirit in us reflects the face of God.
You never come back from Eswatini the same person. I think it’s partially because we’ve seen too much. These images of faces and places and homes and worship and mountains and tents and mud and grace are burned in our brains, branded on our hearts, etched into our spirits. We are being transformed by these people, but the Spirit of God in them and how they reflect the face of God. We are brought from one degree of glory to another – and this comes from the Lord within us, the spirit of God within us and within our Swazi friends.
Jesus – thank you for transforming us to look more like you. Thank you for the grace of butterflies to remind us that you are moving us from one degree of glory to another. Thank you for our Swazi friends who reflect your Spirit back to us. We love you. Amen.