We moved to Africa with a lot of questions… some of them very obvious; will it be safe enough? Will the people accept us? How do you raise four American teenagers and two elementary wild men in an unknown land?
Some where very ambiguous; how do you not make the same mistake you have heard over and over from those that have gone before you? How do you even comprehend the work of missionary hero’s that have done it right? Are we going to make a difference at all?
We new one thing for sure, but we didn’t have a clue how to do it. Come along side an African family that understood “Kingdom” – a family that desired covenant, a family that understood that Church and Christianity are who we are not where we go. A family that was broken, teachable and was raised up by God to make anything we started, better. We found that family…
This is Pastor Gift Dlamini, his wife Philile and his three beautiful kids. Gift is an educated, humble man that is rooted in the word of God. He and his wife have been through more despair and heart-ache then most anyone you have met, but they walk in supernatural joy! After living here a year and trying to work with many different people, the thing I have found that I love most about Gift is that he gets my “American” sarcastic humor – I cant tell you what a pleasure that is for me – no one else we have met gets us!
The Dlamini’s are moving down to Nsoko to project manage our “Children’ Village” (Gift helped start similar projects with a pastor here in the mid 90’s and Salvation Army) He is planning on planting the first g42 Church in Africa and this family is going to take the dream we have started here and make it a reality for the forgotten people of eastern Swaziland.
When Gift told Lisa that the Lord told him and Philile to join us and take ownership of Nsoko, she said, nothing.
Tears running down here face, literally trying to hold her self up – she realized once again, our God is a God that answers prayers… over and over and over…
Gary
Just a line to let you know how blessed I am each morning to read your blog… War on my brother..
Truly, what a gift!
Those of us who are stateside and holding you all up in prayer marvel at how God has responded to your faithfulness. Many people go to the mission field and talk about “empowering people to do the work” once they leave. You and Lisa have consistently demonstrated a humble willingness to be obedient to whatever He asks of you. We pray continued blessings on all of you as you follow the call on your lives and are excited to see what He is going to do next. We love you.
it’s amazing how the lord has really worked things out to make this possible. pastor gift is a true man of the lord and of the spirit. having him in nsoko will make a world of a difference… gogo elisabeth’s prayers are continuing to be answered!
Gary – Thanks be to God ! Your gathering anointing is alive and well in God ! xo A.