48 days, 1164 hours and 69887 Minutes til the best experience of my life...Swaziland!!!!

So here I sit, all comfortable in the Starbucks on Calhoun drinking my tea latte, without a worry in the world. It pains me to know to that half way across the world, at this very moment, someone in Swaziland, Africa is suffering from the effects of HIV/AIDS. How is it fair that I'm a healthy college student and my Swazi counterparts are a third of the way through their lives according to their life expectancy? Approximately 42.6% of the population of Swaziland is infected with this horrible, lifetaking disease. The worst part, some were born with it, having a death mark put on them before they were born. Although I question why, I know that God has an ultimate plan for the people of Swaziland. I firmly believe in Jeremiah 29:11 which states, " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "A plan to prosper, not to harm you, a plan for a hope and a future." I'm extremely blessed to be able to say that God chose me, along with 5 other extraordinary people, to be a part of Swaziland's future. I've heard it said many times, "Why go to Africa, when you could do missions in America?" This is true, we do need many missionaries in America, but I, specifically have felt the call of God to send me to Africa, and where He wants, I will go. If that means America one day, then America I'll stay. Let me explain how I got to the point of where I am today.

Back in the fall, when I first heard of this trip, I immediately felt God tugging at my heart to sign up for it. I didn't know if I would be accepted or any details of the trip, but I knew that I couldn't let this opportunity escape without me joining in for the ride. At the time, there were only two spots on the Swaziland trip, and three guys from Charleston BCM had signed up for it, not to mention those from the rest of the state. Shortly after that, in February, those who had signed up for missions migrated to Columbia for our interview day. If I could summarize the feelings I felt on interview day, I would say it was a mixture of anxiety and peacefulness. I was anxious because the way I spent my summer was in the hands of the interviewers, but I was at peace because I knew whatever happened, God had a plan. As interview day came to an end, a peace came over me unlike any other, whatever happened, where ever I would go, would be the will of God. Monday rolled around, the day we were supposed to find out where we were going, and I'm sitting in one of my classes not paying attention as per usual. All of the sudden my cellphone starts vibrating, the call to tell me where I was going comes in the middle of class, and I can't answer it. After class I ran outside, and some of the girls from my Charleston BCM had called and told me to call them back. I immediately call them back and they inform me that I will be spending my summer in where else.....SWAZILAND!!!!!!!! Not only will I be spending my summer in Swaziland, but they had added spots to the trip so all three guys from my BCM will be joining me! A couple of weeks later, I went to a training session where I met my other team members, minus one, because she couldn't make it. Let me tell you, its without a doubt a work of God because we immediately clicked and I felt like my team members were my family before we left training. Ask me again around July after we have spent a couple weeks together sans showers and electricity, and I hope I can still say that we are like a family. I feel like this trip will only bring us closer together because we have one goal: To show the love of Jesus to the Swazi people.

As I sit here, in Starbucks on Calhoun, I long to be in Swaziland, Africa where electricity and running water are luxuries, and the thought of drinking a Starbucks Tea Latte is nothing but an imagination. I can't wait to go weeks without a shower, to sleep on the ground, to experience the life of a Swazi, and for God to use me and mold me during my time outside of my comfort zone. There is not doubt that all of us will come back changed. The Reh that leaves from the airport on June 1st definitely won't be the same person who comes back. Prayfully I will come back with a heart for Africa, a better picture of who God is, and a attitude of Isaiah 6:8, so when the Lord calls me to go somewhere again I will say, "here I am, Lord send me!" I pray that everyone reading this will be called to do some missions work as well, especially if you're a proclaiming Christian. Please continue to pray for the people of Swaziland, our contacts in Swaziland, and our team going over there.

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light"

                                                                        -John Keith Falconer

This time for (Swaziland) Africa!!!!