What a beautiful time it was in Swazi. As we were on our way out of the country yesterday, and I sat replaying every moment in my mind. Me and my squad have been here for about a month and a half, and every day has been a new lesson with the Lord.

At the beginning of Swazi, the Lord was teaching me the importance of slowing down and being present. I learned the Swazi way of walking at the pace of peace, literally and figuratively. It has been so different from my life back at home that was always packed and busy. Now I enjoy the slow days, not always seeking out things to do or places to go, but instead sitting and enjoying what’s going on around me, letting the Lord into those quiet, slow moments.

During the midst of my time in Swazi, I learned a lot about how the Lord loves His children and how I can show love to others. Not everyone receives love the same way, so I found myself asking, What does God’s love look like to these kids at the care points? What does showing love to my teammates look like? How can I be a good steward of God’s love to everyone, not just one person? Some of the kids needed a fun afternoon of games and handshakes, while others needed a cuddle and an “I love you.” Many needed conversation, encouragement, or a Bible story. We simply wanted them to know they matter, and that God loves them.

More toward the end of Swazi, I found myself wrestling with the Lord. I had a lot of questions, and He has been patient with me in the struggle. Swazi has been a difficult country for me- it carries a lot of heaviness and brokenness. I have never seen so much loss and suffering in my life. There is so much anger and sadness here, and I’ve been asking God why He allows these things. But even as I wrestled with those questions, He continued to be kind to me. He’s shown me that He is present even in suffering. Yes, there is brokenness, but there is also so much beauty. The culture is incredible, and the people are so friendly and welcoming.

Care point ministry has been such a beautiful blessing here in Swazi. It is incredibly helpful to the people of Eswatini and also such a blessing to me, just by letting me spend time with the kids.

Care point ministry is a place where kids come after school, and if they are too young for school, they come all day. The ages range from 0–15, so we don’t see high schoolers, but we get a lot of 7th and 8th graders. The care points are funded by AIM (Adventures in Missions), the administration that runs the World Race. Most days, they make MannaPack rice donated by Feed My Starving Children.

The kids who come all walk from home or school. Some are only one or two years old, walking miles by themselves carrying a bowl and a stick. Kids who don’t go to school have to bring firewood as their compensation for food that day. Some can’t even talk yet but still somehow make their way to the care point.

Every morning at the care points we did something different. My favorite mornings were home visits. Twice a week, our Shepherd would walk us to some of the kids’ homesteads. We would sit on a straw mat they have for guests and chat with them for a while. We encouraged them with Scripture and prayed for them before leaving each home. It was beautiful visiting so many families, hearing different stories, and praying for all kinds of situations.

As we wrapped up our time in Swazi, I have been thinking a lot about everything we’ve experienced here. It hasn’t always been easy, and there were moments that were heavy and confusing, but there were also so many good and meaningful days. Each part of this trip , the slow pace, the kids at the care points, the home visits, the conversations with my team, as taught me something valuable.

I’ve really grown to love Swazi. I love the rhythm of life here, the way people take time for each other, the warm greetings, the familiar faces at the care points, and the kids who run up excited just to be with you. I’ve appreciated the culture, the hospitality, and the simple moments that made each day feel purposeful.

I’m really grateful that I got to be here. This experience stretched me, encouraged me, and showed me new sides of God’s character that I might not have seen otherwise. I’m leaving with a better understanding of myself, of the people we served, and of what it looks like to slow down and be present.

Swazi will always mean something to me, and I’m thankful I had the chance to live and learn here for this season.