{First} Reflections~Swaziland

How do I even find the words to tell you about the most amazing 10 days of my life?!?

"Be Joyful in HOPE

Patient in AFFLICTION

and faithful in PRAYER" ~Romans 12:12

Well first off I am home, safe and sound. I was greeted at the airport by my brother in-law Josh, cousin Cindy and her 3 sweet kiddos.  They made the cutest sign and gave some amazing hugs!! My momma picked me up form the airport and then proceeded to help me with laundry, clean and take me out to lunch. I came home to beautiful flowers from Chad and lots of kisses from Hunter, I am such a lucky girl!!

The traveling was long; 5hrs on a bus from Swaziland to Johannesburg, 17hr flight from J-burg to Atlanta, 2hr layover with customs and then a 2 1/2 hr flight back home to MN.  I slept a good 10 hrs on the long flight, and watched a few movies.  Besides being grouchy about leaving Africa, and then transitioning to being so ready to be home, the traveling went well. 

There were so many amazing moments that I experienced that I am going to have to give you some bullet points, pictures and a brief summery and then I'll blog on each day to give you a more detailed summery!! I don't want to leave any detail out, but I understand that not everyone wants to read a 20page post on my trip to Africa...

SO here it goes:
Day 1 & 2:
-Left MN at 11am day 1, landed in Atlanta, 3hr layover, left for Africa around 6pm(if I remember right...) flew 15hrs

Group Shot MSP Airport 2/19/2013

-Landed in Jo-burg around 4pm day 2, met the Prince and Holte Familes (They are the missionaries that hosted us in country, both supported by River Valley Church). They are also FANTASTIC people of God with amazing testimonies.  Pizza dinner followed by some much needed rest...

Day 3:
Left Jo-burg for a 5 hr bus ride to Swaziland. 
Dropped off our bags at Emefini (our lodging for the week) and then headed to the River Valley Church-Swazi location.
We were greeting by the GLA interns (more on them later), tears, laughter and JOY!
We worked on getting the church ready for the big weekend, and played with some amazing kiddos!

Team 1, missionaries and lead team at RVC-Swazi 2/21/2013

Day 4:
We did a community walk with the GLA interns to invite familes in the community to the RVC open house and bless them with donated clothes, shoes and hats. In the evening we had a service for the youth in the community.  Pastor Darrin spoke as well as the youth pastor Lizwi. Many kids and teens gave their lives to Christ that afternoon. 

Alter Call at One Student Service 2/22/2013

Day 5:
Open house at RVC Swazi:
*Eye Clinic with Dr. John-Saw over 150 people, gave away glasses and medication.
*Activites for kids and teens-soccer, volley ball and jumping castles.
*Food for everyone
Team 2 arrives in Swazi- great to have them join us!!

Swazi kiddos at RVC open house 2/23/2013

Day 6:
RVC Swaziland Launch!!!!
AMAZING day, more to come on this event but here are a few photos...

RVC Swaziland Team-Launch Day 2/24/2013

Pastor Mduduzi and Pastor Rob with translator 2/24/2013

Me and my friend Nowanda on Launch Sunday

Launch of RVC-Swazi (photo courtesy of Children's Cup)

Lulu, TJ and Precious leading amazing worship! 2/24/2013

Day 7:
Shopping and evening Safari!!

Emily (my roomie) and I at our shopping location-beautiful right?

Such an amazing experience to see God's creations~2/25/2013

Day 8:
~Sunrise Safari, GLA, Sponsor Child Lunch- Getting to meat Nompelo (Best part of my day!!!)

 

 

GLA, RVC-Swazi compund

 Day 9:
Goodbyes, Shopping, bus ride to Jo-burg, leave Africa

Getting ready for devos, apparently me and Avery were the only ones ready...

Me and the amazing Prine girls!!! 2/27/2013

Sad to be leaving!!

Shopping stop before we cross the boarder to South Africa

Emily and I sad to be leaving Swaziland

Many reasons to be sad!!! 17hr flight is one of those

As I'm sure you can tell I took a lot of pictures and had an AMAZING time!!! God was so present throughout this entire trip, I can't even put it into words yet...
As I attempt to process this trip, please give me GRACE and I promise I will post sooo many more details as the next days/weeks go on.

Love, Hugs and God's ABUNDANT Blessings!!

~Gretch

In Flight

We are currently thousands of miles in the air headed to Johannesburg South Africa! Here is what is outside of my window right now... A beautiful skyline and the wing of the plane! I am sharing a row with my friend Rachel, we are currently sprawled across three seats utilizing a tray table as a foot rest.
Our journey started this morning at 8:00am. We all met in the lobby of MSP international airport equipped with luggage and open hearts. We took a group photo, prayed and began our journey to Swaziland. Our first flight left at 11:15am and headed to Atlanta Georgia. See pics of the fun we had!!
Once we landed in Atlanta we headed to Chilies for some lunch and conversation. after a few laps around the airport we prepared for our 15hr flight to J-burg by stretching and doing yoga moves.
Our flight is pretty empty so we were all able to stretch out and get cozy! We have put our essential oils from Brit to use to cure head aches and nausea...

Many hours later......
We are still way up hi in the sky! The flight tracker on the back of the seat in front of me has the nose of our plane right over the western side of Africa. We have 2604 miles to go but have flown 5839 miles thus far. We are currently going 542 mph with an outside temp of -48 (just like being in MN)
Let me tell you it is awfully hard to get comfy on an airplane.... I have come to know my friend Rachel pretty well as both of us have been snuggled up with each other for the last few hrs. From my calculating we have been in the air for about 10hrs with a little over 5 to go. Our movies are in working order after some technical difficulties but every time I start one it puts me to sleep.
Dinner and snacks have been served and we are drinking as much water as possible to prevent nasty jet lag later.
It is so hard to be bitter about spending 15hrs on a plane when all I can think about is our final destination of Swaziland. We are going to be doing such amazing things that I can't hardly sleep because I just want to be there already!!!
I'm so ready for this experience and to really feel the Lord's presence working through me. Well I'm off to do some reading!

Landed!!
We have made it to our hotel in Johannesburg SA. Our missionary family the Prince's met us at the airport and got us to our hotel. We have have dinner waiting for us in about an hour, it's currently 5pm in J-Burg. This will be my last blog until we get home, but please continue to pray for our entire team!!!

Swazi {T-15days!!}

In 15 days I will be on an airplane headed to Africa. How surreal is that? I'm a little shocked at how quickly this trip has crept up on me but I am so ready! I am ready to have my world flipped upside down, I am ready to experience amazing things, and I am ready to watch the Lord transform my life and the lives of so many other people!! The packing has begun, or rather the piling of things has begun... Our once office is a combination of my stuff for Africa and all my textbooks for school. (I decided to go back this spring for my bachelors in nursing... long story... it was inevitable so I figured now would be a great time to start) I received a donation after I paid off my trip and decided to use it to buy some fun stuff for the kiddos in Swaziland! Volleyballs, parachutes, bubbles, puzzles etc! I am so thankful to have all of this support from my family and friends, it really blows my mind to think of all the people who have donated and prayed for this trip and it is finally happening!!!

The packing has begun!!

I have been doing a lot of praying and reflecting on how fortunate I am to be going on this trip, and have praying that the Lord will use me in whatever way he sees fit while I am there.  One of the big things our leaders have pushed is to not have any expectations and to be flexible. So that is what I am trying to do, I am expecting nothing but what HE has in store for me.  I have also been so blessed to have made some new friends in preparation for this trip and I ask that you will add them to your prayers as well! Emily, Rachel and I have conveniently managed to book our seats all next to each other on every plane ride, there will be 4 total. Lets hope we don't drive each other nuts, and my fear of flying goes away with my amazing plane buddies!!!

I have also been working on a fun backpack of goodies for Nompelo, or sponsor child! I pray daily that I get to meet her in person, but understand that things happen and nothing is a guarantee.  With the help of some friends I have compiled some of our favorite scriptures and have been surrounding her with them for weeks.  I know she cannot read English, and I most definitely don't speak SiSwati but I think just the presence of HIS words surrounding her is powerful.

There are many of us going on the trip that sponsor children and I know we would all appreciate your prayers that we get to share some time with the kids, for many they have been exchanging letters for years and for others like myself it has been just a few short months.  There is such potential for this to be an amazing experience, but like I said before things happen and it is all in HIS power!!

 Our flight leaves at 11:15am on February 19th, we will fly to Atlanta and have a 3hr layover to enjoy some dinner.  We will then embark on a 15hr flight to Johannesburg South Africa (they are 8hrs ahead of us here in MN), we should get there around 4:35pm on 2/20 (My Dads Birthday!!!). On Thursday morning 2/21 (My father in-laws Birthday!!!) we will head to Swaziland via coach bus.  Friday 2/22 (My buddy Cayden's 2nd Birthday!!!) we will spend the day working with the kiddos at the care points, and Saturday the second RVC Swazi team arrives. Sunday 2/24 is a BIG DAY!!! This is the day the River Valley Church Swaziland location officially launches!!! We will be worshiping and spreading his world all day long.  Monday and part of Tuesday will be spent on Safari, and Tuesday afternoon is the time slotted to meet our sponsor children.  Wed we will drive to J-Berg and head home around 8:00pm Africa time.  We should arrive in Atlanta around 6:00am on 2/28, putting us back home around 10:30am.  Now of course all of this could change in a heartbeat, but I thought you guys would like a glimpse of my trip!

I will try to do one more blog before I leave, and I can't wait to share this incredible experience will all of you when I get home!!!

Love, Hugs and God's Blessings

Gretch

SWAZILAND {Update}

Happy New Year!!!!

As I embark on 2013 I am so excited to see what the Lord has in his plans for me.  My trip is 1 1/2 months away (1 month and 16 days technically) and I am just giddy when I think about it!!! I am so anxious to find out how the Lord is going to work through me to benefit this country and it's people. One of the missions we are going to be working with is Children's Cup I ask that you take a moment and check out their website!! This photo was taken from their facebook site and I just wanted to give you guys another face or 30 to why I am going on this trip. This is a picture from their staff appreciation picnic this past summer. "These amazing people are the missionaries and Children's Cup staff in Swaziland. Ensuring proper care, education, nutrition, and the HOPE found in a relationship with Jesus Christ for 6000 children" (caption from their fbook site!) How amazing is this photograph?! Another really cool part of this picture is the building they are standing in front of, that is the River Valley Church Swaziland Campus Church and Dream Center! This building was created by RVC and will be officially LAUNCHED while I'm in Swaziland in February!!! This building offers so much hope and promise to the people of Swaziland, I am so humbled to be a part of such an amazing church and mission trip. I can't wait to show you pictures of what the church looks like next month and the amazing experience launching it is going to be!!

https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensCup/photos_stream

I am still about $900 shy of my fundraising goal and have until January 14th to meet that goal.  If you would like to donate please follow this link DONATE!!! You will need to create a user name and enter your information, if you feel more comfortable writing a check you can mail those to me and I will bring it to RVC. Thank you so much for your encouragement, support and prayers!

~Love, Hugs and God's Blessings~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy {Day AFTER} Christmas!

December 26th, the day AFTER Christmas....
The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, the return lines at the stores are long, most stations are no longer playing Christmas music, we have way too many leftovers and we are all in need of a trip to the gym. 
I had an AMAZING Christmas, or rather 4 Christmases (how is that a word?!)... 
Each special and perfect in their own ways, but most importantly filled with FAMILY, LOVE and LAUGHTER!!! This Christmas was also filled with some sadness and memories of friends and family no longer with us, which left an empty chair (or 2) at our dinner tables. More than ever this year I was thankful for TIME spent with family and friends.  It is one more holiday filled with memories and photographs that can never be replaced or taken away. If you took away every present received this Christmas it would still have been an amazing Christmas because it was spent with those that I love and cherish. I am just so thankful and blessed!

Here are some of my favorite memories and pictures! Christmas Eve was spent in Red Wing per usual with my mom and her family and my Aunt and Uncles home! We had amazing food and Rich even dressed up as Santa for the kids! Christmas Day morning we had my Dad, Aunt and cousins over for brunch. I made Ben's favorite Cheesy potatoes and attempted to make Nanci's cinnamon roles (not as good!). We watched Christmas Vacation and after brunch and presents, Chad, Hunter and I made our way to Mike and Nanci's house.  We brought Hunter (and snacks) to visit Chad's Grandma.  All of the nurses gave us funny looks, but Hunter behaved himself and Chad's Grandma Pat enjoyed the unexpected visitor.  After visiting for a few hourse we headed back to the Lilja home and had lasagna and played our traditional game of Monopoly. Chad and Josh dominated per usual, but it was fun all the same! Hunter even let us use him as a ribbon holder. It was an amazing few days filled with as you can see lots of pictures and even more memories!

 

I will leave you with one of my favorite songs about the day after Christmas as told by Matthew West (one of my favorite singers..)

Day After Christmas
Here comes the letdown Christmas is over
Here comes the meltdown, there goes the cheer
But before we have a breakdown, let us remember
The light of the world is still here

Happy day after Christmas
And merry rest of the year
Even when Christmas is over
The light of the world is still here
The light of the world

Come January I’m ready for summer
The Super Bowl’s over and I’ll settle for spring
Sometimes we all need a change in the weather
But it won’t change the reason we sing

Happy day after Christmas
And merry rest of the year
Even when Christmas is over
The light of the world is still here
The light of the world
The light of the world
The light of the world

So take down the stockings, take back the sweaters
Take down the lights and the star and the tree
But don’t let this world take your joy after Christmas
Take joy to the world and just sing

Happy day after Christmas
And merry rest of the year
Even when Christmas is over
The light of the world is still here

PEACE {GMG Advent}

"That's my parting gift to you PEACE! I don't leave you the way you're used to being left-feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset, don't be distraught." John 14:27

PEACE: A feeling of contentment, or calmness, a lack of fear, comfort in the unknown, TRUST.

When I think of PEACE that is what I think of, and then I think of the reasons I am able to find PEACE in this world and it is because of JESUS.  He came as a savior in the form of a baby, and died a horrific death but was able to find PEACE because it was his purpose. He gave us the gift of PEACE just as he tells us in John 14.  He is always with us even though we can't see him.

"For a child has been born-for us!

The gift of a son for us!

He will take over the running of the world.

His names will be:

Amazing counselor

Strong God

Eternal Father

Prince of PEACE" Isaiah 9:6 

It is Christmas Eve and I am at PEACE. It's not because all of the presents are wrapped [I have 3 more to do] or because I am ready for the Holiday [I have a pie to bake]. It is because I have been saved, I have been given the gift of eternal life, and what better way to find PEACE? And its SNOWING!!! The Lord has sent my favorite thing on my favorite Holiday. 

This post along with the last few posts have been part of a bible study I have been doing to prepare for Christmas.  My friend Branson has faithfully lead us for the last 4 weeks on a journey of faith and devotion.  We read a passage daily and then post it to instagram (@mrslilja) tagging the women in our group, and then reflect. It has been such an amazing spiritual journey! To have a group of women who will pray for you and be there to listen when you need to vent is amazing, and to think we have never actually met in person, and most of us live in different states! The Lord works in amazing ways, bringing PEACE through people we've never met, and guidance and answers when we least expect it! 

There are so many things I am thankful for this Christmas, but I think the one thing that makes this Christmas more special than any other is my true understanding of the reason we celebrate and my renewed faith in the Lord.  Without that FAITH and TRUST in HIM, I would not have the PEACE I currently have.

I wish your family a very Merry Christmas filled with HOPE, LOVE, JOY and PEACE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Gretch