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Mission Trip Reports Trip Reports Home
Swaziland, Africa
Dream Team
| Trip Dates: | 5/23/2004 to 6/21/2004 |
| Age Group: | College-aged young adults |
| Status: | Completed |
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| Reports for Swaziland Trip |
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Phase #1 of project ends, now for Phase #2 !
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6/22/2004
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We have started the second phase of the project. For updates on how it is going, please click on this URL:
http://www.adventures.org/a/reports/r3re.asp?id=873&s=1
We will be posting daily updates and pictures. We are expecting God for great miracles - please be praying!
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6/21/2004
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Tracy from South Africa shared this story with the group at the final assembly:
“Before I came, I lost my parents. It was hard for me. I didn’t want to come on a mission trip at all. I didn’t want to share my life’s story with anyone; but I realized that God wanted to use my story to change lives.
“The teachers and headmasters of the schools we were working with one week were fantastic. I opened up and told them my story. God used my testimony to encourage these teachers and students to open up and share what they’ve been going through as well. A lot of people here have lost their parents; it was incredible to see how God worked through me since I could relate to them.
“I challenged the teachers to look at the children in their school as if they were their own kids. At the end of the day the teachers started to share their hearts. The deputy came to me at the end of the day and started pouring himself out.
‘I lost my wife,’ he said, ‘and I don’t know if it were AIDS or something else. What should I do?’
“I told him that the only way to be sure would be to check his blood. He said he was scared and he wanted to leave a good memory behind if he were going to die.
‘I’m not a Christian,’ the man said.
I told him how to accept Christ into his heart and he did right there in his office. He started crying.
“I then told the school of the importance of a father-daughter relationship.
‘He is their protector and their provider,’ I told them.
It was a like a light bulb went on in their heads. They said that I was there to enlighten them. Their lives are going to be different in the future. They are going to be better examples for their students, encourage abstinence, and a good lifestyle.”
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6/20/2004
By: Seth Barnes Jr. and Nathan Ricke, Media Team Members
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Another story from the assembly two nights ago:
A Swazi girl shared a touching story about one experience she had this month.
“Though I was from Swaziland, I could not relate to the kids that she talked to. I felt like a foreigner. I couldn’t relate to their abuse, their poverty, the fact that many of the young girls I conversed with sleep with men on a regular basis so that they could get money to pay for their schooling.
I was talking to some boys about abstinence at one of the schools one day and they said they couldn’t abstain.
‘Don’t you ever get worried about getting AIDS,’ I asked them.
One of the boys looked at her and responded, ‘Yeah that’s why we have to have sex with four and five year old girls. We know that they are too young to have AIDS already.’
“Later in the week, my team had a call for abstinence. In order to ensure sincerity, my team gave the Swazi high school students privacy as they wrote their name in the list for abstinence. After this event took place, I looked at the sheet of paper and noticed that this young boy’s name was listed in his handwriting. Seeing him later, I could tell that he was sincere and completely serious about his commitment.
“I miss my family and I want to be with my friends, but I thought about what would be beneficial in the long run. I decided that I could wait. Every day we sing ‘God it’s not about me, it’s about you.’ So I’m staying in Swaziland for another month.”
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6/19/2004
By: Seth Barnes Jr. and Nathan Ricke, Media Team Members
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As the transition between the two DFA mission trips begins, we will post the daily updates on the 5-23 Dream Team report as well as the 6-23 Dream Team report. The stories posted will be those shared in the assembly last night
Last night, at the final assembly of the month, several testimonies were shared.
One Latin American girl shared this story about her life and how she allowed God to use her in a marvelous way. “God blessed me tremendously in the past week,” she said. “Three years ago I was diagnosed with a disease that changed my life. I am still having pain right now. Years ago God put in my heart to go and be a part of one the biggest movements in a nation and I shared that with my best friend.
“I came across this verse later from Revelations 22, which reads, ‘Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.’ That verse touched me in a very encouraging way.
“It was amazing for me to live out that verse. There was a girl in the school I was working with this past month that I had been ministering to. I told her about Jesus and then asked her that if there were anything she could wish for, what would it be? She told me that her aunt has back pain that she would wish that she wouldn’t have pain any more.
“I asked her, ‘Do you think Jesus can heal your aunt?’
“’Yes,’ she said.
“I was nervous about this response. I was asking God, if I should really put His name on the line? Of course He did want me to because He is so faithful. I thought back to the time when some people prayed for me that God would use me to heal others. I put my hand on the girl’s back and started to pray for her aunt. I could feel under my hand that something was moving, and the little girl started to cry. God used me in a great way and showed me that I have to step out in faith to see him work, and he will remain faithful.”
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First project ends today
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6/18/2004
By: Seth Barnes, Project Leader
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Wow - what a day! We totalled up the number of commitments to abstinence so far: 15,483!
And although we are not specifically asking for commitments to Christ, a wave of students has been giving their lives to him. In our school alone (one of 31 we visited this week), 109 students gave themselves to Jesus as Lord.
In our school, virtually all of the 750 students are perpetually hungry, so we also helped plant 274 gardens. We began every day with a prayer meeting with the principal and teachers.
The highlight of the day came when we were able to meet the Queen Mother. Bruce, Darlene Marie, Nan, and I were ushered into a room. Everyone treated her with great reverence.
We thought the meeting would be short, but it went about two hours, culminating in an agreement between the two parties broadcast on national TV. She was very eager to see a partnership develop. She has been praying for such help for a long time.
Afterwards the counselor said that it was rare to have such an open and positive dialogue. We'll meet again with her next month.
Tonight we concluded the outreach with a service and with communion. The sense is that we are the forerunners of a turnaround in the country.
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6/17/2004
By: Seth Barnes Jr. and Nathan Ricke, Media Team Members
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An interesting story has been developing throughout the week in one of the rural schools. As the team scheduled to teach there arrived, they saw that the chief elder and all of the other elders of the village were gathered in the yard.
The elders had heard that the DFA teams were planting gardens at the schools they visited on Friday afternoons and, knowing the school had no water supply, had come to meet with the team and discuss possible solutions. Through the morning and into the afternoon, ideas were proposed, abandoned, and modified in an effort to set a course of action.
One aim of the Never Ending Gardens program is to involve the villages in the planting of and caring for the gardens. It is amazing that this community has shown such interest in taking ownership of this project—in the past, the most successful gardens have been those that the neighborhood has assumed control of right when they were planted.
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Revival breaks out in a classroom
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6/16/2004
By: Seth Barnes, Project Leader
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We knew it was going to be a good day when it began with a prayer meeting with the teachers. We began to get a clearer picture when students began coming to us for counseling.
“How do I learn to abstain?” The 15 year-old Swazi boy asked me.
“Do you struggle with that now?” I responded.
“Yes, my girlfriend is a temptation – my feelings make me want to have sex.”
We talked. I showed him 1 Corinthians 10:13, had him write it down, and asked him to memorize it. Our push for an abstinence commitment has run up against some major cultural barriers. These students want to change, but society is telling them it’s impossible.
I had just finished counseling the boy when a Swazi girl from a nearby class came looking for me. “You must come help Grace,” she said.
She led me to her classroom. Inside was Grace Hart with about 50 students, 15 or so of whom were lined up for prayer. Revival had broken out in the classroom! Grace had her arms on the shoulders of one student and was praying up a storm.
“All you young men come over here and form another line,” I announced, and began to pray for the first one. It became obvious that even the two of us were going to need more help, and that is what God sent us in the form of Kevin Rubottom and Mike Cahill who happened to poke their heads in to see what was going on.
Two lines quickly formed behind Kevin and Mike as they commenced to praying for the students. When they had all been prayed for, they began to loudly sing a hymn of praise. Wow – this is what we’ve been praying for! As goes a classroom, so can go a school. As goes a school, so can go a country. As goes a country, so can go a continent.
Later, as I was walking by another classroom, the students inside cried out, “Come teach us!” Their teacher wasn’t around, so I walked in and began to talk to them. I didn’t preach; I mostly asked questions. Did they feel that it was hard to abstain? Did they believe that prayer could help? Did they know that God loves them and wants to talk to them? How many would like to learn how to talk with God? (they all did and I led them in a prayer) Who would like to talk or pray further with me individually? (seven raised their hands).
Later, in the teachers’ lounge, I related some of this to the teachers. They agreed that something must be done to sustain what God has started, but as the assistant headmaster stated, “We don’t want to take this away from the students, we need to support and encourage them.” They agreed to form a committee to do this. They are coming back to me on Friday with a plan. On Monday, two of the teachers sought me out for prayer. Today, both of them were helping lead the meeting.
It was a good day. Just the third day of a five day outreach. Just the 80th school of 193 we will be reaching over these two months.
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At Mayini High School
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6/15/2004
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This week is flying by and it has become difficult to keep up with these entries. We were told there are 500 students there in 15 classrooms. Instead, there are 700 in 12 classrooms. Class sizes range as high as 74 in number.
When you go into a classroom with that many students in it, your most difficult challenge is to connect with individual students. This is compounded by the fact that many Swazis are naturally shy. Playing games helps.
Probably the most shocking thing to hear came when we talked to the teachers.
“What immediate problems do you face here?” We asked.
“All the students are hungry.”
“What do you mean?”
“They don’t get to eat much. Some only get one meal a day.”
“Well, what can we do? Will it help to plant gardens?”
“Yes. And if you could help us get a soup kitchen, that would be good.”
So tomorrow we’re going to take seedlings with us to plant near the school. One of our team members is a pastor who has started 9 soup kitchens – we hope to start one. In addition, we’re going to start praying with the teachers at 8:00. We’re hoping for a revival in the school.
Today we saw that even on Tuesday, we can begin to make a difference in individual lives. We wondered whether if we offered to counsel them anyone would ask to be let out of class to come talk to us.
We had walked around to each of the classes with an offer to talk confidentially with anyone who had issues in their lives. After the break, they streamed out to talk to us. Many of them suffer from abuse or, to pay school fees or get food, have to turn to prostitution. It's a difficult thing to hear. We prayed with them and expect to have many more opportunities to pray one-on-one tomorrow.
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6/15/2004
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The first day at the schools revealed God’s power in a brand new way. As usual, the DFA teams introduced their new group of Swazi high school students to the Beat the Drum curriculum, the Dream for Africa campaign, and abstinence from premarital by showing the movie, Beat the Drum. Most teams also had time to build relationships somewhat by playing games with the students and talking to them.
The area in the school systems that is creating the most concern is the leadership. Some teachers abuse their students and get away with it. Headmasters are even shocked that such things happen in their schools. Moreover, in some cases, even headmasters take advantage of the students. Fortunately, God is proving he is faithful no matter what the case.
Today, at one of the schools, the headmaster shared his notion that all AIDS programs’ motive is to get money. He was so adamantly opposed to this conception that he wished the people involved with those programs would get AIDS. Only then would they understand what AIDS victims go through and be able to relate, he argued. This particular headmaster only gave the DFA teams one hour per day to work with the students. Today he graciously gave the teams two hours in order to show the movie “Beat the Drum.”
God worked through the teachers to provide more time. They gave up all of their class time, the whole school day, to the teams. It was an incredible day; God worked in the students. At the end of the day students were lining up to commit to abstinence. Usually the schools are called for public abstinence on Thursday; it was a miracle to see the response from the Swazi students. Praise God.
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6/13/2004
By: Seth Barnes Jr. and Nathan Ricke, Media Team Members
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This weekend was another breath of fresh air for the DFA teams. After a week of hard work at the schools, it was nice to have some free time. This past week was an incredible week for most schools. Miracles happened, healings changed people’s lives, gardens were planted, students committed their lives to abstinence from premarital sex, and teachers committed themselves to the students.
The two most encouraging things of the week, the places where I personally saw God work the most, were in the teachers and through one particular South African. Towards the end of the week, the teachers of one school came together, forming a pact of commitment to their students. It was a miracle to see the whole school system change in some schools as students and teachers committed themselves to honesty and loyalty to each other.
The South African who God worked through on Thursday, Jaco, challenged new Christian students by asking them if they believed God could really do miracles. About twelve young people were healed, including one students whose shorter leg literally grew as Jaco prayed, making them both equal in length. Praise God that he showed his power this week. Thank you for your prayers; I know God works when people pray.
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6/12/2004
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Many team members were able to be instruments of healing for their students this past week, helping them deal with pain from their past. One female team member wanted this story in particular to be shared through the nightly update.
One of her students had been raped when she was sixteen years old. Lying in a hospital bed recovering from the physical damage inflicted upon her body, she learned that she was pregnant. Hospital workers and others tried to convince her to have an abortion, but she chose to bear the child to term. Her mother supported her decision and helped her through the pregnancy and the emotional pain caused by the gossip that floated around the village.
She now is the mother of a beautiful baby boy but has been struggling to understand why this happened to her. Through the counseling of her teacher, one of the DFA team members, she was able to see that God had a plan for her and this child, and that he had been there all along to watch over her.
It is truly amazing how God has been using the DFA teams to minister to his hurting children. We have seen many students show an interest in learning about God and some who have decided to make a commitment to live their lives for Him.
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6/10/2004
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Today’s update is a number of amazing stories.
Rubin Van Rooyen, a DFA team leader, shared this story about his experience at school today:
A teacher got a phone call from SOS, a local school. The person on the other line said that for a few years they had been praying that the government would come and change the school system. The school said last week that this prayer was answered because the teachers took action. The teachers are now supporting each other and committing to abstinence; they support the students and give particular attention to the orphans. It was a miracle.
Today Barbara Beale shared the following story:
In class today we were talking about Jesus and we asked if anyone liked or agreed with what we talked about. Everyone said they did but this one guy. He told us he was a Satanist. We started talking to the whole class about how one has to be saved to have eternal life. They were shocked, and apparently understood everything. I noticed that the Satanist kept nodding his head the whole time. Afterward we started talking and I asked him what he thought. He said he wanted a Bible and to accept Jesus. Afterward two girls walked up to me and asked how they could have eternal life. I told them and they accepted Jesus into their hearts together with me.
This, another story shared by a DFA team member about his day today:
During our meeting with the whole school when the students have a chance to commit to abstinence before the whole school, a bunch of teachers gave their testimonies and told the students that they would also be committing to not have sex before marriage. The boldness in the students who went up to tell that they are going to abstain and give a brief testimony was amazing. The support of the six teachers who gave their testimony was unbelievable. One gave an incredible rallying speech about how he was going to abstain from sex outside of marriage. He told the students that his wife is the love of his life and he would remain faithful to her for the rest of his life.
One of the African DFA members was excited to share a story about his experience today at the school he has been helping for the past week. “Five boys,” he said “came to me and told me how many girlfriends they have. We tried to help them and counsel them. They ended up counseling themselves. It was like a court case. By the end they were saying, ok, we’re going to call them right now and tell them we’re not going to be sleeping around at all. We are only going to have one girlfriend and we will treat her right and with respect.” This last statement was incredible to hear. Guys that respect girls in Swaziland aren’t so prevalent.
Another person’s team spent some time talking with the school’s teachers. The teachers said they would have a club to help their students. The club will encourage the students to abstain and the teachers will participate in that as well. They talked about fundraisers to help students out who can’t pay for school. The club will also help girls that are letting themselves be sexually abused to get money for school. They acknowledged their responsibility as teachers and that the students look up to them as parents. There is still a problem with the parents, however, because they have to have the same attitude and viewpoints that the teachers do for everything to be effective. Not only did the teachers commit themselves to teaching abstinence to the students and supporting them, they will also do the same for the community.
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6/9/2004
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This morning was a busy time for many at the Emafini Dream for Africa office as the first press conference since the teams arrived took place. Reporters from television, radio, and newspapers arrived at 10am to preview Beat the Drum, pick up a press packet, and ask the leadership a few questions about the program. In addition to the Dream for Africa leadership, several members of the media team contributed their talents in preparing for the press conference.
The Media Team was assembled with several purposes in mind. One focus of the team is to film and produce a feature-length documentary on the Beat the Drum initiative, using two Dallas Baptist students as the primary characters. Other members of that team and Swazi students that they build relationships with are also an important part of the film.
Several short promotional videos for various organizations involved with DFA are also on the agenda. A coffee table book of photographs taken by three of the teams photographers is also being put together to raise funds for future work in Swaziland. The team is responsible for posting updates to the AIM website.
Members of the Media Team have had many opportunities to be involved in outreach to the community. Hospitals, day cares, and orphanages are among the many doors that have ben opened to members of the team, aiding them in telling the story of HIV\AIDS in Swaziland.
A note on the photographs that have been posted thus far: all images are by Jenn Lewis or James Jakubowski.
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6/9/2004
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The second day of teaching in the schools was eye opening. The realization that this country really is dying and has a genuine and unique need for healing and love was reinforced in a new way today. The teams spent time introducing the “Beat the Drum” curriculum and counseling students today. One school set up counseling for their school and forty-four students responded. This was particularly awesome because it is Tuesday, only the second day at the schools and the first day introducing abstinence in the schools. Praise God for that.
The DFA teams had the special pleasure tonight of meeting the fourth queen of Swaziland and hearing her speak. All of the DFA members cheered as she walked up to speak on behalf of the nation. She strongly and openly supports abstinence from a Christian point of view. After she spoke, we prayed for her. It was evident by her tears that the queen was touched. God was present as we praised Him and prayed for the nation of Swaziland.
Monica Wagner and Lisa Marty shared the following story:
We were praying about what to do next. We saw three teachers standing in the field. After a while, two of them left. The one that remained asked us, “How do you treat someone who is already infected with AIDS?”
“They need to be accepted,” we responded. We encouraged her by saying, “You’re an example to other teachers. Thank you for your example. When we were about to leave, we asked if we could pray for her. “Could you pray for my sister? She’s close by in her house.” We said, “Yes,” and went to her house.
Inside we were shocked. We’d never seen someone as sick with AIDS as this woman. Her eyes were deeply set in their sockets. The room smelled of death. The teacher said to her sister, “These people are here to pray with you.” It was so meaningful to be able to pray for her. Everything we’ve been sharing with the students in the classroom came alive at that moment.
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6/7/2004
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Today was the start of a new week at a new high school. Every Monday the DFA teams show “Beat the Drum” to the new schools, play games, and spend time with the kids. It was a more relaxed day for the Swazi high school students. “Beat the Drum” is the foundation of the curriculum they will be teaching for the rest of the week. Building relationships at the beginning of the week is also critical.
The most interesting story from today is cause to rejoice. Last week a guy named Tabo spent a lot of his time with a particular Swazi kid at the high school his team was assigned to. The two got along particularly well and quickly built a relationship. Tabo was able to minister directly into this boy’s life and show him what a life in Christ would be like.
On Thursday, the second to last day at the schools, the Swazi boy looked all over for Tabo, but was unable to find him. He wrote a note to Tabo and gave it to a DFA team member. In it the boy expressed his thankfulness toward Tabo as well as his desire to become a Christian. “I’m ready,” it read, “but I can’t find you.”
The whole weekend Tabo had this boy on his mind, unable to get back to the school. Today Tabo’s team dropped him off at the boy’s school and left him with his two rand to get a cab back. He found the boy, led him to the Lord and caught a cab back with his two rand. Heaven was rejoicing today because of Tabo’s obedience. Praise God.
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6/7/2004
By: Seth Barnes, Jr. and Nathan Ricke, Media Team Members
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The end of a very productive week has come. I get the impression that all the team members are rested up and ready to go out to new high schools. It was a very relaxing weekend. To put a recap on the past week, the DFA teams went out to several of Swaziland’s high schools and taught abstinence from AIDS while hearing the students’ stories and cries for help. The teams brought hope into the Swazi high school students’ lives by counseling and befriending them.
One story that I think encapsulates the way the DFA teams changed Swazi students’ lives was told last Thursday by Lance Gardner, a DBU student. Lance had been talking the majority of the day with a Swazi student, befriending him, and showing a genuine care for this young man’s life. In their classes, the Swazi students were prompted to write a story about their life.
After collecting all of the stories, Lance read this young man’s story. He found out that the student was very depressed and hated his life. He was so depressed that he planned on taking his own life. After he read it, Lance didn’t even have time to find this kid to talk to him, the kid found him. He needed someone to talk to. Lance immediately turned to God’s word and started sharing the truth and hope found in a life with Christ. The young student was so excited to hear about this that he committed himself to the Lord and abstinence right there with Lance.
Lance obeyed what the Lord was telling him to do and was able to not only save someone from ending his life, but also present to him eternal life. It is amazing to see how God can work through a person.
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6/6/2004
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The first full week of teaching at high schools is over. DFA’s vision is for Swaziland to be free from the captivity of AIDS and this past week was historic as the program began successfully in high schools. While it is a relief for the teams and staff to have one week under its belt, the day also carried with it a sense of loss: for most, they won’t see the Swazi high school students with which they have developed a relationship. Yet we can celebrate our new brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who have committed their lives to abstinence until marriage.
Today was a day of relaxation and reflection for all. Some of the DFA teams went to markets while others hiked. For others, sleeping and eating sufficed. Still they found time to meditate on the happenings of the past week. The day ended with an excellent traditional American meal: steak and potatoes topped off with hot fudge and ice cream.
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6/4/2004
By: Nathan Ricke and Seth Barnes, Jr., Media Team Members
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The pain caused by AIDS was still evident in the students as they continued to share their stories with the teams and ask for advice and guidance. This poem was written by a young lady for the weekly talent show that the students put together.
AIDS
AIDS, who are you?
Are you a thief?
Thieves get caught and arrested
But you are never caught.
You steal people’s lives
Leaving them bereaved.
You separate lovers;
You separate a child from its mother;
You separate a millionaire from his wealth;
You separate a poor man from poverty;
You separate a king from his nation.
You are devastating people’s lives.
AIDS, you don’t have a conscious.
You are like a devil who dislikes good,
Surely you shall consume the world.
Where do you take all the people’s lives to?
Are your graves not getting full?
Their world is crying—please, bear with it.
Change your heart,
Think of the bereaved world.
Brothers and sisters, lets fight AIDS;
Mothers and fathers, lets conquer the killer disease.
Condoms can minimize the spread of AIDS,
But surely abstinence can save our lives:
Together we can fight AIDS.
By Lasally Howard
Form 2B – St. Joseph High
Today the DFA teams said goodbye to the students they have come to know this past week. The last day of class was spent answering any questions that students may have had after choosing to sign, or not to sign, the abstinence pledge. Thank God for an excellent week in the schools and for the rest the teams will catch up on this weekend.
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6/3/2004
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Today was the day that students were challenged to make a commitment to abstain until marriage and, not surprisingly, stories of pain and abuse continued to pour out. One student said to her DFA instructor, “My sister’s uncle wants to have sex with me. What do I do?” Other students admitted to promiscuous lifestyles and the consequences of their past choices.
It was also a day of encouraging testimonies and hope. One female student thanked her team saying, “I was raped and thought my life was finished. But this week I realized I can make a new start.” About 400 students came forward to add their name to the list of those dedicated to abstinence in one of the urban schools; other schools saw nearly 90% of the students make the decision to wait for marriage.
Students were practically fighting for the pen so they could write their name down on the abstinence list. “They really meant it,” says Deon. “I was standing against a wall watching the mob of kids streaming forward to write their name down. I was on the verge of tears. All of a sudden this guy touched me on the shoulder and said, ‘I want to thank you for everything you told me. For everything you’ve done. I am so thankful for you. Thank you for telling me about abstinence. Thank you for coming to my school.’ And he held out his hand. I shook his hand and he wouldn’t let go. He then gave me a hug, which is unusual as adult Swazis are not physically affectionate in public. After that another guy came and told me that he didn’t want to sign the book. ‘I don’t want to do it just because everyone else is,’ he said. ‘It’s in the heart. And I have made that decision and I just wanted to come tell you that.”
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6/3/2004
By: Nathan Ricke and Seth Barnes Jr.
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One student went to a market after school to buy some souvenirs for friends and family at home. As he was making a few purchases he saw a member of his team, a Swazi, speaking with some friends. He walked up to join them and heard that they were talking about how they had not eaten in a few days. Many people have sacrificed countless times to come to Swaziland this summer, but some still have more that they can give and tonight, in the evening debriefing, this student asked that something be done about these hungry people. Wallets came out and purses were unzipped as people gave to help feed those who had nothing to eat. Students went back to their room to get more money and one even dropped an extra pair of shoes in the makeshift collection bucket.
This Friday, DFA teams will be planting five gardens per team member at the school they are teaching in and the surrounding community, and tonight they received basic instruction in how to plant these small cabbage and spinach plots. The Never-ending Gardens program, named because of a farming technique in which the outside leaves are pulled off allowing one plant to produce food for up to nine months, is another part of the Dream for Africa that is trying to relieve the hunger of Swaziland.
In one classroom today, Swazi students wanted to know how they could remain abstinent with so much pressure to give in to fleshly desires. Rather than answering the question, the DFA team member challenged his class to come up with some of their own suggestions, solutions they felt they could maintain and would be effective. One Swazi student stood and said that it would help to form accountability groups that everyone could be a part of. Being responsible to one’s peers, he believed, would encourage students to make a commitment and be honest and steadfast in that decision.
Many breakthroughs continue to be made with hurting students. Stories of abuse and mistreatment are not rare and students are beginning to share their pain with team members, hoping that someone will be able to help them and tell them that it is not their fault.
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6/3/2004
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Yesterday the reports of participants connecting with students flooded in at the debrief session. The heart rending testimonies were the ones where students said, "I've got AIDS and have been considering committing suicide. What should I do?"
One college student was overwhelmed by the memories that flooded back to her of being abused by two uncles. She ran out of the room sobbing. Later Marylin was able to counsel and pray with her. Over the course of their time together, Jesus set her free! The smile on her face was wonderful to behold.
Last night was beautiful during our evening meeting. One of the Swazis told about how a friend of his had come to him in tears and said, "I take care of these orphans and they are so hungry and haven't eaten for days - can you help me?"
After hearing this story, the participants responded with a flood of generosity, emptying their pockets spontaneously. About $1200 was collected!
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24
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6/1/2004
By: Nathan Ricke and Seth Barnes, Jr., Media Team Members
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First off, we would like to clarify an earlier statement regarding the presence of security guards at the University of Swaziland and some possible safety concerns. The area in which the University is located is a safe environment for the students to be living in, one reason for which it was chosen. Similar to American universities, the school has its own private security team to ensure that everything on campus runs smoothly and according to plan. If you have a son or daughter staying at the university, there is no need to worry about their safe-being as that is a primary concern of the leadership and staff with the Dream for Africa and AIM. We would like to apologize for the miscommunication and reiterate that the students are in a safe environment.
AIDS carries with it an overwhelming sense of shame and disgrace, sealing the lips of those that it has affected. Even during interviews, students who are willing to speak about the disease are often embarrassed and ridiculed by peers. Orphans will not say that AIDS took their parents; instead they say it was a car crash or “sickness”. To minister to the needs of these children, to free them to say what they really are thinking and feeling, the Dream for Africa teams had students write out an anonymous question or story about AIDS.
One such story was submitted by a girl at SOS, a high school outside of Mbabane, the capital city:
“After watching the movie, “Beat the Drum,” I learnt that you should speak out for yourselves and don’t be shy, especially if you have been abused. I know a friend who kept quiet about such a thing, in fact, she was raped by her own father. She tried containing this thing, but she was so stressed and mad at everybody and thought that her only way out was to commit suicide. We were all shocked to hear such news. The movie has taught me a lot. For example, how ignorance can lead to your own death and that knowledge is power, because if the people hadn’t gathered in the church meeting they wouldn’t have gained any knowledge about this disease and HI virus they were so afraid to talk about. And more especially you should love one another whether good, sick, or have AIDS. Please do not discriminate against people who are infected with AIDS because tomorrow it might be you. Thank you for your time.”
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23
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6/1/2004
By: Seth Barnes Jr., Media Team Member
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“Are there any poverty stricken areas in the U.S.?”
“Do you know any movie stars?”
“Is what happens in movies and TV true?”
“What is the weather like in the U.S.?”
These were some of the dominant questions asked by the Swazi high school students. It was intriguing to see that most of their questions were inspired by American entertainment. They found it hard to segregate Hollywood drama and reality. It was interesting for me to experience first hand the different culture and view America from their perspective. They view American citizens as wealthy, famous, and powerful.
To go against the overriding current of the American dream and establish a new reputation that contradicts everything that distinguishes an American to them is a difficult task (a hint of what to pray for). Fortunately they do understand relationship, friendship, and companionship. This door into their life is difficult because the DBU students will only be at one Swazi high school per week.
Rationally, only a select few of the students from DBU will feel the Lord’s calling on Swaziland, which means almost every one of the Swazi high school students will not see the DBU students that they’ve come to love this week. The foundation of this blitz to every high school in Swaziland in two months has to be God. He’s the only one that they can really keep a relationship with. May God use these American teams to effectively touch Swaziland in whatever way He sees fit.
In addition to befriending the Swazi students, the teams also showed “Beat the Drum” to every school. This movie is the foundation of the curriculum.
One of the students, Virgil Rule, shared his experiences of the day. “I experienced God moving in the schools where we were. You have to choose to do something even though you don’t feel like doing it. I felt really proud of myself. During break time I taught the guys how to play rugby and afterwards I asked a guy to show me around. There were a group of guys I came to and they asked me, ‘Are you a virgin?’ and I said yes. They couldn’t believe it. After a little more conversation the boy told me, ‘Well I’m going to abstain from sex for the rest of my life or until I get married.’ I was really proud of myself today, to be able to say I’m a virgin and have an impact on a high school boy’s life.”
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22
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5/30/2004
By: Nathan Ricke and Seth Jr.
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Tomorrow we enter the schools! After nearly a week of preparation and training, everyone is ready to begin teaching the “Beat the Drum” curriculum. The first day in the high schools will be spent playing games and getting to know the students as it is important that the Swazi teenagers and administrators become familiar and comfortable with the Dream for Africa teams.
Dini Esterhuizen and several of the students prepared short skits to illustrate various personal ministry opportunities that may be encountered in the coming weeks. Using “Beat the Drum” as a springboard for discussion works well, said Dini, because the Swazis may not share personal stories but they will say that they identify with a particular character in the film. By knowing which character that a Swazi student considers themselves most similar to, our team members can more easily minister to and pray for that student.
In the evening the Dream for Africa teams received more training in the curriculum.
This first week will be a learning experience for all members of the Dream for Africa, leaders and students, as we all find out what works and how we need to change our approach in the schools. One week is not a lot of time to prepare so our training will continue as the program’s inaugural week commences.
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21
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5/29/2004
By: Nathan Ricke
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Before the sun was up, hundreds of students and leaders had already spent an hour before the Lord. Three headmasters cancelled the program and five had not yet confirmed with the Dream for Africa that the students would be welcome on their campuses, so everyone rose at 5 a.m. to pray for Swaziland and its people. Jen Fodor found this an excellent way to begin both her day and her ministry. “Sacrificing that extra sleep was a way we could demonstrate to God our desire to change this country, by really putting into action the passion we have been talking about for the past few months.” Several members of the Dream for Africa team spent the day contacting the headmasters and a few of the headmasters confirmed, bringing the total to 25 schools our teams will enter Monday morning.
The teams spent more time together going through the curriculum and discussing their strategies within the schools. I am encouraged to see everything so organized and well run. The teams spent this morning and early afternoon doing some team building activities to further identify strengths and weaknesses among team members as well as build further unity. I think everyone is just about ready to go out to the schools. By Monday, I am confident that the students will be fully prepared to teach the Swazi high school students about abstinence.
Later in the afternoon, Dini Esterhuizen taught the students, in sessions, how to do personal and public ministry. It was extremely helpful information as we are in a country with people who need an endless amount of help. It was one of the best teachings on ministry I’ve heard. Mrs. Esterhuizen shared some excellent stories. She has the extraordinary ability of making people passionate about the Lord, just as she is. I get the impression that everyone is sincere about what they’re doing here and look forward with eager expectation to do whatever the Lord asks of them.
After a marvelous meal (every meal thus far has been superb), “Beat the Drum” was shown again for any students who had not yet seen the movie.
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20
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5/29/2004
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We're in Swaziland! Praise God for safe journeys. Thank you so much for your prayers. We did have a few vehicles get flat tires and one of the bus drivers got a speeding ticket, but after about 7 hours of driving, everyone made it here safely. Everyone is staying at Swaziland's one and only, University of Swaziland. The team leaders have said that the campus is safe, although they are in a very dangerous part of town. Last night after a wonderful dinner everyone went to bed, only to wake up again bright and early at 5:00 for prayer. We are in a dangerous place, so it is crucial that you cover the team with prayer. There is no need to worry, though. If the students are smart and don't go out by themselves, nothing should go wrong. Spiritual warfare; however, is something going on everywhere. It is important that everyone prays against the forces of the enemy at all times.
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19
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5/27/2004
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This morning was the last teaching by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. He concluded his sermons with a challenge: that the students would ask God what sexual sins are preventing them from having a pure relationship with Him. Once the students did that, they were then to write down all the sins that God brings to their minds. The final step was to go down the list and praying for forgiveness for those sins. I did this myself and found that after it all there was a sense of unity with Christ that I haven’t felt in a long time. Too long! I know that the students here will make this a habit in their lives. Everyone presented a genuine desire to draw closer to God. It is incredible to see so many eager hearts together in one place. God is moving in these student’s lives. He really is transforming our hearts and renewing our minds.
Last night one student met a member of the media team while he was walking. They stopped to talk and the media team member asked him how this young man was doing; how he was taking Dr. Wilkinson’s teachings and applying it to his life. The student started to cry. “I never cry,” he said as he told the team member how God was changing his life. His story is not unique, though. Many students are experiencing growing pains in their spiritual journey as they prepare to transform Swaziland. - Seth Barnes Jr. (media team)
Rusty Combs writes:
Last night was simply astounding. I will try and tell you in a few words how God totally changed so many things in my life, it is impossible, but I am young and foolish. When challenged to look back on my life and see what needed confession, I immediately remembered one of the guys on the trip that I had held a grudge against since the first day of school back in August. I knew I had to confess to him, but I was so afraid of what he would say, and if it would just push me down further. Well, last night God told me to go so I did, and when I confessed it to him he had nothing but complete forgiveness for me, and we had a prayer time of such sweet intimacy with the Lord. In fact I believe now that we actually have a friendship where one was impossible before because of my wall I had put up. This was amazing, but God was not finished. I went to the altar and experienced brokenness as I have only had once in my life. God flooded me with His forgiveness and truth and set me free from my self for the first time that I can even remember! Since then Satan has still been attacking me, but God’s truth has been my stronghold and it has continued to bring me joy that one cannot experience outside of Christ! This testimony is not of my strength, but that God is the fountain of living water and our true life, and His grace is sufficient to sustain us through anything. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, for whoever Christ sets free is free indeed!
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18
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5/25/2004
By: Nathan Ricke
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Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).
Today the sun rose into a gorgeous blue sky without a cloud in sight. We thank God for the amazing weather we have had thus far in South Africa. Most of the day was spent in training and fellowship as the teams continued to prepare for next week. Bruce Wilkinson shared another message after breakfast, challenging the students commit to refraining from all sexual impurity for the three weeks they are in Swaziland. “You have to be pure of the sin you are coming against,” he asserted, calling on all of the participants to spend time with the Lord to cleanse themselves of all sexual immorality before Thursday night.
Kevin Rubottom had a few words that he wished to share with everyone back home:
Before coming here, all of us were partially aware of the AIDS pandemic and how many lives it has affected. But today all of us were blessed with an opportunity to hear the personal testimonies of two Swazi students.
During the curriculum training, Anne Marie asked students to demonstrate courage by sharing a personal story. One of the first volunteers was a Swazi dream team member and this is what he shared, “When my father died, they told me that he died of a curse. I knew that he died of AIDS. In my country thousands of people continue to believe that AIDS is a curse. AIDS is a deadly virus that continues to kill my people and we must get this truth out.” When he finished the room was silent, as all the students encountered the AIDS pandemic on a personal level. After the gentleman shared his story, another Swazi student stood up and began to speak, “I want to share with all of you the reason that I am here and why I want to change to world and save Swaziland. When I was young, my father died of AIDS. Now my mother is on her deathbed and she is about to die of AIDS. My uncle and aunt also died of AIDS. We must stop this deadly virus from spreading.”
As I said before, the majority of the students from the US were familiar with the statistics that surrounded AIDS in Africa. It was truly life changing to see these abstract statistics turned into people, faces, and personal stories. On Friday we will be leaving for Swaziland and all those involved will hear many similar stories from the Swazi students.
~ Kevin Rubottom
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5-25-04
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5/25/2004
By: Nathan Ricke
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The day began with Bruce Wilkinson challenging everyone involved with the Dream for Africa initiative to keep the vision for this summer miraculous. Too often, he said, we take the instructions the Lord has given us and boil them down to something a little more manageable, removing God from his own work. Bruce’s objective for the Dream for Africa is to have 95% of the Swazi students make an honest commitment to abstain from sexual activity until marriage. He reminded everyone that God did not need years to save the nation of Swaziland—he would do it this summer.
Just before lunch, all of the volunteers were separated into --- Dream Teams, each made up of both Africans and Americans. This gave them the opportunity to eat together and begin developing as a group. In the afternoon, those who had not yet watched “Beat the Drum”, the movie which is to be shown to every high school student in Swaziland this summer, were given the chance to see it. The teams were also given their first opportunity to begin learning the curriculum they will be using for the next three weeks.
Two photographers had the opportunity to visit a hospital and a refugee village. “We had the opportunity to pray with some of the people we met,” said James Jakubowski. “That was an eye opening experience, to see the devastation of AIDS and poverty on the people and how we were able to minister to them.” Similar opportunities will be abundant this summer and everyone is excited to witness God’s healing in Swaziland.
The Lord is preparing his people for a great movement, the likes of which has never been seen before. The Dream for Africa has the potential to become the greatest mission’s movement in Africa of the last century.
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16
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5/24/2004
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Youth for Christ Camp - South Africa
UPDATE 5-24-04
The teams of students are continuing to arrive safely and settle into their dorms. In spite of the draining flights, everyone is excited to be here and is quickly getting to know each other. We have settled down to a great meal, and are looking forward to the welcoming assembly tonight. The weather is beautiful, and many bright stars are already visible. The rest of the week will focus on intense training for ministry and teaching in Swaziland, and give the various American and African groups an opportunity to bond.
We are confident in the knowledge that out friends and family at home are supporting us with prayer. We will be posting updated prayer requests and thanks to help direct the efforts.
Prayer requests and praises for 5-24-04
- Please pray for continued strength for Bruce Wilkinson.
- Many different nationalities and ethnicities will be coming together in ministry teams throughout the week. Pray that the will of God transpires, and that everyone will experience the blessings of unity and bonding in Christ.
- Please pray that the programs run smoothly throughout the week.
- It is important for the students to be in the best of health and frame of mind possible so that no time will be wasted. Pray that transitions between time zones will be smooth, and that jet lag will be minimal.
- We leave Friday afternoon for Swaziland, so please pray for safety in the drive and travel.
- Continue to provide a prayer cover for all the leaders, and that God’s wisdom and protection would continue in abundance.
- Pray for God’s presence to be demonstrated, not only to us, but also to the people of Swaziland. Pray that God will prepare their hearts for his ministry.
- Please continue your prayer for Swaziland, and for good reception of the ministry and teaching among the students.
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15
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5/23/2004
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For a more complete report, please see the prayer page today.
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Staff is all here!
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5/22/2004
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Seth and his team, plus the media team, and the serve team have arrived safely today in Johannesburg. He, Gareth, Jumbo and Andy immediately went into a meeting. The latest budgets show us $100,000 short in funding the African participants(so please pray). We’re trusting God for donations that will make up for this shortfall.
It is such a blessing being able to watch God bring together an amazing team of warriors. With the commencement of the project only days away, the teams are scrambling taking care of the last of the logistics work.
Everyone that is on the ground is very excited about what God has in store for us this summer. The next couple of days will be filled with staff meetings and will also serve as opportunity for people to get to know one another. Through the weekend, the various teams will be finding out their specific roles for the summer and all will be preparing for the training camp that starts Monday. We’ll keep you updated as to the events taking place as soon as possible.
Seth and Kevin
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13
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5/18/2004
By: Seth Barnes, Project Leader
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We need to ramp up our prayer support. We face what may be the greatest spiritual challenge of our lifetimes. We must be united in prayer.
The reports from the field are coming our way fast and furiously now as we enter the last stages of the set up process. I just spoke with Blair Blackburn and he said that the 111 DBU students and leaders are primed and ready to go.
At this hour, Bruce and Anna-Marie are showing "Beat the Drum" to the high school principals of Swaziland. Tomorrow they will be training them.
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Last week before the project!
12
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5/17/2004
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Bruce and Anna-Marie are training the Swazi school principals on Tuesday with a Beat The Drum showing on Monday night.
Gareth is on a fund raising trip in Swaziland.
Jumbo and a team are doing setup.
Kevin Rubottom is the first of a series of Americans arriving this week. He gets off the plane in Jo-burg this afternoon. Those to follow: Erin, John, Amanda, Seth, the Team Mentors, the Media Team, and the Serve Team.
We were given access to the 500,000 Rand gift that will help underwrite the purchase of much of the DVD equipment. Now we just need to raise funds for another eight DVD kits.
It looks as though we’re close to completing the 400,000 Rand gift that will help underwrite the costs of many of the African participants. Pray that we can get this money this week.
We still need gifts totaling about $100,000 to fund the 500 students scheduled to go on the second project. Or, we look to cover the food costs of one African for three weeks: $63. If you are interested, please contact us.
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Countdown to project
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5/13/2004
By: Seth Barnes, Project Leader
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Our advance team is now working around the clock on two continents to pull together the final details of the project. Anna-Marie's computer is constantly humming as she and Anita continue to fine-tune the curriculum.
Assisting them are Gwyneth and Gabri. In Swaziland, Uncle Solomon and Jumbo are finalizing our room and board arrangements. Because it has been difficult to find funding for the African participants, we're trying to find inexpensive places to stay.
Our ministry in Swaziland will be two-fold:
a. Public, class-room based using the Beat the Drum curriculum, and
b. Private, after class conversation-based (between individual students and team members)
A good public outreach will lead to effective private ministry. Two skill sets are required. For the classroom, our participants have got to be able to hold the attention of 50 students (two participants per class) interacting with them and making the material dynamic.
For the informal conversations that take place after class, participants need to have good listening skills. They need to be able to empathize and pray with students as they share their issues of pain and loss.
Back here in America, Paul Van Der Werf completed the Mentor Manual yesterday. The Media Team is finalizing its list of projects. Kevin and Tori are working on a variety of projects. John and Erin are preparing to train staff on their roles when they leave on Tuesday.
More updates tomorrow - let me suggest you sign up for automatic notification of when this site has been updated.
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Health & Safety on the DBU Project
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1/18/2004
By: Seth Barnes, AIM Ex. Director
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This first report is intended to help those of you who would like more information about what we're doing to manage the risks on this project. My notes follow. Stay tuned to this web page as we will be updating the progress of our prototype project in the next two weeks! Much of what we learn will be reflected in our plans for the May 21 project.
Health & Safety on the DBU Project
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40 Teams grouped in 4-5 areas. Each week another grouping of schools.
4 DBU students per team
6 African students per team
Staffing plan
1) AIM project staff
2) 8 Area directors from DBU
3) Local Swazi staff
4) Identify one student per team to be a health & safety coordinator
Training
Student coordinators trained in advance.
Each week area directors check out particular health and safety issues in new areas.
Swazi & S. African participants trained in helping protect Americans.
Rules
No women unaccompanied by males in public areas.
Buddy system – buddies of same sex are accountable for safety & moral conduct
In homes - no pairing off.
No swimming to avoid possibility of parasites
Communication
With parents: comprehensive & frequent on web at this site
With all 40 teams
A plan for each of the venues
Optimal: Phone contact
Next best: Radio or walki-talki
Minimal: Daily visits by area director
Weekly debriefs by team by area
Morality issues within the team monitored & debriefed daily by team
Lodging
Assess security – locks, proximity to neighbors
Assess malaria risk
Females in pairs
Transportation on ground
Assess: How far from schools will participants housing be?
Assess the following:
Road safety
Bandits
Public transportation
Private cars
Health
Identify closest clinics/hospitals for each
Assess quality of clinic personnel
Food – cooks and kitchens checked out for cleanliness
Water – bottled or iodine-treated
Clothing – adequate for the winter weather
Crisis response plan
Triage: a. Small injuries (to clinic) or b. Big injuries (to hospital)
Dear Parents: Please recognize the complexity of this project. We will do everything in our power to take appropriate precautions. We cannot, however, anticipate all the risks associated with the experience. If you are hoping for a risk-free experience, it might be appropriate for your son or daughter to stay home. If you feel that they have been called, then we invite your feedback as to show we might prepare for possible problems.
Sincerely,
The project staff
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The Art of Listening Prayer - by Seth Barnes
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This interactive devotional is for the person who isn't satisfied with a dry faith. If you're dying to hear God's voice, the good news is that you can! Jesus is the door, and He has opened it up to you.
Don't Miss Out on Hearing God's Voice!
The Art of Listening Prayer |
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