Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
Matthew 9:37

I’d like to ask for prayer for myself, Brenda and Heather as we make this trip to Africa.  But first, some details …

Who
A Friend in Need {AFIN} co-founders, Brenda Rebro and Heather Bliss … and me.

When
February 26 – March 11 … two weeks.

Where
Kapunga, Swaziland.  Swaziland has the highest HIV infection rate in the world.  The average life expectancy is just 32 years.  With a population of about one million, this New Jersey-sized country is home to over 63,000 orphans.  This means a generation of children has been left to care for themselves.

AFIN’s Story
AFIN is providing more than a one-time handout.  They will provide a multi-purpose building that will keep on giving.  The building will serve as a safe haven and gathering place for the orphans.  Sewing machines have been donated and will be used to sew and generate income to buy food for the orphans.

Here are some some images from a fundraiser I did with AFIN last summer.  We took contrasting images and put them together.  I know the underlying type is small, but I hope you’re able to read it … it really makes an impact.

How I Got Involved
I first wrote about AFIN here and here … and as I mentioned yesterday, I just feel God has laid missions … getting outside of my own little world … on my heart.

My Story
I received a year-end donation letter from AFIN and started to throw it in my recycling bin.  Oh yes I did!  Then God stopped me.  And I put it on my desk instead.  I left it there a couple of weeks, just letting God talk to me.

And He did.  “Empty your {tsj} photography bank account,” He told me.  And so I did.  And donated it to AFIN.  Around this time, CJ had asked me what I’d like for Christmas … I asked him to make a donation to AFIN in lieu of a gift to me.  And so he did.

Now this next confession may seem incredibly presumptuous … and I guess because, frankly … it is!

I just assumed that if I made the donations, I’d be going to Africa with them.  An important disclosure here … basically, other than meeting them for the fundraiser … I really don’t know them from Adam.  {yeah, not sure where that saying came from}.

But the thing is … I just felt I was being obedient to God, and therefore … He had a ticket for me.  You know?  I honestly didn’t think of it any other way.

Anyway.  Brenda sent a thank you email and told me when they’d be going … and honestly, if I recall right … it really wasn’t even an invitation for me to go.  Anyway, the dates didn’t work with my calendar.  Or the fact that I was pretty sure God was telling me {whatever trip I took}, we’d be going in the Fall.  So yeah.

There’s a celebration in South Africa the end of March and those were the dates they were going.  I’ll be on spring break with my girls at that time, so I won’t be going.

I felt disappointed.  Mostly in myself in that I wasn’t hearing God the right way.  Self-doubt and all that.  But I rallied, and figured “oh well … He must have something else in the works for me.”

And then …

Another email from Brenda.  She’d been praying on it {wait just a minute! have I mentioned what incredible Christian women and prayer warriors these two are?!  no?  well they are!} so … Brenda had been praying on it and felt God telling her it was much more important for me to come with them, than it was for them to go to the celebration.

Ohmyword!  Are you kidding me?  When are we going?  In less than two months.  Visualize Tracie spitting out her diet coke!  Um, God serious?  Cuz I thought we were going in the Fall.  :)

So okay … the rest is history and here I am writing these posts!

Great Works
Have you heard?  Or better yet, have you experienced?  God moves in incredible ways!  During all of the above, I’d been talking with a couple of friends to join a Good Morning Girls group … we’d be studying James.  Brenda and Heather also wanted to do a study leading up to the trip and guess what God put on Brenda’s heart?  James.

Apprehension
Yes!  I speak the truth … I’m somewhat apprehensive about the trip.  My health {I won’t go into details, but I’m just not at my finest}; my schedule {I won’t go into details, but this trip with my overbooked schedule, has me out-of-town until early April}; leaving my girls {I haven’t told them yet}; and just this desperate desire to be His hands and feet, while at the same time, making sure I’m listening and doing His will.

I believe I am.  With everything that’s happened and led to this point.  I believe He’s been in, and will continue to be … in control.

Prayer
This post is almost over, I promise!

Can I ask that you stand in prayer with us?  We’ve already experienced some spiritual warfare surrounding this journey.  Ultimately … this building that’ll be erected will end up being a place of worship for the people of Swaziland.  It’s just the way it works.  And the enemy would love nothing more than to put a stop to it.

Ha! unfortunately for him … he’s up against three very strong and determined women {not to mention all of the AFIN volunteers and supporters}, who serve an incredible God and who will continue on until we see God’s work {and will} done in Swaziland!

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