Swazi Blessings {Days 1-3}

When anxiety was great within me,  

your consolation brought me joy. {Psalm 94:19}

Every day there was a scripture or multiple scriptures that we either talked about or that really just hit home to me.  We talked about the verse above, and I think it set the tone for entire trip.  When we were anxious or had fear the Lord calmed us with his words and his presence.

The first three days of my trip to Swaziland were insane, packed to the brim and emotionally overwhelming.  As I look back on my journal entries {I am SOOO thankful for the advice to journal daily} I can tell how exhausted I was because parts of my journal just don't make sense... So as I posted earlier {actually in flight!} the plane ride was very long, and as many of you may or may not know I am very scared of flying [fear concurred]! We said a big group prayer when we got to the airport and again in small groups on the plane.  My row mates Rachel and Emily made me feel so safe and loved, constantly checking in on how I was doing and distracting me from take offs and landings. I used my essential oils from my friend Brittany and they were a life saver {+Dramamine}.

Stephen, Avery, Krista, Iliea and Ellie Prince

Once we landed in J-burg we got to FINALLY meet our missionaries the Prince's and Holte's {More on the Holtes in the GLA post}!! Krista and her husband Stephen moved their family from MN to Swazi 2 years ago and have been helping build the RVC ministry in Swazi.  Krista found me on Facebook a month of so before we left on the trip so we had been chatting and getting to know each other from 8,000 miles away.  It was so awesome to finally get to hug her and here her amazing testimony in person.  The Prince family is one of the most amazing families I have ever met. Their dedication and devotion to the kingdom of God are so evident in everything they do.  Their sweet children have such servant hearts and are the most well behaved kiddos I have ever met!! The girls and I share a passion for hair accessories which made for some fun photo op's.

Iliea, Gretch and Ellie

After a night in Jo-burg spent trying to stay awake and learning about Swazi culture, we geared up for a long bus ride to Swaziland. We did yoga and enjoyed the beautiful scenery! My roomie Emily is a Yoga junkie, so she had some good moves for Rachel and I.  The Hotel we stayed at in Johannesburg was breathtaking, the accommodations were amazing the the hotel grounds were spectacular.

Rachel and Emily practicing

Gretch and Emily

Our entire group getting ready to head to Swazi

Our bus ride to Swaziland was about 4 1/2hrs and was a blast!! Krista talked about Swazi culture and Swazi history, our bus driver even had some stories for us.  We stopped about halfway at a GORGEOUS truck stop!!! We got to stretch our legs and have some lunch. They had pretty Americanized food with some local favorites. Cadberry is really big over there and they had some amazing chocolate called 'Top Deck' that I forgot to take a picture of... But it was fabulous!

Lunch time at Appaloosa

Once we arrived in Swazi we checked in to Emafini {Our home for the week!}

The view is breathtaking and the accommodations were so perfect! I wasn't expecting anything close to how nice Emafini is, we are so BLESSED!! 

RVC Team 1 seeing the church for the first time

After dropping off our bags and changing we headed to the River Valley Church- Swazi campus.  As soon as we pulled into the compound, tears instantly filled my eyes.  The interns from GLA{Global Leadership Academy~Post to come soon} were all singing and dancing, welcoming us to their home and to the church.  It was such an amazing afternoon that I doubt I will ever forget! Once we took a quick tour of the church it was time to get to work.  Gerald and Dean got the fun task of landscaping with Vukani and some of the interns.  It was pretty entertaining as the appointed photographer for the day to walk around and see everyone working and laughing and "learning" how to garden!

Meeting the GLA interns

 Nancy, John and Emily took on the task of sorting clothes that had been donated {with some help from a couple cute Prince girls!}.  Pastor Darin and Chris were in charge of chalking the soccer field, very entertaining to watch!! Rachel and Jeff (Sorry I didn't get a photo of you Jeff) cleaned the bathrooms and Krista and Jayne got to sort ministry supplies. Max and Sam alternated between helping to do random things and playing the the massive heard of kids that had congregated when we arrived! They helped us pass out hats that were donated by RVC, all the kids loved them and wore them all afternoon.

Dean and Gareld landscaping

Kiddos with their new hats from RVC ladies

Nancy, John and Emily sorting clothes

Krista and Jayne sorting supplies

Rachel doing some scrubbing!

Ellie found some shorts 

Sam and Iliea sorting ministry supplies

Pastor Darin doing some manual labor

Chalking the soccer field

The girls!

 After we had cleaned, sorted, and gardened we took a few minuets to play on the playground Stephen built.  The view was absolutely breathtaking and made for a perfect backdrop for our photos and for our memories.

Amazing memories in the first three days... To be continued

Love, Hugs and God's Blessings ~ Gretch

{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~