“Death, oh, death, where is your sting today?”

 

July 8-July 13

God has answered many prayers in allowing me to travel to the outskirts of Siteki to visit a few families and witness situations in an incredibly poverty-stricken area.

At the first homestead we visited, I met with a man and his wife. They are jobless, without food, and the man is unable to provide for his family (and MANY children), especially with his poor health. He has TB and is HIV+, and because he has no food to take with his medicine, he is constantly in and out of the hospital battling sickness. It's a tortuous cycle. My heart broke into a million pieces. I read scripture and prayed over him, aloud to a God that he doesn't know. Draw near, Lord. A million questions and thoughts ran through my mind. Is He a Christian? “No, his whole family goes to church and they are all born again, but he does not. He is trying to believe.” And I revert back to three years ago when that phrase “trying” was so familiar to me. But now, I have to wonder, “What is holding you back? Would you be even slightly smiling if you had accepted the gift of grace from a beautiful and merciful Savior? Would you be able to experience joy in the one who created you, who called you from the ends of the earth? Would you be able to trust Him, take refuge in Him?” My heart poured out for this family. What more will it take for this man to be brought to His knees before the cross? God is waiting, arms wide open, saying, “Let me carry your burdens.” Why do we so often refuse to be lifted of the weight of this world?

The second homestead we visited, I met with a family consisting of a grandmother, her daughter, and many grandchildren. I came to find out that the grandfather (only in his late 40s or early 50s) was murdered just a few days before, and the police had found his body in the forest yesterday.  Apparently, he didn’t pay someone a debt he owed and he was met with revenge in the cruelest way. The daughter living with them was overwhelmed with devastation, especially because her father was the one paying for her school fees. Now, she will be forced to drop out. Not only has this family faced hardships of poverty and, now, a major family death, but there is suddenly a major struggle for the grandmother to feed all of these children living with her. She used to have job, but it was only temporary work. Now, she has nothing. I prayed for this family and begged God to give them comfort and provide for their immediate needs. I took the daughter aside and shared a few verses and words of encouragement for her, although I knew it was ONLY the Lord that could console her during this awful, awful time.

I was blessed by the people I met. Hearing an individual’s background, struggles, praises, prayer requests; the whole experience makes this life so real to me. It opens my eyes to the level of desperation among humanity. The need for a Savior who overflows with love, forgiveness, and comfort. The power found in the cross and His nail-pierced hands. The blood that flows down His innocent body. This is reality for me. Praying for these families and reading Scripture over them revealed the Lord’s strength and power so extensively.  As often as I’ve seen poverty and heartbreaking situations, I will never grow accustomed to the pain and brokenness that lies within sub-Saharan African countries.

In addition to home visits, Rejoice (the girl I work side-by-side with) and I decided we would try doing our typical Ugandan Empower-A-Child program (games, singing and dancing, bible story, and prayer) at the preschool across the street. We were welcomed warmly when we went to introduce the organization a couple of weeks ago, and the teachers told us we could come back at any time. So, since ministry has been slow, we took them up on the offer. I knew it’d be completely chaotic since there are only 2 of us on the team right now and about 75 children at the preschool that we’d be leading. Boy, was I right. Haha. I discovered that they weren't super disciplined, but it honestly went better than I anticipated for it only being two of us. They have an issue with sharing, especially toys they don't have on a regular basis, like the soccer balls we brought. It turned into an outburst of violence: hitting, pinching, kicking, and biting. Soccer balls were an awful idea. The toys they’re used to were pathetic. They were literally trash; emptied juice boxes and bottle caps, which served as cars.

On a side note, I'm finally feeling more and more at home here. As I start to fall into a routine way of living here, I’m becoming more comfortable with living with Shiba, Treasure, and Po, and although Shiba has loved me and been ever so joyful since  Day #1, Treasure and Po are slowly warming up to me. Today, I found out that when classes start back up (I live on campus at a theological school where the lady I live with teaches), students play volleyball ALL the time. Granted, it's probably not a real volleyball and it's not sand.. haha. It's still volleyball and I'm excited for the fellowship and friendships that will grow out of it.

Every day gets a bit better than the day before. My heart pours out for these people. This country is dying before its own eyes. And I want to see God move mountains. Prayer, faith, trust, and the Gospel at its core will bring this nation back to its feet.

In Christ,

Jan Beisert

"If God Is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?"

Sunday, June 20 - Wednesday, July 7, 2010:

After a few days of being here in Siteki, Swaziland, I feel like I’m slowly settling in. After a rough week in Big Bend, it’s been wonderful to be welcomed warmly into my new family and this community. I have a peace about being in this place. Shiba, my new “mom,” is one of those people who knows everyone else. This is no exaggeration. Everywhere we go, she knows someone. She’s involved in more than I could ever imagine. And, for being a grandmother, that’s pretty impressive. To summarize, she is a reverend, a church planter, a director in the East District of Swaziland, a lecturer of theological modules, biblical modules, humanities, and evangelism at the theology school, an accountant, a social worker, on the finance committee, the assistant project manager of “women in development,” a program in Swaziland, she has started 13 preschools all over the country, and the list actually goes on and on. Contrary to most Africans, haha, Shiba is someone who is always on time. She’s persistent, never stopping until something gets done, and has to have plans set in stone, making sure everything is done in an extremely punctual manner. She is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. She doesn’t make much money (not even $3 a day), and although her car needs a new engine (amounting to around $1,000), she puts all of her money directly towards sending two of her grandchildren to school, meeting needs in the church, and caring for orphans in the area. The two grandchildren she cares for also live with us. Pholani (“Po”) is 18 and goes to college about an hour away. He wakes up every morning at 4:30 to get ready and catch the bus for school. He is gentle, humble, and all-around, a great guy. He’s a computer whiz and is pretty caught up with the latest technology, meaning our conversations never hit a stand-still. His English is really up to speed, so he understands me really well, which helps in having someone to talk to, haha. Setsabile (“Treasure”) is 14 and in high school. She also wakes up pretty early to walk the 30-45 minute distance to school. She’s more of a quiet girl and doesn’t always understand what I’m trying to say, but she’s incredibly sweet, always willing to serve and help out with things when necessary.

Some of you may be curious as to what food and environment are like. I live on a mountain. It’s absolutely beautiful driving through this area and nearby communities, as well as walking along the outskirts of this city. With my obsession of mountains and African huts and trees, I could not be any more contended. Sunsets are incredible and the stars are unbelievable. But, it’s wintertime here, until about August. The days usually warm up to about 70 degrees (light jacket, maybe leggings with my skirt if it’s windy), but early mornings and nights are extremely cold. Obviously, there’s no heating inside the house, haha, and with it being so cold outside, it’s usually about 55 degrees in my room at night. It’s not too terrible. We have lots of warm blankets and I layer up well. :) I live in staff housing on the Church of the Nazarene theology school campus, I have my own room, and, for Africa, it’s a “nice” house. We have a refrigerator, freezer, oven and stove, television, and as of this week, wireless internet. These are all major blessings. So far, I haven’t gotten sick off of the food. Rice, chicken, beans, avocadoes (and attempted guacamole, haha), yogurt, porridge, oatmeal, cereal, egg salad, lots of fruit, toast, toast, and more toast, PB&J’s, pasta, and tons of other carbs, including ice cream, cookies, and candy. It’s.. awful. I’m definitely already gaining weight. Haha.

I have been welcomed into the church I’ll be attending while I’m here in Swaziland. It’s an English-speaking church and although the services are long (welcome to Africa, haha), I at least understand what’s going on/getting Truth fed to me. I keep thinking I’ll see another white person, either in church, in town, or on the school campus, but it never happens. Needless to say, I’m adjusting to an entirely different culture and environment sllooowwly. I think I expected the culture to be a bit more like Uganda, where every child that sees a white person smiles and joyously screams, “MZUNGU!” (white person). Here, I am stared down. If guys aren’t hitting on me with snippy remarks, most Swazis look at me and turn away. I have come to find out that Swazis do not have any problems with internationals, though. And, with it being a couple of weeks, things have gotten much better and since the city is quite small, workers in town shops have opened up to seeing me often and they now welcome me with smiles (especially now that they know I live with Shiba, haha).

Ministry the last couple of weeks has been a bit slow due to having to first take care of Immigration documents. In Swazi, before going to many schools, clinics, and hospitals, you have to have “official paperwork” taken care of and have the organization first registered in the country. This has been a very slow process, including a couple of trips across the country to a city, called “Mbabane,” and having to get a few more documents sent over from America. There is a lot of terrorism in Swaziland, as well as a major issue of people who claim to be part of organizations, promising to offer great things for the community in meeting their needs, especially financially, and then they fail to follow through. This has made many, many Swazis skeptical of Christian organizations and missionaries. “If you are just bringing the Gospel, it’s not enough. They won’t understand. We have plenty of churches, plenty of Christians, and many people who preach the Word of God. What makes YOU stand out? What can you offer the community that will promote change?” I will never be able to understand what these beautiful people have gone through, but I have to say- - it is the GOSPEL, at its CORE, that has TRANSFORMED my heart and my life. I have blessed with things that these people could NEVER wrap their minds around, that is SO far-fetched, and although I believe that in this nation that has been STRUCK by AIDS and poverty needs to have spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial needs met to RISE ABOVE of this darkness, death, and desperation, I BELIEVE the GOSPEL, clinging to the TRUTH of our Lord and Savior, and believing that our God is bigger than these unimaginable circumstances and reality IS INDEED ENOUGH. He will conquer. He will move mountains. He is MIGHTY TO SAVE. I have learned what it means to suffer for Christ and with Christ. It was not through living through a period of extreme poverty, undergoing years of painful diseases, nor losing both of my parents, but I believe that we all suffer through various trials and tribulations, and the Lord will bless us in responding in a way that glorifies Him, regardless of our situation. John Piper states beautifully states, “God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him in the midst of loss, not prosperity.” Are we truly being a witness to Christ as we undergo our sufferings? Again, I cannot ever imagine starving, with no food, for days at a time, but to undermine an organization or missionary because they don’t have thousands of dollars flowing from their pockets breaks my heart. This organization, Empower-A-Child, in fact, does not have a ton of money, but we trust that God will use our teams to change hearts and lives as we meet spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of the children and people of Swaziland, just as we have witnessed in Uganda and Kenya. I firmly believe that God is more than enough, but I have really had to express that EAC places a major emphasis on developing godly leaders, forming deep relationships with children, teaching character building and life skills, and education as a whole. People are beginning to trust “what we have to offer” and that we are indeed serious about setting out to make an impact for Christ alone.

                    (Children playing Netball, an African favorite.)

The last couple of weeks, after getting through a few days of having a cold, have consisted of meeting with staff members of schools and clinics. I work side-by-side with a 21 year old girl named, “Rejoice.” At each location, we are introducing our organization, explaining goals, objectives, and programs, and asking each place if they’d be willing to partner with us. In addition, we are learning about the specific needs of the community and children at each place to try and shape the organization to be most effective in meeting these needs the best that we can. Education is of utmost importance in this country, along with many other African countries. It is a honor, a privilege, to go to school because so many struggle to meet financial requirements. What’s amazing is that the government pays for ALL children in this country to attend Grades 1 and 2, the first two years. Next year, they’ll be paying for Grade 3 also. As of this year, the government has also assisted numerous orphans (I wish it were all of them) who meet certain requirements to go to school. For some, they pay the entire amount of school fees and, for others, they pay half and any family or guardians pay the other half. I’ll never forget the first high school we went to. I spoke with the counselor named, “Mrs. Nyoni,” and she explained that a major issue across the country, and especially in this area, is either parents or children committing suicide because parents hit a standstill and can no longer afford to pay school fees for their children. Mrs. Nyoni has the unlucky responsibility of informing children who cannot pay their fees that they cannot return until they can once again afford it. Nothing breaks her heart more than having to turn away students who have gotten so far in their education. She told us that one girl, about 15, came in a few days earlier, crying, and told her, “I wish my mother was dead so that I could be orphaned.” In this case, she’d receive assistance to go to school. In a country where family is valued above all else, the counselor was speechless. These are the wishes of students’ hearts, just so they can receive education. Mrs. Nyoni ended our conversation with a statement spoken with complete despair, “You know, I need counseling myself.”

Upon visiting the schools, I have begun to grasp the widespread issues of poverty that swarm this nation. In many villages, students can’t afford to go to pre-school, meaning they’re not incredibly disciplined when they enter into Grade 1, and it’s hard to teach them when they’re acting in such a way. In many cases, there can be an estimated 75 children to 1 teacher. Not all children can afford school uniforms. Their clothes are worn, dirty, and have holes. They don’t have shoes and therefore, walk barefoot to school, which can be a painful 30 minute walk. Many of the children’s families can’t afford food, so the only meal these children receive is at school, once a day. They’re starving. They can’t concentrate at school because they’re so hungry. We also discovered that poverty is the biggest issue among the community surrounding the clinic we visited. The clinic cares for many HIV and TB patients. A current problem the clinic is facing is that when a woman has a child and discovers that she is HIV+, as well as for other reasons, she will dump her newborn baby at the clinic, totally abandoning him or her. Grandmothers, called “Gogo’s,” in the area usually end up caring for these orphaned children. I’m slowly taking in these issues and praying about how best to set up things in order to reach this brokenhearted population.

Other than these meetings, I haven’t been doing a TON. I’ll sum up the best I can. On June 26, there was a Caravan event for over 12 churches affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Caravan is a scouting program/kids’ club that teaches Christian principles to young children. These children were beautiful and over a hundred gave their lives to Christ during the church service. After the service, each church group gave a short presentation, reciting Bible verses, performing skits, and singing songs. It was precious. The next day, there was a family from Guatemala who attended our church. They offered to give us a ride home (Shiba’s car is currently not running) and then asked us over for tea later in the afternoon. I learned that they are missionaries in South Africa. They come to Swaziland about once a month to work with some orphans and another organization, doing some volunteer work wherever needed in the community. There was another couple, an Australian and a South African, who was staying with them, missionaries also serving in South Africa. It was a sweet time of sharing stories, praying, and encouraging one another. Later in the week, I almost set the house on fire, as I blew up an appliance that wasn’t working properly (I didn’t know about the “glitch.” Haha). I have never seen flames that big. Haha, we ALMOST didn’t get it out. It was a bit out of hand. A day I will NEVER forget. I have been hit on numerous times and proposed to twice. I have made crepes, cake, and cookies from scratch, all of which were successful except for the cookies (they were AWFUL). The World Cup has brought together all of Africa and although Ghana lost this week, the spirit of the World Cup has NOT died down; vuvuzelas (the horns) and people always gathering to watch the games. I spent the second birthday in a row in Africa. Incredible. I attended church in a refugee camp, where many from war-torn politically instable African countries come for a place of safety. I found it really interesting and had a couple of conversations with some wonderful people.

                                   (Children at the Caravan event.)

If you could be praying right now, pray that I don't become complacent. Because we’re not doing a WHOLE lot of hands-on ministry, I'm becoming slightly unmotivated because I’m not seeing the direct effects of the work I’m doing. Satan has been telling me in the last week that I’m useless here. I catch myself thinking, “I should have done the World Race or gone to Swaziland in a team setting, with organizations already set up and be able to do ministry 24/7 for the entire year.” I force these thoughts and lies out of my mind. God called me here for a specific purpose. I knew it would be slow at first, but I didn’t know how slow. It’s hard. And even harder to be the only American. But, there is nothing more I want than to see Empower-A-Child established here in Swazi. I have personally seen hearts and lives changed because of this organization in Uganda and I know the Lord is capable of moving mountains and performing the same miracles here in this country. I just don’t want to second-guess myself. I don’t want to get caught up in apathy. I am still excited to see what the Lord has in store, I just don't want to lose that spark, that joy, and the passion that He stirred in me for so long before arriving here. I want to be moved. I'm in Africa and I feel like some days, I take that for granted. What a blessing to spend a year overseas, even if it is challenging or crazy or whatever. I’m finally here and I want to praise Him for EVERYTHING. Every moment, every conversation, and I want to give all the glory to Him. It’s not me to move halfway across the world, alone, to a place I have NEVER been before, risking my safety and throwing myself into a new culture that I’d be forced to pick up on immediately as I begin life without family and friends for a year. It's not comfortable. It's hard. But He is faithful and I am more than blessed to be here, serving the country I am madly in love with. I WILL persevere and keep my eyes fixed on the cross. I want nothing more than to pursue people passionately, as if I were in America.

Evangelism is my heart. I want these people to know the Lord on a deep (or deeper) level. This week, I realized that I haven't even done any evangelism in the last month. I mean, I’ve talked about Jesus plenty, but I’m talking about sharing the Gospel, Jesus-died-on-the-cross-for-YOU conversations. Everyone I've run into up to this point are pastors or go to so and so church (it kind of makes sense considering I live on a theology school campus), and they're all "born again" Christians, meaning they're saved/secure in faith. My conversations have been meaningful to the extent of hearing their stories and backgrounds and learning a lot about Swaziland. I’ve had the opportunity to encourage them and pray for them, but I especially LOVE pursuing non-believers and pouring into kids/teenagers/college students (and adults that don't know the Lord). However, I trust that as the Lord leads me in His way, He will use me for His glory and furthering His Kingdom here in the kingdom of Swaziland. ALL praise to our Father who has protected me, guarded my heart, and given me endurance to press on, regardless of circumstances. I'm ready to witness His power in this nation. .

In Christ Alone,
Jan

“Be of good cheer; I have overcome the WORLD." – Jesus (John 16:33)

New Beginnings in Swaziland

First, I need to apologize for being almost a month late on posting these updates. From now on, I promise to never be this delayed.

(Written June 14, 2010)

Almost a year ago, God gave me a vision to start an organization in Swaziland, a country I’ve never been to, in order to empower the children and people by proclaiming the Gospel of Christ, loving people no matter where they stand in life, and having our teams of Americans, Brits, Europeans, and Australians unite as the body of Christ to meet specific community needs in an area that is swamped with AIDS and poverty. The Lord promised to take care of me. The Lord gave me a confidence I have never before felt. I traveled alone, a 22 year old female, across the world to answer a call from the Lord, to a place I have never before visited. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what my environment would look like. I wasn’t even really sure where I’d be living exactly. However, God told me He had a plan and with that reassurance, I moved to a new country with a willing heart, wanting nothing more than to be used up by the Lord. I want to serve these people with everything I am. I do not have money. I do not have the answers to bring about an end to the disasters brought about by poverty. I am nothing but a follower, a disciple of Christ. The Gospel at its core changed my life three years ago, and I will NOT stay silent. My heart pours out for the people of Swaziland, and I am blessed beyond belief to be a witness to how the Lord has been and will be changing hearts and lives of the people here.

Although I didn’t come with many expectations EXCEPT to be used and molded by the Lord to fit into His will and His plan here, any plans I did have were destroyed within the first week after arriving in Swaziland. Since about March, I have been planning to set up Empower-A-Child in a city called, “Big Bend,” and working closely with a couple of pastors there, who were preparing accommodations for me. Before getting to Swaziland, I spent two weeks in Uganda, where I spent time serving last summer, and I was able to catch up with the Ugandans who were on my team, as well as spend some time with the teenager I sponsor. My director (the director of EAC), Wilson, would discuss everything related to Swaziland once more before my departure. Earlier in the month (April/May), he had traveled to Swazi to ensure conditions were suitable and safe before sending me off into a foreign area. To my surprise, he was unable to get in contact with the pastors at Big Bend, and he ended up staying with friends of a missionary his wife’s parents were somehow connected with in Siteki. Here, there is a branch of the Church of the Nazarene, and he was welcomed with opened arms by everyone in the area. He really liked the environment but there was one problem, he failed to tell me about this second location. He approved of me going to Big Bend for a week, but then he wanted me to travel to Siteki to survey the area there as well. All along, I had been preparing to go to Big Bend. I was almost a bit frustrated when I first heard this (apparently, he had been in contact with people in Siteki for months), but as I sat down in prayer, I realized that having a second location may be a good thing, in case the environment for the team wasn’t suitable in Big Bend. But in my mind, I was certain Big Bend would be perfect. Wow, did God break down my plans and my pride. It’s so funny how sometimes I think I know what’s best for myself and I’m SURE that it is the same thing that God wants for me. How I need to be stripped of that mindset. His wisdom and knowledge exceeds far beyond only the tiny picture I can see. I was reminded of this beautiful, humbling truth once more as my first week in Big Bend, Swaziland progressed.

In sum, I ran into a lot of problems in Big Bend. While the pastors were nice and prepared for my coming, which I am incredibly grateful for, there was a lot of conflict. If Swazis see a white person (and this is coming word-for-word from another Swazi), the only thought that crosses their mind is “money.” I found this to be true in Big Bend, even with the people I was going to be working with. Within a week’s time, I felt run-over and used. To discuss anything of major importance related to our work with Empower-A-Child, I had to meet with 2-4 other pastor every time. I found this to be extremely difficult because even when I suggested ideas and my vision, my words were somehow twisted or I felt as if these men were ganging up on me and not honestly listening to me. There were a lot of communication issues, even when I restated my thoughts, opinions, and ideas numerous times. To make matters worse, my translator could not understand a word of English I spoke, which posed to be a major issue. I was unable to use my phone except a couple of times to call my parents, and I only got to use the internet once for about 30 minutes, which was only enough time to send a couple of important emails to my director, as well as the lady in the second location, Siteki, in an attempt to soon figure out plans of meeting with her. 

Although God doesn’t call us to a life of comfort, this feeling of discomfort was one that wasn’t from the Lord. I was horribly unsettled and had almost no peace. Other situations were occurring to make me feel extremely uncomfortable. All of this set aside, I am grateful for the challenges that were presented to me throughout the week and for the opportunity laid before me to depend wholeheartedly on the Lord, as I trusted Him to never leave me and to meet all of my needs. The Lord answered my prayers as I fell weak to my knees and, might I add, all alone at the foot of the cross, crying out to my Father. The day after I emailed the woman in Siteki, she called me. “Where have you been?! We were supposed to pick you up from the airport! Thank goodness you are safe! You are coming here tomorrow" (Friday- exactly one week after I had arrived to Swaziland). I packed up and would be leaving the next day, Friday, June 18th. It all happened so suddenly, and I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I told the pastors that I had to survey the environment in Siteki and, depending on what my director wanted, I may or may not be coming back to Big Bend. They didn’t understand me entirely, and I left on a bad note, but I did everything in my power to explain that Wilson wanted me to go to Siteki from the beginning. The pastors in Siteki were never informed about my plans of traveling to Big Bend first, so everything was a little hectic in telling the pastors in Big Bend about accommodations already being set up for me in the new location. They accused me of “leaving them,” but I wanted only to follow the Lord, and no matter how many different ways I stated it, they could not understand me.

As I got into the car with a couple of people from Siteki who I’d be working close with, I felt a sense of freedom. Fear slowly left my body, and I tried to start over, essentially. The entire car ride (almost an hour long), I prayed hard for the Lord to reveal what direction He wanted me to take. A lot of emotions were stirred up my first week in Swaziland, and by the time I got to Siteki, I was tired mentally and physically. I arrived to the Church of the Nazarene (East District) in Siteki and was immediately greeted by Shiba, the lady who would be hosting me, with open arms. She was incredibly joyful and was dancing and singing and I couldn’t help but to laugh. I already felt relieved. Shiba and I went into another pastor’s office and we began discussing the organization, as well as Wilson’s trip to Siteki and plans and decisions that had already been made with him. After our short meeting and introduction of one another, we prayed. This initial meeting was so different than in Big Bend. I feel like I really learned their hearts and who they are in Christ, and it was made very clear that without prayer, we would be aimless. I couldn’t have agreed more.

Later that night, we met with and had dinner with all of Shiba’s “authorities.” This included the Dean of the Nazarene school, the principal, the district super attendant, the Sunday school president at a local church, the registrar of the Church of the Nazarene, and all of their spouses. It was good to meet with all of these individuals, as I will be working side by side with them for the next year. Communication has been dramatically better when communicating with the Swazis here, and I feel like I am viewed solely as a disciple of Christ rather than someone with a lot of money (which I’m not. In fact, I still have $5,000 to raise in order to stay for a year). I was able to rest for the remainder of the evening and all of Saturday. After a rough first week, I was incredibly thankful for this alone time and relaxation.

I was on my knees for the entire week in Big Bend, praying for peace, comfort, safety, and endurance. The Lord was incredibly merciful to me. My trust remained in Him and Him alone. Through these struggles, it’s even easier for me to say “to God be the glory.” This mission is about the Lord and His work being accomplished here in Swaziland. I talked with a good friend about the joy of suffering for Christ. She reminded me of the verse, Philippians 1:29 that states, "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.” God doesn’t say “expected” or “obligated” or anything that implies non-compulsion. Rather, he says, “GRANTED.” Granted, she said, is a gift from God and an opportunity to grow closer to our Savior. What beautiful truth. I have prayed for the Lord to break me and mold me into what He wants me to be; His hands and feet. I want to be ready and willing to serve at any given moment of my life, but especially while I am here in Swaziland. I want to be a light in this dark place. And I am ready to take on whatever the Lord lays in front of me this next year, as I witness His Kingdom advance here on earth.

In Christ,

Jan

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

Farewell, Uganda!

(Written on Thursday, June 10)

Last Friday (the 4th), we had a cleaning day around the house. Some of the team went outside to clean the yard, as well as around the neighborhood. For those of us inside, I found that soap and water are used to clean everything, including wood. Haha. Peter, a pastor who was on the team last year, stopped by the house to visit me for a while. Through a variety of situations last summer, Peter really touched my heart. We have stayed in touch, and it was a blessing to see him again. Peter is a strong man of the Lord and is incredibly in tune with the Spirit. There is never a meaningless word or story that comes from his mouth. I am more than encouraged by Peter and his selfless faith. When the Lord tells him to “go,” he does so obediently, with open eyes and an open heart. Child sacrifice is a major issue in Uganda, as well as in Kenya and Tanzania, two surrounding countries. God told Peter to start a prayer campaign to raise awareness of this devastating crime and statistics in these countries. Child sacrifice, even though most aren’t aware, remains a problem across the world.

Through a crazy series of events, Peter has organized an entire campaign, including interviews of government officials on the topic, interviews of those who have personally been involved in child sacrificing, filming a video to raise awareness, and being able to publicly speak about the issue in numerous countries. There is a large conference in the UK in July and August, and each week, 10,000 people attend. Peter and his team has been given the opportunity to speak, and they will be inviting each person to pray intently for an end of this crime. Although this campaign is NOT about raising money, many with willing hearts are donating large amounts of money to increase the effectiveness of this campaign, as well as helping injured children to receive immediate attention and care, counseling, and any other needs that must be met to overcome this prevalent issue. And already, children whose private parts have been severed and others who were nearly dead have received the medical attention and surgeries they needed to survive. This campaign started off with one person, Peter, and has grown into a public outcry against child sacrifice all over East Africa and the UK. If you would be praying for Peter to persevere (it’s been very tiring for him), I would appreciate it.

Also, I would like to ask you to pray for Peter’s health. He was driving home one night and saw a man, injured and nearly dead, on the side of the road. Sadly, many would probably pass this man and act is if they never noticed him. Peter stopped and helped this man into his car and on the way to the hospital, the man passed away. In the process of carrying the man, Peter’s finger was cut. The man’s blood touched his blood. As soon as he could, Peter found out if the man was HIV positive or negative. He was positive. For the last month, Peter has been going to different doctors and has been on medication that physically drains him in hopes that it will prevent his body from acquiring the disease. At the beginning of this whole ordeal, he was tested and the results came back negative. He will be tested again after medical treatment in about another month, so I ask that you would pray that with the help of this medicine, his body would be able to block the disease.

On Saturday, my team and I all went to Jinja, Uganda to see the source of the Nile. It was beautiful there and we had a lot of fun. I’m pretty much obsessed with the Nile.

On Monday, the team spent the day at Kids In Need. It’s a non-profit organization that takes in children off the streets who have either been abandoned by their parents, displaced by the war in the north, and other various reasons. Here, they receive their basic needs, food, water, and shelter, at no cost. They each have a bed to sleep in, but the mattresses are torn and in awful condition. They have one pair of clothes; those on his/her back. This project holds a very special place in my heart. It’s where I found Bruce, the young man I sponsor. These children are beautiful and joyful. At the beginning of the day, my team split up into groups, and I worked in the kitchen. We provided food for a good, healthy meal, and we cooked lunch for all the children at Kids in Need. We sang and danced and played for hours, even while working hard. : ) After lunch, we did our program, which consisted of more singing and dancing, games, and a Bible lesson. After the lesson, we broke up into smaller groups and prayed for each child specifically.

When we were done, we all went outside. A girl on our team donated money to this organization and was able to buy more food than they could imagine, new, sturdy sandals for each child, jerry cans, and lots and lots of clothes. As a team, we handed over all of these donations. Each child and each staff member was touched. With all the new clothes, each child received one new pair. This may not seem like a big deal, but for them, it’s a major blessing since they each only have 1 pair of clothes, the ones he/she is wearing. Nothing could compare to the smiles, the joy, the beauty of this hour.

Later that day, I went to Bruce’s school to see him one last time. I met with the headmaster and discussed Bruce’s academic performance. He showed me his classroom, his friends, and his dorm. He explained how much he studies as well as the extracurricular activities he’s involved in. I think going there and seeing him in this environment made sponsorship so much more real to me. Before I left, we talked about his faith and I learned he is still walking closely with the Lord, reading His Word, and growing into a man of the Lord. Saying “goodbye” for a second time was almost harder than the first. I can’t believe the improvement I’ve seen in this young man. He is doing VERY well in school, his English has majorly improved in the past year, and his character reflects the Lord in all he does. It was an amazing, moving day.

For the next few days, I spent some good, quality time with the Lord. Almost the entire team went to Rakai Village, 4 hours away. About once a month, the team goes on a village such as this one, Luwero, or Gulu and all participate in a building project. This time, they will be building a house, doing door-to-door evangelism, and working with some children in this particular village. Because the team was gone, I was able to spend a lot of time in prayer and prepare myself mentally, physically, and spiritually for the adventure ahead. I had the opportunity to see almost all the Ugandans on my team from last year. I am so thankful I was able to come to Uganda for two weeks and catch up with everyone. Tomorrow, I leave for Swaziland. It seems so surreal. I am filled with almost every emotion imaginable but mostly, excitement. If you could be praying, I would love prayer for safety, peace, and boldness. Tomorrow, my world will be forever changed.

In Christ Alone,
Jan

Greetings from Africa!

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since God has called me to Africa. My mission technically begins on June 11th, but it saved me hundreds of dollars to fly into Uganda before going to Swaziland, so I will be spending two weeks in Uganda before traveling to Swazi. This was an incredible blessing, granted that I spent a little over a month in Uganda last year and I would be able to visit all the Ugandans on my team, as well as the young boy I sponsor, Bruce.

I never thought I would be given the opportunity to come back to this house or see all the wonderful people who made my experience here last summer so memorable. Graduating, moving, and spending every possible moment at home with family and friends before leaving for a year was a crazy rush, but there would be no other way I would have rather spent it.

I left for Uganda on Thursday morning and got in on Friday evening, the 28 th. Jayan, one of my close Ugandan friends, picked me up from the airport. I had a million feelings flooding my mind as I stepped foot on African ground once again. The ride back to the Empower-A-Child house in Kampala felt strangely proverbial. Walking into the house, I felt as if it was only yesterday that I was here with my team. However, there are new faces, a new bed to sleep in, and new Ugandans on the team. Ministries have been moved around to different days, we go to different primary and secondary schools than those we visited and ministered to last year, and our cook is gone. Food is now catered in every lunch and dinner. It’s the most peculiar feeling to acknowledge the fact that I’m really back here. I left Uganda and returned to America last year with this overwhelming feeling that everyone needs Jesus. My eyes were opened to just how much Americans are hurting, even if it’s in such a different way. I spent a year praying for America, my friends and family, and the Lord revealing the need for His salvation across America. It was a beautiful and bittersweet revelation. Returning here, I’m reconnected with this familiarity of poverty, despair, and brokenness. My heart aches for these people, yet their joy is something that surpasses anything I’m accustomed to.

Ministry itself has been minimal, which definitely isn’t bad, considering I’m trying to spend much alone time with God and preparing as much mentally and spiritually for Swaziland as I can. Saturday, we went to the craft market. It’s one of my favorite places in town. The richness of African culture is mind-blowing. Sunday was filled with church and beautiful Ugandans PASSIONATELY serving our God. There is nothing like a Ugandan church service. Monday was an off day for weekly planning. Tuesday, we broke up into teams of 3 and each went to a different primary school (ages 5-14). Wednesday, we went to Katalemwa Hospital, where there are children with broken and warped limbs like you’ve NEVER seen before, yet they have so much joy. I was blessed to be put on the team with the children today. They’re beautiful. The little kid I hung out with most was named “Johnson,” yet because of his disability, he couldn’t talk well. I had almost no idea what he was saying but what I love about Africa is that you don’t have to understand to communicate true love. We made crosses out of popsicle sticks and for his, I wrote “Jesus loves me.” And when we glued it together, he took my hand, to hold the cross and looks at me and says, “Jesus,” which was the ONLY word I made out the entire 3-4 hours I spent there. It was perfect. He took it back and held it to his heart and couldn’t wipe the biggest smile off his face. This is love and power.

Jayan invited Bruce to the house and completely surprised me. When he saw me, he nearly knocked me over. Reuniting couldn’t have been any more perfect. We talked for a long time and took some pictures. He’s doing REALLY well in school and still wants to be a doctor. And, he couldn’t stop thanking me for sending him to school. I was speechless. How often I have taken my education, such a rich blessing, for granted.

                                         (Bruce and Me)

Thursday (yesterday), we went to an orphanage called “Sanyu Babies’ Home” and a juvenile prison, “Remand Home.” This orphanage takes in about 50 children at a time, ages 0-5, and does a lot of work with the children as far as physical, mental, and emotional growth. We split up into a couple of teams, and I worked with the toddlers. We fed them breakfast (warm milk), and then they all took baths. All I can say is naked children running around drenched in water makes for one hilarious experience. The orphanage can’t afford diapers, so for those children that needed diapers, we tied towels around their waists. Sadly, we didn’t do a very good job, haha, but it worked for the time being. There were two young girls who couldn’t walk. One was receiving treatment, and the other had been so malnourished, that she never gained the strength in her body to sit up on her own or walk, and therefore, these motor skills were never learned. I worked with both of them, especially the latter, for hours, walking across the room, holding onto a bench, and challenging her to use muscles that she rarely uses. A lot of the workers at this orphanage don’t take the time to work one-on-one with these disabled children on a daily basis. The young girl, Esther, couldn’t understand what I was saying, but it was incredible to know she is getting better. She has gained an appropriate amount of weight and there is a very high chance she will be walking again soon.

The Remand Home is one of my favorite projects that Empower-A-Child does. Every time I go, I encounter heartbreaking stories, yet find so much joy in how the Lord has pulled so many of these teenagers out of the pit of darkness and sin. After singing, dancing, and praising our God exuberantly, Jonah, one of the Ugandans, gave a lesson on testimonies. What does the word “testimony” mean to you? What is your testimony? What has God done in your life? We broke up into groups of 4 (there are a TON of teenagers in this place), and so many of them briefly shared their testimonies. Their honesty astounded me. Many of them had never heard of this God or had never been to church. They all considered being in Remand Home a blessing, as our team has taught them who God is. Many confessed their crimes, broken backgrounds, and sin and how God turned their lives around completely. It was more than encouraging. One young man would steal scraps of metal from a shop on a regular basis. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol. He had no friends. One night, a policeman caught him and as sometimes there is absolutely no mercy shown in this country, the policeman began shooting at him. By the grace of God, he somehow got away unharmed. However, he was caught by another authority figure and turned into the Remand Home. As he began coming to our program, which favors a church service aimed at teenagers facing deep challenges, he couldn’t understand why the Lord had spared his life. He continued to explain that over the last few months of being in the juvenile home, His life has turned around. He is an entirely different person and completely free of all addiction and his old ways of stealing. He is ready to embrace the new life God has for him once he gets out. I wish I could express the power in this story as he told it, but it’s hard to reiterate the exact the words he used and emotions he has experienced.

             (An intense game of Red Rover at Remand Home)

Needless to say, I have seen the Lord move mightily and I haven’t even stepped foot in Swaziland yet. When I am in Africa, His love, power, and grace, is so evident in every conversation and experience I have. I have nothing but praises for our Father who has provided abundantly for me. I am thankful and blessed beyond belief. It’s been a good first week across the world. 

“If God is for us, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?” -Romans 8:31b

God's Calling to Swaziland

For over a year, the Lord has passionately laid Swaziland on my heart, and the time has almost come to begin my year-long mission. I have graduated from A&M received my degree, and on June 11th, I will be flying into Swaziland, where I will be living life and experiencing the Lord and His glory, power, strength, and beauty until summer of 2011. For those who do not know much about Swaziland, I’ll give a brief description.

* It's TINY (only about the size of New Jersey) and has been struck HARD with poverty
* The life expectancy is 28.7. Yes, that’s less than 30 years of age.
* The HIV rate there is higher than anywhere else in the world ,with 44.2% of the population HIV+
* By April 2010, 200,000 children will have been orphaned due to AIDS
* 70% of children will be HIV+ by the time they are 15
* Over 40% of the population (of less than 1 million) is infected with AIDS
* Only 1 in 10 children will live to see the age of 30--this includes the hundreds of kids I’ll see each during my stay.
* If no change is made in this country filled with devastation, it will be completely wiped out by the year 2050

While many people tend to only associate the people of Swaziland with mere statistics, I am confident that the Lord has a much greater plan to prosper each and every person in this beautiful country.

It is my goal and my desire to set up an organization called “Empower-A-Child” in a small community that will reach out to all the people living there, but especially the many orphans who have close to nothing. The focus of my ministry will be offering the hope of eternal life to orphaned children and adults suffering from AIDS. When I first arrive, I will be surveying land and become familiar with the community, as well as spend a few weeks in constant, deep prayer with a team of Swazis as our vision comes to life. We will be setting up programs and outreaches aimed at feeding orphans, character and moral building, HIV/AIDS awareness, evangelism, and finally, I hope to set up a sponsorship program so that children can receive education. Once everything is in place, short term missionaries will be able to come and be a part of something incredible, furthering the Kingdom of God with every step.

There is a lot of abuse, disease, and injustices in Swaziland. God is working powerfully to intervene on behalf of His people. Empower a Child Swaziland will focus on meeting people where they are and offering our hands and feet as servants and disciples of Christ. We believe leaders will rise and have an incredible impact in this country. I am blessed beyond belief to have this opportunity to share the Gospel and the overwhelming love of Christ to those who are in need of a Savior.

My goal was to raise $15,000 for the entire year, which would cover all living expenses. I raised a little less than $12,000, and therefore have a bit more to raise. The Lord has been incredibly faithful in providing everything I need as I prepare for this mission, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the support and encouragement of all who have partnered with me in this ministry. Your prayers have bee invaluable. Because I still need to raise $3,000, I would like to ask to pass this information and the Lord’s work being done overseas to churches, friends, or family members that you think would embrace the opportunity to partner with me through prayer or financial support even throughout this next year. Any one time or monthly donations would be greatly appreciated.

Empower A Child is a non-government organization (NGO) and is registered in the US as a 501(c)3 non profit charity.
While I am gone, you can either donate online or send a check/cash to my parents’ house in Texas.

If you choose to write a check, it will be tax deductible only if my name is NOT written anywhere on the check. Please make checks payable to Empower-A-Child and on the memo line, you must write, “Swaziland.”

My address:
605 Country View Ln.
Garland, TX 75043

*Donations may also be made ONLINE at http://www.empower-a-child.org. At the top of the page, go to “donate,” scroll down and in the purpose box, write “Swaziland.”
OR, you can use PayPal. My email address is listed below.

Every little bit helps me to get closer to Africa and to sharing Christ’s love with the nations!

Once again, I want to thank you ALL for your support throughout this experience! God bless. :)

In Christ Alone,
Jan Beisert

"SPEAK UP for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." -Proverbs 31:8-9