4 days til swaziland

In case you hadn't noticed from the excessive posts on Twitter... Facebook... Instagram... and blog, I cannot stop thinking about Swaziland.  My thoughts this week have been consumed with what it's going to look like, how the kids are going to act and react, what will be my favorite memory, wondering if everything will go as "planned," and every other curiosity you could imagine.  

Not to mention the nine other team members.  As we are each in different phases of life, this last week of preparing for our journey is unique for everyone.  (Although I am sure everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off.)  Personally, I am juggling work, three weeks of an 8 week online class to make up for being gone, job search and interviews, packing, and planning and preparing other materials for our trip.  I have had stressful moments, but thinking about the kids' faces or worshiping together in the midst of a different language and culture has kept me going.  These experiences will be with me forever.  

But I keep thinking about this team!  I am about to spend 10 days on my first international journey with 9 people I only know because of this trip.  How cool is that?

I did hear today that the little girl I was planning to see and had picked out special items for at the store, moved from Njojane.  Little Ncedile won't be at the Care Pointe when we go to visit.  This is disappointing, but I am sure that there will be other kids that will love those things!  

"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James 2:26 

pray for swaziland

Sawubona! (That's "Hello!" is Siswati.) :)

Today was packing day for Swaziland.  We packed almost an entire suitcase full of soccer balls...hope they like to play soccer. ;)  Other bags were filled with packages from sponsors to go to their sponsored kids, supplies for crafts and lessons, and other things to leave behind at the Care Pointe for the kids.  This is what some of the bags for sponsor kids looked like:

I really feel so blessed to get to be one of the people that gets to see each kid's face, knowing that someone put that little bag together of things just for him/her. 

There are a TON of things that are going to be happening during the ten trip to Swaziland.  If you are interested in praying for the trip, here are some ideas of things you can pray for:

Before the trip.  

• Peace.  There are a few young parents on the trip that are very nervous about leaving their little ones behind, and being unsure how much they will be able to communicate for ten days.  Also, that nerves are calmed.  It can be intimidating to leave the country and go into a new culture, but that we have peace in stepping out in faith.  
• Please pray that all of the loose ends are tied up within the next 10 days.  Of course everyone has busy schedules, but we will also be finishing packing and making sure we have all the supplies we need.  
• That our hearts are prepared and open to what we may see and what God has prepared and planned for the week.  We have some things planned but of course that may or may not be what God has in store.  Please pray that we are ready for anything and open to His plan. 
• Team cohesion, patience, and kindness.

Day 1, June 9.

• For the first of two traveling days - that our travel is easy and safe. 
• Peace and patience for the team, and that anxious thoughts are gone.
• Pray for the week and the relationships that will be formed throughout the time in Swaziland, and especially in our partner community, Njojane.

Day 2, June 10.

• We arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa this evening to meet our missionary hosts.  Please pray for our hosts,  the Prince family, as they prepare for our arrival.  We are thankful for them, but this will be a long week for their family as they care for us and help with questions throughout our time. 

Day 3, June 11.

• Please pray that as we travel from Johannesburg to Mbabane, Swaziland that we will all be safe.
• We will be visiting one of the other Care Pointe centers.  Pray that this is a positive experience, that God blesses our interactions with the children.  
• That we will be able to communicate with them despite cultural and language differences.

Day 4, June 12.

• This is a big day on the trip!  This is the first day we will spend at the Njojane Care Pointe (the partner community with Connection Pointe Christian Church).  
• I will get to meet little Ncedile, the girl that my parents sponsor through One Child Matters.  Please pray that she will be open and excited, and that this will be a memorable experience for her.  I pray that she feels loved and relates that to the love of Christ.
• This morning we will be doing a VBS with the preschool children, with the "God made me" and "God loves me" lessons.  Pray that the kids understand us, and that God uses that time how He has planned.  We understand that He might have something different planned than our lessons.
• The afternoon will be spend with the older kids, playing, interacting, and getting to know them.
• The evening will hold a church service at the Care Pointe.  Pray for the team that we fully experience worshiping in a different culture, and remember the moment.
• The Smiths on our trip will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in Njojane!

Ncedile

Day 5, June 13.

• We will be in Njojane again today, but this time doing home visits in the community.  I am not totally sure what we are going to do, or if it is go-with-the-flow, but please pray for that time and interaction!
• Please pray that we are encouraging and loving with the Care Pointe staff and volunteers.  
• Pray over the relationship between the Njojane Care Pointe and Brownsburg, IN - that this community of people will last through eternity.

Day 6, June 14.

• Today the team will be experiencing Children's Cup Global Leadership Academy (GLA).  Pray over our conversations, worship, and time together.  
• We will also be visiting the I Am Not Forgotten orphanage today, where we will be playing games, doing Bible activities, and talking with them.  Please pray that we are a light into their lives.

Day 7, June 15.

• Pray for the people back home.  I am looking forward to the adventure and stepping out in faith as an individual.  For others on the trip, there are little kids at home that will be missing their parents, and parents that will be missing their kids.  Please ask for comfort during this time and that they will be able to communicate through texting, emails,  or pictures.
• I ask that you pray people are moved while I am gone to help cover the costs of the trip, as funds can come in until the day I get back.  I wholeheartedly support this cause and am prepared to pay what I need to, but I believe that this is an opportunity for people to participate in what God does in Swaziland.  I pray for people to give with glad hearts. (http://cpccweb.org/globalgiving) 

Day 8, June 16.

• HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, JIMMY!!!! LOVE YOU!!!
• This day we will attend a bilingual church service (cool, huh?).  
• We will spend the afternoon with the pastor who leads the services at the Njojane Care Pointe.  Pray that the Holy Spirit guides us and our conversations today.

Day 9, June 17.

• Today is the cultural day.  We will be in eastern Swaziland, and it's my understanding we will be trying different types of game and learning more about their land and customs.  Pretty excited about this!
• We will also be visiting another Care Pointe in an area called Section 19. 

Day 10, June 18.

• The last full day in Swaziland! Pray that we leave every bit of energy and love that we can with the kids at the Care Pointe.  
• Pray that the team works and communicates well together, that the interactions are positive and uplifting as our trip comes to a close. 
• Pray that we are encouraging to our hosts and any that we contact in our last day.

Day 11, June 19.

• Today we will be traveling home.  Pray for rest and patience before we see our friends and family tomorrow!

We are due to arrive home on June 20 at 12:02pm.  

I am hoping to update my blog to keep in touch as much as possible, and the church also has a blog: www.cpccglobal.org.  Or email me!  I appreciate all of your prayers and any encouragement you can provide.  You are all great!

Emily :)

emilyesnapp@gmail.com 

why a ten day trip costs $3,200.

Traveling.  Our trip will start at Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, Indiana.  We will fly out of Indianapolis to Atlanta, Georgia, then to Johannesburg, South Africa.  It is about a four hour drive from Johannesburg to where we will be staying.  Throughout the week we will make trips to and from the Care Point in Njojane.  And at the end of the trip, we will travel HOME!  Of course, international flights are expensive and jack up the costs of the trip.

Transporting the goods.  Connection Pointe is a partner community with Njojane, which means that more than 150 families in Brownsburg sponsor kids half way around the world.  (More about child sponsorship and One Child Matters here.)  Half of our luggage will be packed full of things that we can leave behind for the sponsor kids, and the kids that do not yet have sponsors.  Some of these items will be inflatable soccer balls, sticker books, playing cards, puzzles, school supplies, blankets, and craft supplies.  We are trying to leave as many things behind with them as we can without it being overwhelming or leaving too many new things that would put them at risk for people trying to steal from them.  My parents sponsor a kiddo named Ncedile, and I will actually get to meet the little one!  This is one of the moments I look forward to most.

Other expenses.  The cost of the trip also includes boring things like living accommodations, travel insurances, and food.  (Although I hear some of the food should be pretty interesting.)

Translators.  Some of the kids and Care Pointe workers may speak broken English, but the primary language in Swaziland is Siswati.  The translators will make it possible for us to communicate and interact with the kids while we are there.  This is a key component of our trip as we will be trying to encourage them, give them hope, and share the curriculum we have been preparing for the kids at the Care Pointe.  Our message themes are:

• God made me.
• God loves me.
• God wants to be my friend forever.

Crafts.  Each child will get a shirt that they can put their handprints on to make a heart like this:

Then we will help the kids draw a cross in the middle of the heart.  We hope that this reminds them of the message of God made me (and hands!), God loves me (the heart!), and God wants to be my friend forever (the cross is a symbol of his love and how we can be with Him forever!).  I know, it's adorable.  I am envisioning this being a chaotic and fun craft time with multiple languages, kids of all different ages, paint on hands, markers, etc. :)

I have also encountered some other preparation expenses in addition to the $3,200, which include passport and passport photo, Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccines, and culture-appropriate clothing.  Traveling out of the country is expensive!  

Here's where I'm at:

Some people have already helped me with the costs, and I cannot thank you enough (You might have a little Swazi souvenir coming your way)!  If you haven't contributed yet and would like to help me cover the costs of this trip, providing a little light and hope for these kids, your impact will be greater than you know.  You can donate here: http://cpccweb.org/globalgiving.

swaziland

Let me just tell you a little about where my heart and mind are this evening. 

On June 9-20, I will have the opportunity to travel to Swaziland on a Global Impact Trip with Connection Pointe Christian Church.  This was not an impulsive decision, but one that has years of thought and prayer behind it.  I have felt international missions on my heart for years, heard stories of other people going, passed up many opportunities, and finally made the decision to go in December.  I cannot tell you how excited I am to be stepping out in faith and to experience this journey. 

Swaziland has been hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic – hard; it is estimated that the infection rate may be as high as 40%.  This has left many children in Swaziland vulnerable or orphaned.  Because the culture of Swaziland is so family-focused, extended family members care for the orphans, rather than place them in an orphanage. 

Connection Pointe has built a partner relationship with the community of Njojane in Swaziland.  Part of the partnership includes Connection Pointe families sponsoring more than 180 kids and feeding 350 each day.  Connection Pointe has also built a Care Pointe in Njojane to help ease the burden on these families, providing meals, teaching them about Christ, offering medical care, and helping with their education.  While I am in Njojane, we will spend the majority of the time on church camp activities, investing in the children and staff at the Care Pointe, and ultimately encouraging hope in their community. 

Want to help? There are two ways you can support me on this journey. 

   1. Pray for my team and me.  If you are interested in helping me in this way, please email me at emilyesnapp@gmail.com. I am hoping for a team of about 5-10 prayer warriors!

   2. Help fund my trip.  The total cost of the trip is $3,200.  If you would like to contribute in this way, you can make a tax-deductible gift to Connection Pointe Christian Church here: http://www.connectionpointechurch.org/globalgiving.

If you have any questions, or want to hear about my trip when I get home, please let me know.  This has been quite the journey for me already, and I want to share it with you. 

Thank you for hearing my story, and thank you for being part of it.

In His Service,

Emily Snapp

(317) 498-4799