God has really been doing some big things in my life this week.  I spend many nights in Swaziland just hanging out in the team house.  The Lord has opened the door to some new opportunities and directed me to a couple different night activities.  This week began quite peacefully.  It always does start out really peacefully.  I get out of bed in the morning around 6am and head off to work.  The early morning cool weather walk is my favorite time of the day.  It might be an hour of walking to work, but that time is when I really seek the Lord.  It is that quiet time when I really begin to ask the Lord for direction for the day, and I love just walking in His presence.  Erin and I are the first 2 out of the house in the morning, and you wouldn't believe it but a loud guy like me really does crave that time in the morning.  So that is usually how I start my week off (except the occasional bowl of corn flakes ;)  Somedays I wish I could spend my whole day walking around talking and listening to Jesus in that cool morning weather.  Before I give my update about this weeks happenings I encourage you to find that wonderful time to spend with the Lord each day.

Tuesday was "liyashisa" in Swaziland.  Which mean it was hott!  We spent the day hoeing out in the field.  To be honest though I love to hoe the dirt.  Especially when its soft and the black soil turns over easy.  A corn field that has just been hoed is one of the most beautiful things I experience at work.  I bet the Lord is just looking down at us smiling, and saying "yea I planned for you to clean it up that nice so that there'll be more than enough to feed the orphans living on the farm."  We finished the field a little early so Sanele and I spent about 30 minutes eating wild berries from 30 feet up in a tree.  Cold, sweet berries trumps the heat of the day every time.  Wednesday we had more harvesting to do, but before we got to that our tractor died in the middle of the field.  The ignition switch doesn't work, so we had to push it out of the field and onto a downhill slope to get it going again.  It took every bit of strength the 6 of us had to push it out.  30 minutes later we were in the green bean.  I'll tell you I never go hungry out there.  Actually when I know we're harvesting I don't pack a lunch!  Sanele spent the day plowing so we didn't get to talk too much, but he did walk me out to where I catch a van back to the team house.  Lately I feel that my main purpose on the farm is to disciple Sanele.  I spend about 25 hours a week working, talking, eating, and laughing with this guy.  He's the best Swazi friend I could have dreamed of.  Sanele is 22 years old and has lived at this orphanage for 21 and a half years.  His mother left him at the orphanage when he was 6 months old!  He told me his life story this Thursday.  His story is sad, but God has really used all these events in ways that brings glory to His name.  For instance, Sanele's school was payed for totally by the orphanage.  He never went without meals.  He's beginning to understand God's hand in his life. 

Thursday I worked all day moving arounding irrigation hoses in the freshly plowed fields.  Sanele and I had a great day hanging out in the field.  We eventually finished up aligning the pipes and we're hopeful that next week we'll be able to plant some cabbages and butternut squash next week.  Most days I eat lunch at Roberts house every day.  They had grasshoppers to eat last week (there are billions here) and it was my day off so I missed it.  He's promising me some next week.  We eat roasted corn, egg sandwiches, and whatever we can find to eat out in the fields (and of course wild berries).  I invited Sanele over to my house for lunch on Thursdays.  To all of you who know what a GM sandwich is that is what I made Sanele for lunch.  We had some tomato soup with it, and played a game of phase 10.  I told him that God is sent me to Swaziland to spend my days to talking and discipling him.  We both agreed that it was pretty cool to think that God would be seeking him; none the less that he would send someone from a different country to minister to him.  Sanele is applying to the local university in Manzini.  It is called Uniswa, and he talked to me a little of joining the Campus Crusade for Christ.  Pray for him to get in there.  Friday was was 95 degrees, and we spent the majority of the time spreading out the piles of the weeds so Sanele could do some more plowing.  We cut out an hour early to catch some shade before we all passed out.  I think I'm averaging about 4 liters of water each day.  Saturday we had team ministry.  We worked at a care point that isn't too far from our house.  There were a few different jobs that they needed done.  We needed to slash and hoe all the weeds in there backyard to prepare for a garden, build the frame for a roof going up where the cooking is done, and do some road leveling.  It was a great day because our team got so much accomplished.  I love how we work together.  The Lord sure put together a pretty stellar week. 

Some of the night activities I was involved with this week were a bible study on Wednesday, and youth group at a new church I had never been too on Friday.  The bible study was so incredible.  In all the talks I've heard about spiritual warefare in the past year this one was the most solid teaching I've heard yet.  It was talking about the scripture from Ephesians 6 about the armor of God.  In verse 18 (please read Ephesians 6:10-18) we talked about joining our fellow believers in prayer.  That means that when we see our fellow brothers and sisters struggling we quit just looking in the window of their lives!  Walk in the door and join with them in prayer.  We're all fighting on the same battlefield against Satan, and we don't need to be fighting eachother.  Friends walk into that house and go to battle for those around you that don't believe or who are struggling and bring the sword of the spirit to battle.  We talked about so many cool issues at bible study!  Friday night was amazing!  I went with 3 of the gals from my team.  Actually, they invited me to go with them.  All 4 of us shared our testimonies in front of a group of teenagers (13-18).  I always find that it is great to share my past life with random people.  I always feel a little bit lighter, and it is another time that I give God praise for using the bad things of my past to glorify himself.  After the program I did manage to lose in volleyball.  The week was so amazing though!  I love writing these updates to y'all, and I'm praying right now that this email changes your life in some way.  Whethor you've had a rough week, are comfortable with living only for the world, or you're just tired of living a life that isn't for Jesus.  I ENCOURAGE you to embrace Jesus into your heart, and let Him change your life.  I used to live a life of only knowing the Lord in my head, and not in my heart.  Once he's living in you're heart you'll begin to understand what it means to be alive.  Live for Him this week, and humble yourself before the Lord.  As Phillipians 4:13 says through all things he'll give you strength.  I'll be praying for you week.  All of you have a good week, and I hope the Lord blesses you this week with pain, suffering, and persecution for the name of Christ,

Love y'all,

Your brother, Melusi