This World Is Not My Home

This World Is Not My Home

Well, us interns have moved yet again. This past week a team from Colorado was here living in the Team House on the Anchor Center so us interns moved to live at Erica’s (if female) and Neville’s (if male) while they were here. It was a good week filled with lots of time at one of the care points, Mahlabaneni. As the team left today, it got me thinking about how soon we will all be leaving to go back to the states ourselves. The time has flown by and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to return to this wonderful place.

As I have been contemplating leaving and moving (us interns have moved around a lot), the song, This World Is Not My Home, has come to mind. As I think about my time here and the relationships I have made, I have no idea if I will see them again on this earth. I have no idea if I will make another trip to Swaziland. Although I wish I will be able to return someday. But regardless, I know that I will see these people again in Heaven and that makes me filled with so much joy.

With all of the moving around, I have felt unsettled in many ways. Unsettled in not having a routine, in not knowing where things are, in not knowing what the evenings would look like.

But I have great peace with these song lyrics. This world is not my home. Wherever I end up moving throughout my life, it is not permanent and I shall always feel unsettled until the day comes when I die and am in Heaven or when Jesus comes back (whichever comes first).

Here are the lyrics:

This world is not my home I’m just passing through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven’s not my home then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

They’re all expecting me and that’s one thing I know

My savior pardoned me and now I onward go

I know He’ll take me through though I am weak and poor

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven’s not my home then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Just up in Glory Land we’ll live eternally

The Saints on every hand are shouting victory

Their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven’s shore

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

O Lord you know I have no friend like you

If Heaven’s not my home then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore

Continue to pray for us. Andy will be heading back to the states at the end of this week. Pray for safe travels for him and for peace as he processes all that he has experienced. Pray that he will be able to leave well. Pray for the rest of us as we see him leave. Pray for us as we continue to pour into the ministries here, into the kids and people of the communities, and into the land as we continue to work on the gardens and such. Pray that God would continue to guide us and mold us to be better servants for Him. Pray for safety and health. I was sick yesterday and am still feeling some of the residual effects. Pray for strength and energy as days are long and tiresome and there is just so much to do day in and day out. Pray for Erica. Pray that she will be renewed to continue to serve. Pray that she will continue to get guidance and direction from the Lord that she may serve to the best of her abilities. Pray for the ministry partners. Pray that they will continue to seek God and serve Him. Pray that they will continue to get guidance and direction. Pray that they will be given strength and energy as doing ministry day in and day out can be exhausting. Pray that they will not feel bogged down with all the needs that arise amongst the community but that they will be able to trust in the Lord and allow Him to work through them. Pray that their faith will continue to grow. Pray for their families. Pray for the kids here. Pray for safety and health for them. Pray that amongst all the playing with them that they will see Christ and choose to follow Him. Pray for protection for them, that they will not be steered astray from things not of the Lord. Pray for the people of the community. Pray for the gogos, the makes (ma gays), and the babes (ba bays) (aka grandmas, moms, and dads). Pray that they will continue to take care of the young and that they will be able to do so well. Pray that they will be able to provide the necessities but also that they will be able to lead the kids to be a generation that will change the world, that will be filled with the Spirit and desire to serve the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and mind. Pray for those that are already in power. Pray for the government. Pray for the king. Pray for the chiefs. Pray that they will be filled with the Spirit and that they will be guided by God to really take care of the people here. That they will truly serve not selfishly, but for the good of the people in the eyes of the Lord. Pray for the teams that come and go from this place. Pray that the time spent here that they will be able to serve well and fully and when they leave and go home that they will continue to serve well and fully. Pray that they will be open to God’s guidance and lessons and that no matter where they go that they will remember what they learned and experienced so that they will be forever changed to be more of God’s servants.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Thank you for the encouraging emails. I hope you are well.