So here we are in Swaziland and let me just say that it is soooo amazing here! I love it. We have been staying in this big house with tons of beds and it's just your usual community living lifestyle. It gets pretty rough sometimes, but I personally love community living. This house is pretty big...and has one shower to over sixty people. It's ok, though, I'm getting used to bucket showers.

Well, we got here last Saturday evening. Then we went to church on Sunday. We started ministry on Monday. My group went to the squatter camp. It was cool. We played with kids and then we visited people's houses and prayed for them. It was fun.

Then we went to the hospital on Tuesday. It was so weird. We just prayed before we went in and asked God where he wanted us to go. I felt God calling me to the maternity ward. So I went. Right as I walked in (just me, I wasn't with my group), there was a screaming baby girl to my right on a bed all by herself. I looked around to see if her mother was anywhere and the ladies said they didn't know where she went. So I picked up the newborn baby who was screaming like you wouldn't believe, and I just loved her, and was really overwhelmed,  I started to cry, but I prayed peace over the baby, and I started telling her a bible story, and dedicated her to the Lord. Eventually she stopped crying and I just held her. Finally, her mother walked in and she was surprised that her baby wasn't crying! I told her what I was doing there and I asked if I could pray for her and I did. and then she had to go pay her bill and take her child home. Gosh, I love these African babies!!! Then I talked to a different mother and had a good time and prayed over her and her baby and held the baby and I didn't want to put her down, but I had to leave. It was great.

We went to a care point out in the rural area and we played with the kids and just loved on them. The majority of the kids were orphans, and they just needed some attention. A little girl fell asleep on me. And, she was soooo out. So I just let her rest. It was great. 

Yesterday, we went to a bry (a bry means we butchered a cow and fed it to the squatter camp and had a huge celebration). Today is Friday and we have today and tomorrow off and Sunday afternoon off to do whatever. We are all going to a wild game park and hiking. There are going to be zebras and warthogs, and bears, oh my! Then we are going to the market. We leave on Monday to go back to Alabanza (our joburg home).

God has been teaching me a lot lately. He's been teaching me about sitting and being still and knowing that he IS God. Also, I've been learning a lot about gifts of the spirit and healing and prophesying. It's pretty amazing. One of the girls on our team, Martha, is very very ill. Please pray for her. Last night she was admitted into the hospital. I know God is going to heal her, I just don't want her to miss out on this experience because she is in pain.

Swazi is a lot different from SA. It is the most AIDS affected country. And it's so secretive, if someone has AIDS they are shameful and ashamed. No one will tell you if they have it. They say they "are sick" or they have "a cold". They are very ashamed. It is satan's main tool here for the sick - shame. Everyone uses this word as if it were empty, but it only brings satan more glory. But there are many happy and joyous people here as well, they love the Americans. I love the children, especially the babies. Gosh this e-mail is long! Sorry!

I think that about covers everything. Please be praying for understanding and patience, because this community living is kinda getting old to some people. Pray for safety, and pray for open hearts.

Love you all!!!

Rachel

P.S. My fave psalm this week is psalm 130....... read it!!!