Want to get involved in the Swaziland ministry?  Going isn't the only option...

Mindy Harrington is a prime example of carrying on the ministry she was first introduced to during her trip to Swaziland in 2009.  In an interview with Mindy she shared her heart for Swaziland and some of the experiences that impacted her enough to carry on the ministry even a year after her trip.

God began preparing Mindy for Swaziland a whole year in advance, the year before her 50^th birthday!  Fifty is a big number, and Mindy expressed the negative feelings and dread she had towards the big five-oh and how God wanted to redeem that for her.  She felt called to designate her 49^th year a Year of Jubilee in preparation for her next big hurtle.  During this year of jubilee in Mindy's life, she began feeling called to go to Africa!  During her search for mission trips, she found an adult trip that landed right over her 50^th birthday and she took the big leap!

 "I didn't know anybody!"  Mindy recounts, she had never travelled by herself, but she said, "Okay Lord, it's you and me...let's go!"  And so she waved goodbye to her husband at the airport and flew to Africa.  Once in the Johannesburg airport she began searching for her teammates.  She spotted a few people wearing the same AIM shirts clumped together and headed in their direction and they all bonded very quickly.

When asked what sort of experiences stuck out in Mindy's memory, she recalled some of their ministry opportunities.  One of the ministry opportunities was VBS, the program of which Mindy put together herself.  She explained how she felt like God really helped her come up with what they should do and how wonderful it was to see everyone else enabled to put it into practice.  "It was really neat to see how everyone would come together and work together in the different culture."

The memories kept coming to mind as Mindy related them.  She spoke about how the poverty was very striking. "To see those little 2 and 3 year-olds walking all by themselves along that long, dirt road to the care point, because that's where they knew help was, was really moving to me.  Working with the AIDs support group, the women would get all dressed up in their best clothes with their high heels and they would walk all the way to the support group and then would have to walk all the way back.  And to meet pastor Gift and see how he was giving his life to this ministry..." 

Another memory spoke loud and clear, "I learned so much about 'being' and to see the listening prayer put into practice."  In one instance, she was sitting by a Gogo (an African term for Grandma) and they didn't speak the same language at all and they were just sitting there and she said, "'Boy I wish I could do something!' and her leader said, 'You are doing something.'  And just to be sitting their validating somebody by being with them was very eye opening."  Mindy went on and on recounting the memories that made her experience in Swaziland so life changing.

But then, she came home and found herself asking, "Well, now what?"  She shared how she would frequently pray, "I don't know what to do, God, but I'm available."  She and her teammates reconnected after a while and began bouncing ideas around of what they could do to carry on the ministry they were a part of in Swaziland while being stateside.  The idea of a bake sale was thrown out and it stuck with Mindy so she ran with it!

She and her son made tons of food!  Her friend and her 4 year old daughter brought in tons of pink cup cakes.  Mindy began crying over the phone as she related the story. "Each time we sold something we would tell what the bake sale was for and how we were raising funds for Swaziland, and soon the kids would come in with their whole piggy banks and I would ask, 'Well how much do you want to give?' and they would respond, 'All of it.'"  It was so touching to hear how one woman's experience on a mission trip in Swaziland, stuck with her so deeply that when she shared her stories others were moved to give all they had; their whole piggy banks.

Swazi Vehicle Fund Update!

The Lord provides!  A World Race alumni recently raised $7,000 for the Swaziland vehicle fund!  This is very close to what is required for us to be able purchase a sturdy 4WheelDrive Pajero that can handle the rough roads of Swaziland.  In the past month, we went from needing to raise $11,950 to $4,950!  This vehicle will make a difference in the lives of the people and children AIM ministers to causing us to quickly and efficiently bring food and supplies to their aid. Our Swazi staff will be blessed by this vehicle; it will make airport trips to pick up mission teams cheaper and easier.

Another AIM alumni recently raised $5,000 through a junior high youth group fundraiser to provide food supplies for the people of Swaziland!  Nothing is impossible; we praise the Lord and thank you for the difference you are making in our ministry and the people of Swaziland.

We were recently informed that Jumbo's mother passed away June 13th.  With Jumbo and Kriek having a baby on the way, it is very hard for them as Jumbo's mother was so looking forward to being a part of her grandchild's life.  Her passing is a mystery as the doctors reported that her heart simply stopped beating; she was 62 years old.  Please be praying for the Gerber's as they walk through this sad loss.  Their faith is strong and sure as they take confidence in the One who is by her side now.  Jumbo's mom was a tireless servant who could cook for hundreds.  Hers was a life well lived with her family and community.  For those of you who know Jumbo and Kriek, a word of encouragement can go a long way at this time.

THANK FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND PARTNERSHIP!

Sincerely,

AIM Swaziland 

Spending time with the children has been priceless. We have gone to a few care points here where we feed the children daily and did a program for women called beauty for Ashes. It's based on Isaiah 61. These women have been raped, abused mentaly and physically, beaten, kicked out of their homes and forsaken by their families. We spent time with them sharing our testimonies and and allowing them to share theirs. Afterward we read some scripture worshipped together and then our team washed their feet. It was so powerful. The Holy Spirit came into the place where we were in a way that I had never experienced. God is so awesome.

While I was trying to run the program kind of behind the scenes, God told me to get up and speak. (you know how I love speaking in public) Anyway - I read some scripture and God just took contol. I can't even tell you all that I said. What He said to me is that I have to become a better student of the word. I read my Bible but  I have to study it like I study other things. I was created for this. I am a connector of people. I was walking around the room laying hands on people and praying for them. I could literally feel the pain coming from the women. At the same time I could feel the strength of the Lord infusing them.

We had a time of worship and then we took the ladies outside for our team to wash their feet and pray over them. I asked the Swazi ladies to sing as we washed their feet and prayed. Once again the Spirit  of the Lord swept through all of us. As we moved from woman to woman, the Swazi ladies sang and danced and praised the Lord. Most of my team was in tears. God is so good.

It was wonderful to me to see black and white women ministering together. We couldn't  even speak the language but as we allowed God to move, He said what we couldn't. All differences were put aside so that we could honor God. It was so moving.  What great glimpse of future ministry.

I am so honored that He chose me to serve Him in this way. It is such a blessing to be able to reach people all over the world. God has been doing a work in the women who came as  well. I don't have time to tell everything now. Even if I did have the time, i don't have words to express all that God is doing.

I praise Him for what He has done and look forward to the next thing.

The women on the team have been broken. Each day it's a litte different. On Wednesday, they realized that this wasn't a vacation. All of the touristy stuff went out the window as we delved into ministry. Visiting people's homes that are made of mud and sticks pushed some women over the edge. Most of the day I kept being told this is too much. How much more of this will we see? How do you call this a home? Why doesn't someone do something? We had to be reminded that we are the people who are supposed  to be doing something. God chose us to come and see it first hand. We need to bring it back to others so that more can come and others can give. We all have our roles and God is beginning to make it clear what some of our indvidual roles are.

I have watched these women as God has taken them to various states of brokenness and listened to their conversations change. We have declared that this is the beginning of changing a generation. We are not sure how God will use all of us but we have been given a lot of responsibility and we will be catalysts for change in Africa, the U.S. and wherever God takes us.

Keep our team covered in prayer. We need it. Each day I give all that I have in me and let God fill me up again. I am physically exhausted but ready and willing to keep going. As long as God can fill me up I'm willing give it all out again.

·          Clinic – the clinic is open and functioning. 50 children were chosen from among the surrounding care points to receive the free medical treatment. 

·         Church – When I attended church there were around 20 Swazi's attending. It is meeting in the community building (which we are using as a dorm see below) since the roof structure does not provide shelter in bad weather. 

·         Community Building – We've converted the community building to a multi-purpose building which includes a dorm for the visiting teams. Since the RLMT in June there have been teams staying there almost constantly from RLMT, STM, WR and soon Novas.  

·         Womens Meeting – Philile is leading the women's ministry every Tuesday afternoon. This seems to be going well as several women attend. Philile is very busy with school.

·         Building Projects – All funds for this have come from team funds. 

1.       We are almost finished adding showers to the back of the community building for team use. 

2.       We will be adding another water tower and tank and upgrading the system there to save the wear and tear on the well pump.

3.       The septic system for the community building was not installed correctly. We will have to do it over. Sewage back-up is a problem.

4.       We hope to soon build walls under the metal roof structure to make it the new community center/church. We will also build two rooms behind it one being an office and another a storage room.