I did it!!! Two months have been packing into a bag weighing only 43lbs!!!! And, for the record I would like to say that that is not 43lbs of only clothes. This bag includes all of my medication for the trip, my sleeping bag, a bath towel, mosquito net, 2 “cycles” worth of products for that special time of the month that us women get to deal with, and 4 proclaimers that I have been blessed with to take on this trip.
Oh, you’ve never heard of a proclaimer before? It’s okay I wouldn’t have known what it was either until recently at church when Pastor Phillips told us about them. A proclaimer is a small black box (a little bit bigger than a VHS tape); one side has a solar panel used to recharge the battery and the opposite side is a speaker with a few buttons. There is a small arm on another side that can be cranked to recharge the battery when there isn’t any sunlight (thankfully for the people of Swaziland they don’t have to worry too much about not having sunlight). Anyways, when the battery is charged and you push the play button the proclaimer begins to play the Bible in the native language you have purchased. For my trip the Lord has provided 4 proclaimers in the SiSwati language to take with me and leave at the 4 carepoints that I will be spending time at volunteering.
Initially when I talked to one of the church secretaries about ordering the proclaimers to take on the trip with me, we were not sure how many we would be able to purchase. A few months ago the company had been doing a promotion where if you bought one, they would send a second one free. We did not know if this was still going on, or even if they could be shipped to the church in time for me to leave. So, I left her the information that she needed to try and order me a proclaimer or two and left my phone number for her to call me and give me an update after she spoke with the company. The next day I got a phone call from her. Not only would they be shipped in time, but I would be taking 4!!! Not just 1 or 2… 4!!! I had not disclosed any information to the secretary or the proclaimer company about how many carepoints I would be visiting but God knew and that was all that mattered- He took care of making sure I had as many as I would need. He is so incredible. You can call it a coincidence if you want but I’m telling you – IT WAS GOD!
So, there I was packing my bag tonight and I had a moment of panic wondering how it was all going to fit. My sleeping bag smooshes quite a bit but it still takes up a good amount of room. And then I had to pack 4 proclaimers (that I knew weight 10lbs all together) and the rest of my non-clothing items as well as my clothes. Somehow it all fit and weighs less than 50 lbs so I’m not complaining. I may feel like Mary Poppins when I reach Georgia and then Swaziland but oh well, I don’t mind. The children are going to hear the Word of God and you cannot put a price on that. I would make myself look ridiculous a bajillion times over as long as their little souls are being fed by the Savior.
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If though be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
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