Crash, Bam, Eek! “Jim, Get up….”

Yeah! a picture. "My new friend at Mlebe. Too cute!"

You might wonder why I am up at 1:42am? I would love to see I was so anxious to talk with all of you (Actually, I am, but I know the internet is not working. It has taken me over thirty minutes and many failed attempts to post this….WITHOUT any pictures). Anyhow, I am awake because just a few minutes ago, we awoke to a crash. Lori grabbed, me an informed me that “something was in the room”. Apparently a tree frog had sailed into our window and landed on her nightstand? (Why do these things alwas come to her side of the bed?) I got up and got a bucket and carried the frog outside. (Great, now the windows were closed and sealed up again. Just when I was enjoying a cool night’s sleep. I can’t believe it, but I went to the store to buy screens yesterday. I visited four “hardware-ish” stores and found no screen. I guess the Africans think we are “wussies” for wanting to keep “outside things” outside and “inside things” inside. Anyhow, now I am up.

I decided I would try to post. Usually that works better in the middle of the night. It hasn’t. I hope this entry uploads. Monday I will try the internet cafe. If that works, I will give up trying here at the house.

It has been a busy two weeks. I taught today, in my third Bible Institute. I got off at 6:00 and returned home at 6:30. It was a long, good day. Today was so awesome. I love teaching the Bible. I was so discouraged when I started. I didn’t even want to teach. I prayed and just started in. Before long, we were all laughing and studying God’s Word together. It is so cool to make people laugh..in another language…through an interpreter. I thank God for the spiritual gift of laughter. I praise Him for the joy that transcends all languages when we gather around God’s Word. I have now taught at three locations (Debe-Debe, Mlebe, and Nhthanlano). Today was the biggest class (close to sixty or more).

Last week Caleb and I preached at the Matsapha Correctional facility about four times last Sunday. We actually preached on death row (one on one, more about that later (David Similane, Swaziland)). We attended a local Zionist Church in the afternoon. It was half the size of my garage and built entirely of lumber seconds (think bark and sticks). It was a great service.

For two weeks now we have attended a local Evangelical Church. The last time I was here, I visited and worked with the pastors here. Maddy and Josh are in AWANA. Last week Maddy won, Clubber of the Night, passing five sections. Josh….well, he attended. I think he did well at game time. This past week they asked me to lead worship and give the lesson. I will probably help with music and puppets for the remainder of the year.

Caleb and I attend youth on Friday nights. I have started to help with worship there as well. I hope to teach Caleb a few songs. Now that I have a car, I also help drive the teens home after meeting. (We did get our car, Yeah!) I am also meeting during the week with the young youth staff (Remember Pastor Daniel and his brother Paul? Paul is coming to dinner at our house tomorrow.) The church has asked me to speak the second Sunday in March. I will also be helping with worship. I can’t help this Sunday because we will be busy visiting Babe Magongo’s church.

I am also working on a sermon as I wait for the computer to respond. We will be at Babe Magongo’s church, and Carol says, I can expect that I will be asked to preach. I will be preaching from Romans 5, “How do you Show Someone You Love Them.”

As I mentioned, now that I have a car to use, I am also the driver for our teaching team. Today was my first day. Our class was over an hour away, through mountainous roads. Remember I am driving on the “wrong” side of the road for the first time. Add potholes, and many walking pedestrians, and this made for a very challenging day. God was good and I drove slowly. This week, because of the car, I will also start meeting Babe Magongo in the morning for street preaching and in the afternoon we will visit the orphan care centers.

Well, I better get on to other things. I don’t even know if this will post. Thanks for your prayers. Maddy and Lori are better (stomach flu). No one else got sick (so far). You can pray for my eye (something got in it, irritated, etc). You might also have heard that since we left our water heater went out in our home and Ashley had her bank card electronically stolen again. We are so thankful for all of our friends at home, that helped take care of these problems in our absence (Cameron and Michelle Ray, Chris Cox, Jeff Pierce, Kathy Luzader, Sherry McGuire…Others) What would we do without you all.

Sorry so long. Don’t know when I will be able to post again, so trying to catch up. Hopefully pics and video soon. Thanks for following and praying.

Sincerely,
Jim