Dan and Brittney

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-20T07:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all our loved ones! We hope that this year has been one filled with love, laughter, growth, and peace!

The Bingham clan has been up to our usual tricks. We haven’t done much traveling this year, but, thanks to the grandparents’ babysitting, we have sneaked away to see U2, Switchfoot, and the Civil Wars in concert, and even got a couple of days in Las Vegas for the annual Fasteners Show.

Dan continues to work as the GM for Hill Threaded Products where, despite a down economy, they are experiencing growth! We know we have God to thank for that. Also, after a bit of a break due to baby-busyness, Dan has begun playing with our church’s worship team on Sundays again on a semi-regular basis. I know approximately 1200 people who are happy about that.

I (Britt) am loving being a stay-at-home mommy. Benny and I spend a lot of time taking neighborhood walks, playing with his best friend Zoe who comes to our house 2-3 days a week while her mommy’s at work, and trying to keep a clean house with a thousand toys underfoot. We are truly blessed to have this time together! I have also recently taken up Extreme Couponing. Before you get concerned that I have a garage full of air fresheners and mustard bottles, consider this...we have no garage...it’s a music studio, so I can’t get too crazy. Ha! But in all seriousness, it has been so much fun to watch how God is using this little hobby to help cut our grocery bills and make my stay-at-home existence a little more doable. Ben and I also meet with a New Mom Group almost every Friday where we fellowship with first time moms and their little ones who are all between 1-18 months. It’s so sweet to see our little guy learn to share, be gentle, and play with others.

Benny continues to grow like a weed. In September, we celebrated his first birthday with a Beatles-themed BennyMania bash! He loves to dance to the Beatles, and since he’s not old enough to request anything specific, we jumped at the chance to have a rock-and-roll inspired party. He is walking and half-speed running now, climbing on everything, singing to himself in bed, and saying a few words. “Dada”, “Mama”, “Cheese”, and “Cracka” (cracker) give you a glimpse into his priorities. He also knows many signs like “Please”, “Water”, “Bath”, “Help”, and “Bird”. He is a Daddy’s boy who loves to give kisses, wave to strangers, point to all the balloons in the store (“Ba-oon”), and hide Cheerios in the couch cushions just in case you forget to give him a snacky-cup later.

So what’s on the horizon in 2012? Well, Dan will be turning 30, Ben will turn 2, and Brittney (who has refused to age anymore) will throw them parties paid for with coupons! We hope to make more music, spend time with our friends and family, enjoy our little man, and find ways to serve our Lord.

In February, Brittney will be joining her sister Heather in completing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Pasadena 1/2 Marathon. The funds raised will go directly to Cure Mito which supports the research of Dr. Boles at CHLA. He is the doctor who treats Heather’s kiddos- Jaxen and Maddox, who both suffer from Mitochondrial Disease. As the boys' doctor, what he learns directly affects their treatment. To view a video of the boys and their struggles, go to http://youtu.be/fCsJLBrChkQ or browse You Tube for the Cure Mito Montage.wmv. And to donate to our team, visit www.active.com/donate/curemito/hudgins. Anything you could contribute will help bring us closer to a cure for these precious angels.

May God bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-10T19:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! We hope that you are having a pleasant holiday season and are looking forward to the new year. If you have a moment, you can read the following update on the Bingham household and take a gander at a few pictures from our year.....

Let's just get the big news out first....we had a baby!!!!

Benjamin Linus Bingham was born at 11:35pm on September 28, 2010. He was 7 lbs, 14 oz, and 21 inches long. We want to tell you all about him, show you lots of pictures, and share our joy, but first, let's recap the year leading up to his arrival....

After the sad loss of our first pregnancy last year, we began 2010 eagerly awaiting the doctor's "ok" to try again. We were blessed and thrilled to find out in late January that we were expecting again! This time, everything went along swimmingly. Our doctor gave us frequent ultrasounds and kept Brittney on partial bed-rest to help allay our fears. Each little picture brought us more and more excitement.

Just a few weeks after finding out that we were expecting, we welcomed our new little nephew Beckam Andrew Davis who was born to Dan's sister Dallas in February. He is such a cutie! It has been so fun to watch his first several months of life and take copious notes so that we would know what to expect.

In April, we welcomed another new little nephew, Maddox Cruz Hudgins, who was born to Britt's

sister Heather and her husband Jeff. The little guy has had some serious health issues this year as has his big brother, Jaxen,but they are unfailingly resilliant, adorable angels.

Britt's belly continued to grow through the Spring, andwe began preparing for the changes we expected when the baby arrived. But, more on that later...

Dan resigned from his position as Field Consultant for Subway Restaurants in May in order to take a position working for Hill Threaded Products. Hill Threaded is a nuts and bolts company owned and operated by Dan's family. As General Manager, Dan is excited to be able to put his skills and knowledge to work growing the business. Finally! All his hard work is actually benefiting a business he cares about. And, the change has made our home more peaceful- less traveling, more job security, and a paycheck that enabled us to look towards a one-income home when the baby arrived.

We spent most of the summer trying to stay out of the heat. It was our first summer in our new house, and we had not tried our 30-year-old air conditioner since the home inspection. No surprise, it did not work. If you think being in Bakersfield in the summer is bad, try it 7 months pregnant! Thank the Lord for home warranties! We spent a couple of weeks living in the pool, but eventually we got a new unit. God truly provided.

In July, Dan got to play at Spirit West Coast in Monterey with the Boasting Weak. They got to play on the Main Stage! We were a bit bummed that the attendance was a bit lower than in previous years, but it's always fun to play big venues. The trip also served as a little getaway for us in anticipation of being home bound for a while.

Late in the summer, we suffered a hard loss when Dan's Grandma Judi passed away. She was an incredibly generous, sincere, and loving woman of God. We were so upset to lose her. We can only find comfort in knowing that she was finally healed of cancer when she went to meet our savior Jesus Christ.

Throughout the pregnancy, Britt continued to work as the Assistant Director of Service Ministries at RiverLakes Community Church. They were exceptionally accommodating of morning sickness, doctor appointments, and fatigue. No work/church family could have been more supportive. And, as the time drew near to welcome our little one, Britt reluctantly handed over her job and joyfully became a full-time homemaker.

Brittney's sister Heather organized an incredible baby shower for us at the end of August. We were blessed beyond belief with every kind of baby gear. The theme was "Rock the Cradle." There were mocktails, tasty appetizers, and a candy bar. There was even a guitar shaped caked that gave a little nod to our favorite band, U2.

The whole family served, decorated, and made it an event to remember.

And then it happened.....

All year, the doctor had been watching Britt's blood pressure escalate under the stress of pregnancy. When we got within 2 weeks of our due date, she decided it would be best for Mommy and Baby to induce. We will spare you the play-by-play, but suffice it to say that after 2 days of labor and 2 hours of pushing, the doctor decided to due a C-section and we were relieved! Is there anything better than an epidural and IV pain meds? No. There isn't. An hour later...we had our little boy!

We named him Benjamin Linus Bingham. Benjamin is a family

name on Brittney's side (the middle name of her grandfather, brother, and nephew). It is also the name of a childhood friend of hers that passed away in a tragic accident. We have known we wanted a "Ben" since our honeymoon 6 years ago. As for Linus....yes, we got the name combo from LOST, our favorite TV show, but don't think we are too crazy yet. Isn't Linus everyone's favorite Peanuts character? He is always the child with the most faith.

Unfortunately, the day we were supposed to come home, Britt started convulsing and we discovered she had acquired a serious blood infection which would keep us there a few more days. Oh! Did we mention the intensely itchy and painful PUPPS rash that developed during labor covering about 70% of her body? Or that the nurses messed up the IV meds multiple times during our stay? Overall, giving birth was not the fantasy evening portrayed in Father of the Bride 2, but when we look at his little face, it's all worth it. We could not have made it through without our family taking turns at the hospital taking care of Mommy and Baby. Heather even stayed several nights while Jeff had their boys as home. Talk about sacrifice. Thanks guys.

Britt is recovering well despite several sleepless weeks. For her 30th birthday, she got a nap...and it was awesome! For a while there, it was all we could do to keep up with diapers, bottles, and doctor appointments. (When you have extra complications, the docs like to keep you coming and going for weeks afterward.) Now, however, the baby is sleeping in 5-8 hour stretches at night and laughing and cooing which will just melt your heart.

And, of course, we are having fun with all the "firsts".

Ben's first Halloween....

Ben's first Thanksgiving...

We'll have to post the pictures later, but we are super excited to experience Ben's first Christmas!

Next year, we look forward watching our son grow and learn, continuing to work on our house, and maybe even working on some creative projects. Hopefully, we will get to spend time with each of you, our loved ones and friends.

Our prayer for you is that you would spend time reconnecting with the One who sent his Son to live and die for you. May God bless you and keep you in 2011!

Love,

Dan, Brittney and Ben Bingham

Christmas Update 2009!

2009-12-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Well, it has been another adventurous and blessed year for the Binghams. Let’s take a look back at some of the highlights….

Our big trip for the year was to Israel. What an amazing, unforgettable adventure! We were so blessed to go and serve as the music leaders for our church group. Thanks, Pastor Brian, for taking us along. It was a tour, not a mission trip, so the time doubled as a beautiful vacation. We sailed on the Sea of Galilee, floated in the Dead Sea, saw the Dead Sea Scrolls, sung in the Garden of Gethsemane, and walked inside the empty garden tomb. Amazing!

We bought a house!!! Update your addresses, everybody, we now live at 509 Plover Ct., Bakersfield, CA 93309. We started our search in April and found our dream house in the Quailwood neighborhood. We entered a bidding war with 11 other families and won, but alas, the banks that were selling the house decided to let it go to foreclosure. That poor, beautiful house is still sitting empty just around the corner from where we now live….in a better house. As usual, God knows what is best for us. We were so discouraged to lose that first house and thought nothing would ever compare. We had almost given up hope when one morning, we woke up early for work (pretty unusual) and checked our email together (very unusual) only to find a house listing more perfect than the first. We went to see it that afternoon, put in a bid, and closed at the beginning of October. (Thanks, Mr. Gonzalves for being such a excellent, patient realtor.) We love the 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and converted garage (lovingly referred to as the STUDIO)! With the conversion, the house is a little more than 3 times the size of our last apartment. Phew! It feels good to say LAST apartment! We have a pool that we can hardly wait to use and so much space that we have been very grateful for all the hand-me-down furniture from folks. We are slowly working through the minor repairs- special thank you to Dale and Char for all the help- and soon, we’ll start painting to make it a little more “our house.”

Now, if you spend much time with us, you know that we are crazy U2 fans. And, if you know much about U2, you know that their new album “No Line on the Horizon” came out this year and they kicked off their stadium tour. Well, we couldn’t help ourselves. We became groupies for one weekend in October, seeing them at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas and following them to see their Rose Bowl show in Pasadena two days later. This exhausting, exhilarating weekend led to a couple discoveries- 1. U2 is the best, but then we already knew that. 2. We are too old to do GA tickets. Waiting in line for 11 hours only to get trampled by 10,000 people and wedged next to the pot-head who clearly hasn’t gotten the gospel-centered message of most U2 songs who’s blowing smoke in your face? Yikes! We’re glad for the experience, but next time, we’ll get seats in the stands.

The first big gathering at our new digs came in early November with a baby shower for Dan’s sister, Dallas. I know what you’re thinking. Last year, Dallas was in the hospital battling Burkitt’s Lymphoma, having been told that there was no chance her little body would be able to maintain the ability to conceive post-chemo. But, once again, the Lord has shown himself more mighty and surprising than anyone could have dreamed. Dallas is cancer free and expecting her miraculous baby boy in February! The shower was themed “Dallas in Wonderland”- a little nod to how dumbfounded we all are. Britt’s project blog at www.dahoneydesigns.blogspot.com will have more shower pictures and details soon.

We’ve also been enjoying a little high school football. Dan’s little brother, Dillon, is a senior and the quarterback for Liberty High School here in Bakersfield. So, every Friday night, we've been in the stands cheering….and yelling at the refs. Hehe. I wish we had a sound bite to demonstrate all the funny taunts Dan comes up with. We get pretty into it because as Dan screamed a couple weeks ago when Dil ran the ball in 25 yards for the winning touchdown in double overtime, “That’s my baby!!!”

We continue to lead a Community Group Bible study which thrives despite our erratic lives and resulting inconsistencies. This year, our group had the privilege to help out with a yard sale benefiting Bethany Ministries as well as hosting a booth at the Niles New Life Harvest Festival benefiting some of the lower-income families of our city. The Harvest Festival was especially entertaining as we did a Planko Board (a pirate-themed version of the Price is Right Game, Plinko). We all dressed up as characters from Peter Pan. Britt was Tiger Lilly (not Pocahontas people, look at the costume in context!) And, Dan donned a giant blue onesie to be Michael, the youngest brother in the Peter Pan story. Yes, he wore a onesie. No one has ever loved their community group more; I think the onesie proves that.

We found out the morning of that Harvest Festival that we were expecting a baby. Unfortunately, before we even finished telling people, Britt began having complications and eventually suffered a miscarriage. Thank you to everyone who has been praying and sending cards and flowers, they are very much appreciated. And we especially appreciate how well everyone has respected our privacy. We’ve been working through the grief together and drawing close to the Lord. We know that baby is in Heaven and that means our mansion will be that much fuller when we get there. Perhaps this next year the Lord will see fit to give us a healthy pregnancy. All we can do is trust His timing.

In the meantime, we are enjoying having the holidays in our new home, spending time with our niece and nephews (more to be added soon from Heather and Dallas), and immersing ourselves in ministry. Dan continues to work as a Business Consultant for the Marwaha Group, evaluating Subway restaurants. He’s recently gotten to take on some outlying stores like Bishop which makes for a fun getaway for the two of us. He has also been taking on a lot of guitar students- 13 in total, and he’s playing with the worship team and church nearly every week. He’s recently wrapped recording on the new Boasting Weak Worship CD. If you don’t already have it, order it from www.theboastingweak.com. Dan even laid down some bass tracks! Brittney continues to serve as the Assistant Director of Service Ministries at RiverLakes Community Church. Get paid to pick out tablecloths, make coffee, and decorate? Yes, please.

So, what’s in store for 2010 in the Bingham family? Well, what fun would it be to know now? Africa again? That would be nice. Baby? That would be nice. We could make a list a mile long of things we’d like to do, but clearly, God has his own plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and we are happy to wait and hear from Him. Subscribe to our blog and you’ll get an email if we put a new post up. And, yes, we plan to be much more faithful about blogposts this year. Don’t forget to follow Brittney’s blog at www.dahoneydesigns.blogspot.com as well.

In closing, we’d like to wish all of you, our loved ones, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Keep Christ as your focus, and all else will fall into place.

“And Mary said:
My soul praises the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For he has been mindful
Of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For the Mighty One has done great things for me-
Holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
From generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
But has lifted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
Remembering to be merciful
To Abraham and his descendants forever,
Even as he said to our fathers.” Luke 1:46-55

Welcome to Jerusalem

2009-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Well we made it to Jerusalem! It has been an amazing journey so far. We had hopes of coming to the hotel room each night and uploading photos and posting to this blog...well this is the first one and we're half way done. Every day has been jam packed from 6:00 am to 8:30 pm. By the time we arrive to our rooms we don't have the energy to do anything other than sleep.

The trip has been so cool! We could spend an entire day at almost every site we go to, and we're visiting 5-10 sites a day. Well enough chat..here are some of the highlights so far:

The view from breakfast the first day...overlooking the Mediterranean. Sweet!
We were welcomed by Napoleon to the old city of Jaffa. He captured the town in 1799...be careful small men with big ideas.

Here's Britt in front of the Med.

I'm to tired to upload anymore. It's almost 10pm here and I'm exhausted. We've got so much to share. Hope to post again soon.

Save the Date!

2009-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Save the date!

RiverLakes Community Church (our home church) will be holding a dinner, silent auction, and live auction on May 8, 2009 to benefit the mission projects of our church, including short-term (like our trip to Swaziland) and long-term mission opportunities.

We hope that you will consider coming and joining us for a fun night. Tickets will go on sale April 5th. Since the auction is on May 8th, it's a great place to find a Mother's Day gift.

Also, if you want to be even more involved, you can give through donating items for the auction. Some ideas for donations are new items, vacation packages, service donations, tickets, unique items, etc. If you would like to know more or if you need a Tax Id#, just call us!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-14T19:56:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! If this is your first visit to our website, please look around. We have posted notes and pictures from our trip to Swaziland, Africa that will bless you.

What can we say about 2008? What a year!

Dan continues to work as a Field Consultant for the Marwaha Group overseeing 36 Subway restaurants. EAT FRESH! This keeps him hopping all over the greater Bakersfield area. He has also helped to plan the Franchisee Rally for the third year in a row. At this event, many awards were given to Franchisees throughout Southern California, but most of them were operators that Dan advises. His team also won Development Agent of the Year, a national award from Subway Corporate. He works very hard showing other people how to make more money so we are very eager to take on a franchise of our own. We often talk about how Dan’s Subway consulting experience and Brittney’s management and sales experience in the weight loss industry have prepared us for business ownership. Our prayer is that God will give us that opportunity in the next year or two. For now, however, we will have to be patient. Dan has also taken on about 8 guitar students which gives him the opportunity to share his gift while strumming up some date night money. And, if you haven’t heard the new CD from The Boasting Weak go to http://www.theboastingweak.com/. This is a band that Dan has been playing guitar in.

Brittney went full-time earlier this year at RiverLakes Community Church where she has been the Assistant Director of Service Ministries for almost 2 years. The extra money has certainly been a big blessing. She now oversees: Baptism, Communion, Funerals, Bereavement Care, Weddings, Holiday Decorating, Hospitality, Kitchens, Library, Room Reservations, Church Calendar, Event Planning, and the Christmas Remembrance Service. Phew! It makes for busy weeks and often busy weekends, but it is so rewarding.

This year has been eventful on the family front as well. Thank you to everyone who has been holding our nephew Jaxen and Dan's sister up in prayer. Jaxen continues to have hurdles to jump over with his health and development. Thanks to his amazing, tenatious parents, he seems to be making progress. Thank the Lord that he was born a happy, loving child. He rebounds quickly and Mommy and Daddy can make him infectiously giggle even moments after a procedure. What a trooper! Please pray for his continued progress, for excellent doctors and therapists, and for Heather and Jeff who need God's strength and peace.

Dallas continues her battle with Burkitt's Lymphoma. She is being treated at UCLA Santa Monica at varying intervals, coming home to Bakersfield when taking a break from chemotherapy. It has been trying for her and, of course, for Brenda (Dan's mom) who is her primary caregiver. This is obviously not something anyone expected to deal with in an 18 year old who recently graduated high school and is newly married. She has certianly fast-forwarded in maturity and maintains a hopeful attitude. Our prayer is that she will finish treatment early this Spring and this will all seem like just a bad dream. Please continue to lift her up in prayer as well.

We continue to lead a Small Group Bible study on Monday evenings for about a dozen people around our age. It has been so amazing to see the way the group has grown in the Lord over the last 2 years. We can honestly say it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God. Our group recently got involved with Here’s Life Inner City and our own church to put together “Boxes of Love.” These boxes are filled with everything a family needs to have a holiday meal (i.e. ham, stuffing, yams, etc.). They are distributed to needy families throughout our community. We thought we were being such faith-filled leaders to challenge our group to come up with what we were calling a “crazy amount of boxes.” We threw out a number- 40 boxes! “Let’s feed 40 families this Thanksgiving just from our little Bible study of poor 20-somethings,” we said. Well, the email went around….”50,” they said….”60,” another bid….”80!” Oh crap! We wanted to challenge them, not set them up for failure. We decided to trust the Lord to provide for His people. Our final bid was 80 boxes because according to the group, “80 boxes is something we can’t do on our own, but GOD CAN.” So, we started the GOD CAN. It is literally a can for God to fill with money through his people. We spread the word, prayed, and contributed funds as the Lord led…………………102 boxes were assembled and delivered from our group! Beyond that, RiverLakes did 936 boxes total including ours, almost 3 times the amount the church came up with last year. It is clear that God is at work and we have to get out of the way! (By the way, the GOD CAN has since gone on to help finance a Christmas party for orphans and widows in Swaziland. God is good.)

Speaking of Swaziland, we continue to be affected by what we saw and experienced there. I will let you read the previous blog to find out more about our trip this last August, but suffice it to say that not a day goes by that we don’t talk about what God is doing there and how we can help. We continue to long for our friends there. Our dreams are infused with the faces of the babies no one is kissing goodnight and the sweet old widows for whom no one is caring. Our hope is that we will be headed back sometime in 2009, though potentially with a better airline. (Who serves Liverwurst for breakfast? Bleh!)

This March, we will be heading to Israel. What an adventure! We have never been the couple that dreams of Paris or Hawaii. As long as we’ve been together, the only trips we’ve talked about are Africa and Israel. How sweet God is to give us these opportunities! We will be leading worship for our church group of about 60 people. What do you sing in the Garden of Gethsemane? Seriously, any suggestions?

Of course, this just skims 2008 in the Bingham house. We hope that you have a very Merry Christmas! This blog is a new thing for us and we plan to update it regularly (not just once a year), so subscribe to it (scroll to the bottom of the page) or just check back regularly. We love you all and hope to see you soon.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the World!" John 1:29b

Swaziland Thank You

2008-12-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your tremendous support of our recent trip to Swaziland, Africa. Not only were we fully funded, but from the moment we left, we could feel the covering of your prayers. God truly provided travel mercies. His hand was evident in the safe arrival of our luggage and supplies, the timeliness of our flights, the space in overhead bins which allowed the guitar to avoid being checked, and the fact that no one got lost or separated through many flight changes and long layovers.

I know many of you are anxious to hear about the outcome of our trip, so we will try to hit the high points for you. There is simply no way to describe everything God did!

Arrival: After about 50 hours of traveling, we arrived safely and in good health to the AIM (Adventures in Missions) base where we would be staying. We were blessed to find warm showers, bunk beds, and cool weather (the seasons are opposite of ours.) We fell into bed with zero knowledge of what the Lord would do in the days leading up to the Cherish Retreat.

Day 1: Becca, the missionary we went to serve with, met with us to plan the first couple of days. Her desire was for us to get to know the Swazi culture, experience some of the daily activities of typical Swazi girls, and begin to understand the context of the country. We met with Dennis, the local AIM director, to do some brief cultural training, then we were off!

First, we visited Ngwane Central High School where Becca had started the first Cherish Bible Study in Swaziland. We met with the head-mistress, Make Zwane, who proudly showed us her facility and bragged on all the Lord had been doing there through Becca and her team. You could see the joy on the faces of the Cherish leaders, especially Phumlile who had graduated from Ngwane Central and been in the first group.
After leaving the school, we drove about 3 miles toward Phumlile’s house. We got out and walked the last mile to get a small glimpse of how far she and her siblings walk to school each day (about 8 miles round trip).

Phumlile’s family received us with enormous grace. They taught us about a typical day for Swazi children. Dan and Scott chopped wood as the men do. Half of the ladies went into the kitchen to make a traditional meal of pop (corn mush) and beans on a wood-burning stove. And, half of the ladies, including Brittney, walked down to the well to carry water back on their heads (about a third of a mile each way). What struck us most was the sweetness that emanated from the whole family of eleven. They have made a joy-filled life with no electricity, running water, or other modern conveniences. What a challenge to our American-dream mindset!

Unfortunately, these kinds of conditions are all too prevalent. Many families in Swaziland are without basic medical care, transportation, or even enough food for their children. This family was actually quite blessed to still have both mother and father living.

Day 2: After seeing the rampant poverty, it was time to see another major player in the hardship of Swaziland, children orphaned by AIDS. We went to visit Care Points. Orphans walk for miles to receive one meal a day along with rudimentary education and Bible study. Despite the fact that there are now approximately 120,000 orphans (in a country of 1 million people), the government has yet to invest in orphanages. The Care Points, set up by various religious organizations are a short-term solution until full-time facilities can be established. Unfortunately, the two that we visited were unsponsored and had no food to hand out that day. So, we all started silently praying for what to do with these children. The Lord moved through our team-mate Darlene. She immediately started teaching them tic-tac-toe with a stick in the dirt, and later, the Hokey Pokey. We handed out chewable vitamins, sang songs, and attempted to speak what little SiSwati we knew. Most frequently we said, “Jesu Uyakutsansa” which means “Jesus loves you.” Dan was highly sought after by the 9-12 year old boys who longed for a father’s approval, and Brittney was accompanied by two toddlers who had no idea how to respond to hugs and kisses. Needless to say, getting back in our van and driving away was the most difficult thing we’ve ever had to do. It was purely the joy and strength of the Lord that miraculously kept smiles on our faces until we had driven away. Then, smiles gave way to tears and prayers for our little friends.

After such a heavy morning, Becca knew we would need a something a little lighter. She took us to the Swaziland Cultural Center where we toured a very traditional Swazi homestead, enjoyed the beautiful landscape, and watched a performance of Swazi songs and dances. Everyone in Swaziland has perfect pitch! They all sing and they are all good. That was certainly enjoyable for the two of us.

Day 3: Time to get ready for the retreat! The Cherish Retreat was held at a Catholic boarding school that had been built in the ‘70’s and left untouched since then. It was quite run down, and we had zero decorations, but again the Lord provided. We used butcher paper and house paint (both leftover from previous mission teams) to make signs and banners. We hung ribbons and pre-printed scriptures on every wall. Little butterflies were starting to fester in each of us.

Day 4: The first day of the Retreat. The girls arrived early! That’s totally unheard of in Swaziland. They received gift bags (made by Dan’s amazing Aunt Char) which were filled with lots of goodies. Each girl got: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a journal, 3 pens, lip gloss, a “Cherished” bracelet, and at least one other miscellaneous gift like hair clips, scarves, or cosmetic bags. They were ecstatic! Thank you for all the wonderful donations. No one could have appreciated them more.

In the evening, Becca and her team of Swazis (Phumlile, Zabiba, and Fufu) handed out Bibles and certificates to new Cherish graduates. A local performing arts group named VOG, Vessels of Glory, came and performed with their band. Yes, they opened the retreat with a full band, sung boisterous Swazi worship songs, and we had to get up the next morning to sing mellow American worship songs with one un-amplified guitar. Yikes.

Days 5-7: The next couple of days were filled with worship, teaching from our team members, quiet time for the girls, group discussion, crafts, pedicures, and games. There was even a movie each night. The teaching and discussion focused on replacing the well-known 3-C’s of Swaziland (Cars, Cash, and Cell phones for which it is common to trade sex) with the 3-C’s of the Cherish study (that each young women is a Child of God, Cleansed, and Cherished). Our discussion groups were challenging both because the younger girls have not yet perfected English, and because their life stories were riddled with loss, poverty, and the struggle to maintain purity against the odds. Leading worship was also challenging for us, especially after the first-night’s performance. We had to trust that God knew what He was doing and lean on Him for guidance. By the end of the retreat, the girls were singing the American worship songs and begging us to help them copy the lyrics so they could teach their schoolmates. The last session, we backed off the mics and let the girls sing accapella,

I have a Maker, He formed my Heart
Before even time began, He held me in His Hand.
He knows my name.
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call.
I have a Father, He calls me His Own.
He’ll never leave me, no matter where I go.
He knows my name.
He knows my every thought.
He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call.

Their hunger for the Lord and their eagerness to praise Him astounded us. How often our praise for Him is based on how well things are going for us! These girls were certainly great examples for us. It was hard to say goodbye and send them back to broken and hurting families, but what a comfort to know that their Maker went with them.

We cleaned up the campus and headed back to the AIM base. Later that night, Julie Anderson, one of Becca’s co-workers came to show us these adorable bags being made by the Gogo’s (grandmothers who volunteer at various Care Points). They come to the Care Points, have Bible study, serve food to the orphans, and make bags. So we had a purse party! All of the proceeds went to support these widows and their grandchildren who have also been orphaned by AIDS. Buy a bag, help widows and orphans in Africa. http://www.timbalicrafts.org/ Though tired, we definitely had energy for that.

Day 8: Well, we thought we’d get a day to rest, but why waste time in Africa? We spent the next morning painting Julie’s house. Ok, so some of us were chasing around her adorable, adopted Swazi daughter, Ellie. She’s a cutie and a handful. It was amazing to get to bless Julie as she had done all the grocery shopping for our team as well as the entire retreat.

We headed back to the AIM base and packed an overnight bag. We then headed to the Hlane Game Park. We checked in to our bungalows which were beautiful hotel-like rooms with hot water! They were not wired for electricity, but did have oil lamps and candles. We ate dinner at their lovely lamp-lit restaurant where we ate impala, wildebeest sausage, and other Swazi delicacies. Then we set our alarms for a sunrise safari! (The only thing our cell phones were good for in Africa)

Day 9: Well, the snorts of the rhinos a stones throw away from our bungalow woke us up before the alarms could. If you’ve never been on a safari, we certainly recommend it. We were insanely close to lions, rhinos, elephants, and giraffes. Sometimes too close considering the flimsy netting covering our jeep – our only protection from the animals.

We were all remiss to leave the game park, but we also wanted to experience the local marketplace. Hundreds of shed-like shops were set up side-by-side down the street selling jewelry, artwork, and other tourist-oriented souvenirs. We found a few members of a local church and attempted to focus our business there to support them.

Departure: There is nothing like leaving the mission field. Our friend Becca announced at the end of the Cherish Retreat that she would be leaving Swaziland. The Lord had raised up three outstanding nationals to lead this ministry and she feels the need to get out of the way and enable Him to work through them. While they are clearly ready, it made it even harder for us to say goodbye to Fufu, Zabiba, and Phumlile. Please pray for them, as we will, as they step out in faith to continue what God has started there.

It was also difficult to say goodbye to our driver, Elliot. He calls us Buti and Sisi (brother
and sister) and often held Dan’s hand as a sign of being close friends. He hugged us goodbye and said, “I am not sad. The Lord has already shown me that I will see you again. He will send you two back. That is how I say goodbye.”

Our trip home was a mere 40 hours, though with fewer layovers and more direct flights, you can make the trip in 20. We will attempt to make those arrangements next time. Yes, there is no doubt in our minds that Elliot heard God right. We expect to be sent back. When, how, with whom, and for what has yet to be revealed. What we do know is that the Cherish leaders need continued support, and the Care Points need immediate help. Please visit the websites below for more information on the needs of the nation of Swaziland and how God can use you to meet them. Please also expect another letter from us in the future. When God calls, we want to be ready.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3