I came to Swazi land thinking that I would help people. That is the purpose of missions right? To change the world by showing Christ’s love to the broken and needy. What more noble cause is there than to love an aids orphan or to sit with a woman whose daughter has just died? I have discovered though that missions is so much more than that. It’s about Christ changing me and shaping me into the woman he wants me to be. It’s about seeing him in the little things like a child’s smile. It’s about him using the people of Nsoko to bless me.
Since week one of ministry, my team has had the opportunity to do house visits. We do this usually three times a week in the afternoons. Two or three of us will go with a translator to a person’s home who is bedridden from illness. My first house visit was really awful. I felt useless, awkward and I didn’t know how this visit was helping an individual who was near death. However, each time I went things got a little better. That’s when God really started using me to bless a man and using that man’s attitude to bless me.
His name is Sibusiso and he is so incredible. I met him on my first house visit, and since then I’ve grown increasingly excited to see him each week. He is 33 year old AIDS patient, who has been battling TB for about eight months. Since he is bedridden and can’t work, there is no money for transportation to get him to the hospital to get medication. His story breaks my heart.
Every week when I go to Sibusiso’s house, I am encouraged. In the beginning, I once again thought that I would be the one blessing him. It was hard knowing that I couldn’t heal this man, but that I was able to pray, talk, sing and take food to him. It’s phenomenal though what God can do through those twice a week visits. One afternoon, after several weeks of bonding with Sibusiso, myself and two other teammates were able to hear his testimony as well as share our own. It was amazing to see the body of Christ connected even in another part of the world.
Sharing testimonies was powerful, but what happened next can only be explained as my wake-up call from God. Lindley, one of my teammates, asked Sibusiso if he was ever angry or bitter at God for his illness. His response was that he was not bitter at God, because his illness had allowed him to spend more time with Christ and to draw closer to him. After he finished saying that, I burst into tears. Here is a man who is so sick and could die at anytime, yet he praises God. It totally put things into perspective for me. I give up so easily in hard times and I get angry at God instead of realizing that he brings hard times into my life, so I will run into his arms.
I want to leave you, my readers, with James 1:12. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” I know that God will reward Sibusiso for his obedience and his attitude. Maybe not by healing him, but when he gets to heaven the Father will be there welcoming him saying job well done Sibusiso, my good and faithful servant. Through Sibusiso, Christ has shown me that missions is more than just helping the needy. It’s about connecting with people physically, emotionally and spiritually, which is my calling as a Christian.
