What to do?

One of the frustrating things about serving with a Mission Team is that there is always so much more that you could do - if you just had the resources. I spent time today with Ben Rodgers, Director of Children's Cup, Swaziland, our partner ministry. He gave me a tour of their dream center, which will be used to house and train Swazi young people, along with US young people, for the work of ministry. From there we went to a location where they have been feeding over 100 children a day, and a location for a new Mercy Center when the resources allow.

Yesterday I posted about the need for a generational, long-term view of ministry here. When you see it, you're amazed by the work that is being done, and you feel compelled to give to help meet the need. But, how do you convince others that have not seen, heard, smelled and touched what you have experienced? Well, I suppose you could write a blog, or post on Facebook, but nothing can match the experience and what it does in your heart.

I know that many on our team are going to try to describe their feelings about this trip to people who really don't want to listen. Because if they listen closely and hear the heart of the person telling them their story, they'll have to respond. There will certainly be frustration and disappointment.

I have no clue what the answer is to get more people involved. Sponsoring a child helps a lot, and it's just $34 a month. I guess what we have to do is to keep telling our story. Some will listen. Some will respond. And that's a good thing.

Here are pictures of activities at the project where Dee's crew was working. They built an outdoor cookstove, gave blankets to the children, horsed around a little bit, and loved on children.














Tomorrow we head off for a little taste of African wildlife at a game park. We'll stay overnight, enjoy a morning game drive, then come back for a final VBS on Friday afternoon. So many of our team sponsor children at the projects they have been working at. Saying goodbye to the kids will be a long, tearful process. That's the hardest part of going back home. I know, though, that some will come back again!