Here’s what Julie (one of my co-laborers here in Swaziland) had to say about the retreat…
Cleansed, Cherished, Child of God
In Swaziland they refer to the “Three C’s” of how a guy can get a girl to sleep with him: clothes, cash, cell phone. It’s sick but true…not just true that they talk about it, but true that many girls actually have sex w/ a guy because he gives her one of the above. The camp for 200+ highschool girls that took place here this past weekend focused on a new set “life giving” C’s: Cleansed, Cherished, and Child of God. It was GREAT.
My favorite part of retreats like this is getting people out of their normal setting, and being able to witness the sense of freedom there is when they get a small escape from the hard circumstances they may face in their every day lives. I’ve seen it at the women’s retreats I’ve helped coordinate, and it was definitely evident this past weekend as well. I especially loved hearing the girls sing during worship. Here are the words to the song they loved the most and sang the loudest.
I have a Maker, he formed my heart, before even time began, my life was in his hand.
I have a Father, He calls me his own, He’ll never leave me, no matter where I go.
He knows my name, he knows my every thought,
He sees each tear that falls and he hears me when I call.
It was BEAUTIFUL!
Another highlight was see the young Swazi women (that have been discipled by my co-worker Becca over the last 2 yrs) up front leading the whole thing. They are HUGE proof that God is doing some wonderful things here.
Last week God gave me a glimpse of why events like this weekend are so so so important. Thoko is one of the women I work with. She asked if I could help take her 25 yr old daughter Lindiwe to the clinic Tuesday morning. Thoko homestead is across a small valley and you can’t drive directly up to the house. Lindiwe was so weak that her brother had to push her in a whell barrow across the vally to the road where they could get transport.
When Thoko called me they were waiting alongside the road in town. Lindiwe was just sitting in the grass and had to be lifted into my car. Thoko has had multiple children pass away, and when I went to pick them up, it was obvious that Lindiwe could very well be the next one.As Thoko and I were helping her up the ramp to the clinic I started thinking more about Lindiwe’s situation… I’ve heard the the HIV virus usually lays dormat in the body for 8+ years before a person will start to see it’s effects. Lindiwe is 25, which means 8 years ago she was 17…probably close to the average age of the girls that attended the camp this weekend. Now, 8 years later Lindiwe is so thin, too weak to walk or speak. Please join me in praying that the girls who attended the camp will be strong healthy women of God in 8 years, who continue to be confident in the truth that they are cleansed, cherished, children of God!
I was the official grocery shopper for the camp…so on top of getting to observe the really great stuff happening, I also got to hang out in butcher shops, and fight off the salesmen at the produce market. The 200+ could not only sing well, they could also eat really well!
Bless Julie for buying all the food for the team from RiverLakes and for all the girls at the retreat!! For more about julie and what God’s doing through her in Swaziland http://julieanderson.myadventures.org
we miss you guys, and are so proud of you!
Hi Becca, I just found your site and have been reading up on what you have been doing. You are such a blessing to that nation. And Christ is using you for His kingdom. I wish I would have found you sooner, but I know I have been praying for you… even if i didn’t see you were there. I will continue to pray for you and your heart and your journey in the next few challenging and rewarding months!