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First – a confession.  I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.  Every day in order to keep up with what is happening in Swaziland I “page down” looking for relevant posts.  On that journey I see posts from close friends and family that help me feel closer to them even though we are far away.  Then there are other posts of inane irrelevancy – “The traffic light turned red on me today – my life is hard.” 
 
But what I love about Facebook is the way it allows me to have ongoing conversations with my African friends, emerging leaders who often reach out for a word of encouragement. 
 
In 2012 we started the Swaziland Leadership Academy.  11 young leaders led by Bheki and Zodwa – two trained and seasoned Swazi’s.  What an amazing and strategic opportunity to influence a generation.  We’re recruiting 12 more to participate this year.
                                                                                                                                                                  One of these leaders is Mbuso Shoba.  He’s 19 years old and from the Mkhumbokati Care Point community in Swaziland.  I was Facebook chatting with him toward the end of his 1st year of training, a portion of which is in South Africa.  When I asked him if he was ready to return to Swaziland, here is what he said, “yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im ready for anything sir!!!!!!!!! i cant wait to
apply what the lord will tell me to do and my spirit is pregnant with
the word of God i wanna deliver it anytime i reach swaziland.” 
 
Wow.  His energy made my day.  Even now the realization of the impact of this investment in the lives of young people like Mbuso brings tears to my eyes.  I love this picture of Mbuso with his arms spread – ready to fly!  On the day of the picture, Marcia and I had just finished 2 weeks of training on spiritual formation, purity of the heart, and purity of the Word of God.
 
In another conversation this week a key emerging leader on our staff had a question about the future of the ministry.  I wrote:

“When the time is right the goal is there won’t be any more
missionaries in Swaziland. In fact, Swaziland needs to become a
missionary sending nation – not a receiving one. That is my goal. I
want to see you and others leading the ministry in Swaziland and beyond,
raising up the orphans who will be missionaries to the nations. We need to
break through spiritual strongholds of sexual immorality and a poverty
mentality toward lives of purity and success.

Europe and America
are on paths to spiritual destruction. It will be missionaries sent
from places like Swaziland who re-evangelize these dead spiritual
places. Swaziland is the Pulpit of Africa and needs to walk in that
prophecy! The power of Christianity has shifted from the global West and North to the South and the East. People like you who know how to
persevere through incredible challenges and live by faith alone even
while your stomach is hungry and you are standing alone from the loss of
your parents – people like you will be the carriers of the Gospel to
those nations who have forgotten what the Gospel is.

You are full
of incredible gifts. As you mature and as those gifts are honed, you
will increasingly be used in God’s master plan to redeem the AIDS
pandemic – to send an army of orphans throughout the world to preach the
Good News.

Now you must know the Enemy is prowling around like a
lion looking for who he can devour – he has many traps laid for you to
take you out of the game – to discredit you and ruin the gifts God has
put in you for a reason. Some around you are falling into those traps
like a child falling into a hole. You need to be aware of this and
constantly on guard against these plans to ruin you and ruin His plans
in you.”
 
I am just crazy enough to believe this stuff.  And in between reading what people made for dinner, the picture of the tree in their back yard, and incessant invitations to farm, spy, and know my birthday – I will keep using Facebook to feel closer to my real family and friends, and to keep up the conversations with my friends in Africa.
 
 

8 Comments

  1. Scott, that was awesome! I too believe this can happen. It’s not a pipe dream. In God, all is possible and these people blow my mind with the faith that they have. What all of you are doing is so, so important. It is so wonderful to see these young Swazi’s becoming spiritual leaders and mentors. I also share your love/hate relationship with Facebook, and also love the way that I can keep in touch with some of our Swazi friends, as well as Erica. I miss them all so much. God bless all of you! I look forward to what God has in store for 2013 for all of us.

  2. You have no idea how God has used you today to put a fire in my belly. My spirit has been under such warfare and I wasn’t even motivated to plan our next team trip to our care points this summer. People have been coming out of the woodwork asking me about the trip and I haven’t felt a clear call about leading this time. Every potential leader has had the door closed and I didn’t understand what to do because the desire in so many hearts was to go, but I didn’t feel that I was the one to lead the team. God has performed amazing heart miracles before my very eyes this week and in reading your blog, He has also performed a miracle in my own heart. I am now burning with a desire to lead this team and to watch God take these clay vessels and mold them into His image. I can’t wait to watch Him change the hearts of the people that He has chosen to be on this team. I love how they think that they are going to Swaziland to minister to the Swazis when in fact the Swazis will minister to the them! Keep posting what God is showing you. I’m reminded of Mother Teresa’s quote
    ” I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

    God is creating many ripples across the waters through you, Marcia, the AIM staff and the Swazis. We must continue while it is still light because the darkness is comings Keep it up because I’m confident the Lord will say to you. “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

  3. Thanks for the work you and Marcia are doing in Swai and your commitment to train and disciple. God is blessing and using you both. Remain faithful to all He’s called you to.

  4. What a diverse and dynamic world we are living in. Thank you for helping see the irony and humor, while readjusting perspective on what is actually important.

  5. I only wish I could be back there with you. You see, I left my heart there, and it aches for me to come back to get it. I am giving my first speech at a church not far from us next month talking of course about Swaziland. I am really scared but really excited about it at the same time. I know God will give me the words to say. And if you don’t mind, I will give them your blog address so they can follow you too. I love you and Marcia and miss you bunches.

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