This past weekend we had to renew our visas for the last two weeks we’ll be in Swazi. So on the morning of the 31st we drove down to St. Lucia, South Africa to spend the next two days exploring and swimming in the Indian Ocean! We got to stay at this beautiful beach town, saw lots of wildlife, and met some of the sweetest people.
The beach was so fun! We walked for a little over 30 minutes from the place we were staying to get there and met some friends along the way. Our first trip down to the beach a monkey jumped out from the forest next to the road and tried to attack me and my friends— note to self: don’t run from a monkey it only makes things worse! At the beach there were beautiful mountains at both ends and you could also climb these sand dunes and look out at all the landscape around you. If you walked far enough down the beach you could get to one of the mountains and see where the river and ocean met. There you could also spot reef sharks and crocodiles! In the ocean the water was super rough and you got hit with some big waves, but it was honestly so fun and we shared lots of laughter at watching each other come up after getting pounded by them.
There were many things to do right by where we were staying as well. I got to go to a couple of shops and markets and saw a bunch of cool things the locals made. I also went to a restaurant and spent some time with people on my squad I don’t hang out with normally! We had some awesome conversations that all started with our waiter when he told me about how he grew up Christian but walked away from the faith and now believes in Numerology. I wanted to ask him more about why he walked away from God but unfortunately never got the chance. However, because of that interaction it led me and my friends to have a Christ-centered conversation together about our own faith and I saw seeds being planted in the other staff as they moved from where they were standing and stood behind our table listening to our conversation. It was cool to see God use that even if it wasn’t how I originally thought.
Another cool interaction I had was with this old fisherman on the beach, Chris Stydole. I was walking down to where the river and ocean meet when I saw him. There were hardly any people on that side of the beach as no one swims over there, but when I saw him the Lord put it on my heart to go up and talk to him. He was so kind and we had such a cool conversation about all sorts of things. I learned that he was a believer and got to share with him why I was there and the trip I was on. And as we were talking I did feel that to him his faith was more of a guideline to live by and that God was the ruler of his life but that He is not active and present in it. That a personal relationship with God was not one Chris desired or ever had. So I got to ask him some deeper questions that brought us into a good conversation about how the Lord works in our lives and His will over it. I was encouraged to see him searching back to times when He knew that God had been at work in His life and was hopeful our conversation left him wanting to experience it more.
Overall, St Lucia was such a nice few days of rest but I’m excited to be back in Swazi again and put in all that I can these last two weeks we’re here. I can’t believe my time is running out and my heart already is breaking at leaving these sweet kids but I know that God is using this for something greater than I ever could imagine.
I would love to ask you all to keep these two men in your prayers and that God would continue to chase after them to know and experience Him deeper! That whatever seeds I planted God would help them flourish. Also pray for my last few weeks in Swazi. I’m so sad to leave these angry and hurting kids but praying so hard that God is using me and my squad to fill them with joy and love. That these kids would be the change in these communities that is so desperately needed!
Also, here are some pictures of my weekend!
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