If you have read my blog prior to this one you are caught up about my love for Swaziland. Another love inside of Swaziland is a 2 year old named Sivuno. I can not explain it to you the joy that wells up inside of me when I enter the baby house and he comes running to me with open arms and a smile a from ear to ear. I keep comparing it to us running into the arms of our Heavenly Father and the joy, happiness, and safety that relationship provides.

He is a wonderful two year old that loves to swing, play ball, and climb on the jungle gym but God has placed him on my heart like no other child on the race thus far. We have an unexplainable connection that can only be created by my Father.

I ask that you pray for Sivuno that as he grows up that he will always keep his eyes on His heavenly father and that he will grow up to be a mighty man of God.

Thank you all for your support and prayers!!

Blessings,

Christal

When I started the World Race, my prayer was that God would break my heart for a certain place or ministry and then lead me to what HIS will is for my life. Well this prayer was answered fully month 7 of the race. My Father has broken my heart for Swaziland. It is hard for me to explain in words what this feels like but it is a love and a pain at the same time that wells up within me every time I look into the eyes of these children at El Shaddai. I don't want to paint the wrong picture, these children are happy, vibrant and amazing children of the most high GOD!!

I look out over the amazing landscape of Swaziland that very few people that I know even knew existed and such peace and joy wells up inside of me. It is unfathomable to me that my Father knew when I was born that He was going to place in my heart a feeling like I have never experienced before. God is so amazing to me, I am truly learning on a daily basis that His plan for my life is perfect and He will reveal it in His own time. If I have learned nothing else on this journey it is to become more dependent on my Heavenly Father.

In Psalm 62:8 it says, “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Pour out your heart to our Father and He will answer and be a refuge for us. I need to stop attempting to figure out what my future looks like when my Heavenly Father already knows every detail of it. Why should I even concern myself with trying to figure it out when THE CREATOR of the universe has it all figured out. What about you??

With that said, I have no idea what my future looks like and how Swaziland is going to be a part of it. All I know right now is that my heart is breaking for this country and the people of Swazi. I ask that all of you pray for me to focus on the rest of the race and what God has planned for me. I ask that you pray that God will reveal to me the way He wants me to serve Him in Swaziland as well as the rest of my life.

Have you asked your FATHER lately how and where He wants you to serve Him?

I want to explain that I am not saying that everyone should travel for 11 months to 11 countries to see where God wants you to serve. I am asking, are you serving Him in the areas of your life that He so desperately wants to lead you?

I love and miss you all!!

Keep the prayers coming!!

Blessings,

Christal

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I need to explain why I haven't been blogging. We have had no internet the last couple of months that would allow posting of blogs. I have been able to keep in contact with my family because of the generosity of my teammate, Julian and his blackberry. Thank you so much Julian. I have not forgotten about all of you!! All of you are a part of this journey as much as I am. I am excited to share with you what God has been doing in my life.

With that said, let me share some things about Swaziland. The month of January, my team has been at El Shaddai, a children's home located in the gorgeous mountains of Swaziland. I can not even attempt to explain to you all how beautiful this country is. It takes my breath away every time I look out the window of my room. A quick geography lesson, Swaziland is located at the bottom of the continent of Africa close to South Africa. An astonishing statistic about Swaziland is that by 2020 there will not be any adults left in the land of Swaziland due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. That is just 9 years from now. This was a scary statistic to me before I arrived in Swaziland and then after looking into the faces of these children it was even more heartbreaking. El Shaddai partners with Compassionate Life Foundation located in Michigan.

El Shaddai is ran by the Coertzen's, a couple that is truly in love with the Lord and wants to provide a life to these children that focuses on loving the Lord. God gave them a vision that they needed to move to Swaziland and take care of the children in Swaziland. The land was acquired through the king of Swaziland and El Shaddai was founded. The acquiring of the land was huge because the king owns all of the land in Swazi and only Swazi citizens are usually allowed to own land. God was truly apart of this process. El Shaddai has been up and running for 13 years now.

I wanted you all to get an understanding of what El Shaddai is about and the miracle that it is for so many Swazi children. I truly have been blown away from this opportunity to live here this month.

More to come...

My team and I spent last month in Malawi as well as this month.  But let me just share with you that the two regions that we are serving are completely different.  I keep saying that the country of Malawi is like the United States of America, every region is different just as every state of the USA is different.  With that said, I truly believe that I am experiencing how life was when Jesus walked the earth.  I am experiencing the ACTS church firsthand.  This life of laying it all down for Christ is a recurring theme for me on this journey.  God continues to speak to me about laying everything down and following HIM!!

The challenge that He continues to bring to light is what does a disciple of Christ's life look like in the United States of America???  I don't have the answer yet...but I am continually seeking after the answer each and everyday on this journey.  I have learned that it is great that God has chosen us to bless but our part of that blessing is making sure that God gets ALL the GLORY for those blessings!!  I know that you might be thinking she is talking a lot about blessings in her last few blogs.  Let me tell you why I really feel like this is so important.  God has not revealed to me yet what my life is going to look like after the race...so if my future lies in the USA I want to be prepared to serve Christ with everything that I can. 

I want to paint you a picture of my life right now so that I can show you the true difference between needs and wants.  We get up with the sun because we have no electricity.  Isn't it incredible that God created the sun mostly to wake us up and so that we can get things accomplished throughout the day. Let me be honest just because we don't have electricity does not make me a morning person (For those of you that know me quite well!!) But it does show me how great and wondrous just the creation of sunshine is and how God, my Father thought of every detail.  

We are cooking our own meals this month which I enjoy greatly but it is a challenge.  We have two charcoal burners that we use to cook over.  Getting just the fire started is a challenge.  Some of the meals we have prepared are:

1.      Breakfast:  Boiled Eggs and Peanut Butter Sandwiches

2.      Lunch:  French Toast (Made on a charcoal grill)

3.      Dinner:  Rice, Boiled Eggs and Tomato Sauce

Malawian women cook like this each and everyday of their lives.  Actually as we are preparing our meals the children of the village sit and stare at us because all they have been taught is that everything is prepared for us in America and that we don't have to cook.  It has been interesting.  But let me assure you that our NEED for food has been met and actually been surpassed. 

We go to the well to get water and carry it back on our heads just as the Malawians do.  You don't realize how much you use water until you have to walk and bring it back.  But this is life in Malawi in the village we are living in.  We do not have excess here as we do in America, but I can assure that it has been days filled with joy and time serving our Heavenly Father as well as cultivating a deeper relationship with Christ Jesus. 

In conclusion,  I want everyone to understand that we are ALL called to take the word to the nations.  It is not an optional program for some followers of Christ to GO!!

In Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus does not say a select few but all disciples of Christ are to GO!! This is what God has placed on my heart and I want you all to take time and think about how you are going to GO and reach the nations.  God's plan for each and everyone of us is different but HE is waiting on US!!

I miss you all and love you like crazy!!

     Just want to provide you all with an update about regarding my blog about God's divine appointment for me in Moldova.  I received news this week that Vico died on November 7th.  I do not have many details but I do know that God placed myself and my team there with him and his family for a reason and that was to show our Heavenly Father's amazing love.  I have prayed for him and his family daily.  It is hard being across the world from them. If I had my choice I would be right beside his mother and sister right now holding them and providing everything that I can.  But maybe that is what God is teaching me, He is the provider not me.  If He wanted me there during this time I would be there but He has me in Africa spreading His love to people that have never heard the name of JESUS!! I ask that you all please pray for his family and friends and that they will all draw on the strength of our Creator and Heavenly Father to help comfort them.  I hope that they take this opportunity to climb up in His lap and let Him love on them and wipe away their tears!!