Catching Up After a Long Pause
It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog, and I’ve been carrying so many stories that I’ve been longing to share. Life has been full and beautiful and stretching, and I finally have space to sit, breathe, and write again. There’s so much I want to tell you all about, so consider this the start. And the first thing I’ll be sharing is just a small glimpse of my time in Swazi.
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A Piece of My Heart at the Care Point
Before anything else, I have to talk about my care point because it truly became one of the sweetest parts of Swazi for me. Each day there felt like its own little world. Kids running around, singing, laughing, clinging to us with the kind of joy that melts your heart instantly. It was loud and chaotic and gentle all at once.
But what made my care point truly special was my shepherd, Londi.
Londi became one of the people I treasured most during my time in Nsoko. She had this calm, steady strength about her, this quiet joy that made me feel welcomed and safe from the very beginning. Working with her felt like being guided by someone who deeply loved her community and lived out that love in the simplest, most beautiful ways.
Some days we’d serve side by side; other days we’d just talk about life, faith, the kids, her story, my story. She saw me and valued me in a way I didn’t expect. She taught me how to connect deeper, love softer, and be present in every moment. Our relationship was simple but so meaningful, full of small little moments that shaped my time in Nsoko.
Leaving her was one of the hardest goodbyes. Even now, I think of her with so much gratitude. She left an imprint on my heart that I know I’ll carry with me for a long time.
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Sweet Swazi Memories
When I think back on Swazi, it honestly feels like opening a journal filled with memories that still feel warm. We were stationed in Nsoko while the boys were up in Manzini. It was just a two-hour drive, but it somehow made everything feel a little more spread out, a little quieter, a little more intimate.
What I didn’t expect, though, was how hard the lack of internet would hit me. Nsoko had almost no connection at all, and for the first two weeks I didn’t have a plan that would let me call my parents. It sounds dramatic, but it genuinely felt like a piece of home was missing. I didn’t realize how much I depended on hearing their voices until suddenly I couldn’t.
When we finally had the chance to go out and I bought some wifi, the very first thing I did was call them. And the second they answered, I completely fell apart. Hearing their voices after so long. It was overwhelming in the sweetest way. I just sobbed. It felt like my whole heart exhaled for the first time in two weeks. I can still remember how it sounded, how it felt, how loved I felt in that moment. After that, you better believe I got an international plan so I could call them whenever I needed to.
But what made Swazi special wasn’t just the relief of reconnecting with home, it was the new connections being built right in front of me. The girls on our team became such a source of joy. Our late-night movie nights in the dining room, the unplanned deep talks that stretched way past bedtime, the moments of laughter when we were all tired but still happy. These are the pieces of Swazi I’ll hold onto forever. We didn’t just live together; we grew together.
And then G Squad arrived halfway through and somehow made everything even sweeter. It’s crazy how fast people can become “your people.”
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Growing With My Team
Another huge part of my time in Swazi was the way I grew within my team. Early on, we were split into smaller groups of about four to five people. My team ended up being Macie, Mercy, Caroline, Ryley, and our team leader, Jordan. Looking back, I’m so grateful for that little group.
Being in Nsoko together gave us space to build real, genuine friendship. We learned each other’s rhythms, checked in on one another, encouraged each other, and slowly built a sense of trust that felt so steady and authentic. It was one of the sweetest gifts of this season.
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Stepping Into Worship Leadership
I was also blessed with the role of worship coordinator, along with Rissa and Bridger. Navigating that role has been such a meaningful place of growth for me. Learning how to lead worship, how to support others through it, and how to listen for what God wanted to do stretched me in ways I didn’t expect but deeply needed.
Since Bridger was in Manzini with the boys while Rissa and I were in Nsoko, the three of us would call each other to catch up. We’d talk about how worship was going on the guys’ side and the girls’ side, share ideas, encourage each other, and check in on how we were doing spiritually. Those conversations kept us connected even while we were serving in different places and helped me grow so much in confidence and purpose.
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More to Come
There’s so much more I want to share about this season-stories, tiny moments, things that shaped me in ways I’m still unpacking. Consider this just the beginning. We are now in Malaysia so once I get settled in there will be more to come!
Thank you for being here and reading my heart.
Here are some photos. A tiny glimpse into sweet, beautiful Swazi.
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