Heading to Swaziland

A Day at the Clinic

2009-07-19T09:39:00.001-06:00

Here's a new video of what a day at the clinic with the Luke Commission is like.

The Last Two Clinics

2009-07-12T23:42:00.008-06:00

Our third clinic was at a school named Vusweni. It was truly an incredible drive into the mountainous part of Swaziland, with incredible scenery everywhere. When we got to the clinic, we got to see the school kids sing a few songs for us. It's amazing how entire schools of kids in Swaziland can sing together in unison. Then it was off to giving medical care to the school kids. After seeing all of the kids and the adults, we got to give out two special things. First, throughout the day we got to give out some wonderful homemade baby blankets. We brought a duffle bag of blankets provided from a group of hospital volunteers in Nebraska, which fit perfectly in the more mountainous and cold part of the country. The other thing we got to give out is Bibles. One of the goals of the Luke Commission is to provide a Bible to every homestead in Swaziland. They grouped together the people into homesteads and whether they have a SiSwati (the Swazi language) or English Bible, and provide whatever they need. It was a blessing to provide the Word of God to the Swazi people.

The last clinic we did was at a school in Esulutane. This was back in the eastern part of Swaziland which is flat and more barren. It was a bit more developed than some of the other care points – it actually had a merry-go-round, something you seldom see in Swaziland. Our kids got to give the kids rides, usually with our kids in the middle pushing and about 25-30 students riding on the outside. We also got to give out pencils and jolly ranchers which we brought along with us. One of the most incredible things and two of the saddest things happened at this carepoint. The parents and the kids have the option of getting an HIV test before the doctors see them. One of the kids was tested who was 15 months old and was positive for HIV. That was just crushing – someone so young now essentially condemned to likely die before she became teenager. Second, we went to another home visit. This was at the home of a man who lived alone. His lungs didn't work very well because he had tuberculosis. One of the complications of his severe lung disease is that his liver had stopped working. In the US, he could potentially get all of this treated. In Swaziland, all we could do is give him some medicines to make him feel better for a while, but wouldn't ultimately get him well. Fortunately, the night ended with one of the biggest blessings in the trip. We had finished giving out Bibles to the people waiting when we heard a noise in one of the buildings. Some of the Swazis had started a spontaneous worship service on one of the buildings after getting God's Word. You could just feel God was in the room with them. It was such a beautiful moment.

Counting the Cost

2009-07-12T18:12:00.007-06:00

Swaziland is a country with a mix of Christianity and traditional ancestral religions. One of the things that the Vanderwal's told us is that witchcraft is as common in Swaziland as materialism is in the USA. We did see many places where products for witch doctors were sold and where their craft was practiced. Obviously, witchcraft and Christianity can't really work together.

One of the workers with the Luke Commission is named Sipho. We call him "big Sipho" as opposed to one of the other workers, "little Sipho." He actually was on the Swazi national soccer team, so he's definitely big. He's a very kind hearted man who truly has a heart to see people in his country come to know Jesus. If there's anything that needs to be done for the group, he does it, from driving to setting things up, to translating for the doctor. When we went to visit his homestead, we got to meet his wonderful family as well. We also got to see a few of the gravesites on the premises, one for his brother and one for his daughter.

Sipho had become a Christian and went to work for the Luke Commission. Sometime after that, his brother became married to a witch doctor. When the witch doctor learned that Sipho was a Christian and was working for a Christian organization, she got mad. She started poisoning his four-year old daughter. For a few days, she got sicker and sicker until she finally died. I'm sure Sipho was very angry, but he didn't speak out against her, since it was his brother's wife, and it would be disrespectful. His brother eventually died of AIDS. In Swazi culture, when the husband dies, the wife has no claim on anything in the family, so they kicked Sipho's brother's wife out of the homestead. In his culture, I'm sure Sipho must have had to think hard about staying committed to Christ and the Luke Commission, but he did stay.

The death of Sipho's daughter is truly tragic. I can't imagine his pain, especially since I have two daughters of my own. He remained committed to serving those he loved in his country despite losing his daughter. It reminds me so much of the love of another Father who loved me so much that he gave his son, Jesus, up to die. I want to have that kind of level of commitment to Jesus – one that stays strong despite any hardship because of my love for God and others.

The Beautiful Swazi People

2009-07-09T23:29:00.001-06:00

Manzini

2009-07-07T20:31:00.003-06:00

Manzini is a very unique city. It is the economic and transportation capital of the country of Swaziland. It is also the home of the only airport in Swaziland. The city itself is fairly sprawling and full of lots of what I would call little shacks for homes. We were fortunate to live in a Seventh Day Adventist guest house that had two bedrooms, a living area, and a kitchen. One day we got to take a short walk to the Vanderwals. It seems like everyone had a roadside stand in that small stretch, including fruit (lots of oranges and avocados), peanuts, chips, pop and other assorted goods. We walked past the local hospital and the Nazarene school. You can tell lots of workers by the blue suits they wear. There are also lots of dogs in Manzini and in other areas we saw, but rarely were they as pets. Evidently there are packs of dogs which roam the country and city. Manzini is perhaps best known for its local market. Now it's not like the kind of market here in the states. It's much more like a massive"farmer's market" except with all kinds of goods. There's a downstairs with all kinds of produce being sold. The upper level of the main market is more like a tourist's playground with all kinds of curios and trinkets available for sale. The rest of the market is full of a variety of people selling clothes, tin, baskets, and other things. There's also a few shops set up where witch doctors sell their wares, including the stuff needed to do their work and others to actually do the spells in the market. Thinking of the various things in town, a few come to mind. First is the trash. I don't know why, but it seems like there's no such thing as trashcans in Manzini. The other thing is smoke. When they do something with the trash, it's usually burning it. Despite this, there is such beauty in the surrounding community as the city is surrounded by rolling mountains. The people are also so kind and gentle. They are always smiling, laughing, and easy to get along with. It's a city mixed in goodness and darkness. Pray for the city and the people in the city, that God would continue to shine his light there.

Operation Christmas Child

2009-07-07T07:29:00.001-06:00

This is a video Andy made from distributing the Christmas Child boxes. It's also his first attempt at making a video!

Our Second Clinic

2009-07-06T19:32:00.006-06:00

Our second clinic was at a new location for the Luke Commission, but was familiar for us. We visited the Mahlabeneni care point that our church sponsors and where we have a child we support through Children's Hope Chest. The area driving to the care point is beautiful, with mountainous ridges and green sugar cane fields. Unfortunately, where the care point is located is also in one of the poorest sections of Swaziland. As we drove up the dirt road, it struck us how barren and almost desert-like the area at the care point was, with lots of rocks and brown and yellow grass. The care point didn't consist of much – a brick kitchen, a water tower, and a covered tin area used for a church. Surrounding it were several homesteads, the areas that entire Swazi families live. So we set up the clinic and started seeing people like the previous clinic, but with less people. Evidently, there are usually smaller numbers the first time the Luke Commission visits a place because the people aren't sure they can trust the doctors. After one clinic in a location, the word spreads that the doctors are trustworthy and the medicines work, and the numbers grow by word of mouth.

After seeing patients for about an hour, we were asked to go see some people in their homes by the local pastor, Themba. The first home was truly heartbreaking. We visited a man who was 36 and had cerebral palsy. He could not move his legs and they were essentially folded up underneath him in a kneeling position. To get around, he had to use his arms and pull himself. He also had some mental delays, so he needed help caring for himself. Unfortunately, all of his family had died and he was left to himself. He had a wheelchair near his home, but it was bent up and broken. Fortunately, the local sugar cane plant decided to sponsor him, so he had someone who would come to his house daily to help him with food and getting around. Still, he spent most of his days sitting outside his hut with nobody around. We did what we could for his medical problems and hopefully will be able to get him a "bush-ready" wheel chair which the Luke Commission has coming. At our second stop, we say a lady who had shingles on her face which kept her from getting out of the house. It also blurred her vision, so we referred her to the eye doctor in Manzini, the town we are based in. We also met Christiana, a boy who was about Caleb's age. He and Caleb started up a quick game of soccer and he came with us back to the care point.

When we reached the care point, we got to do a special thing – hand out Operation Christmas Child boxes to the kids. If I have ever been a Scrooge about doing the boxes, the experience I had will never let me be one again. The kids all get in line and get a box based on approximate age and gender. They all sit in a small area and are told they are getting the box from people overseas who want them to know that Jesus loves them. They then all get to open at the same time. The looks on their faces was priceless! Kids were shouting for joy for everything they got, lifting it in the air for everyone to see. Everything from underwear to shirts to pencils got loud yells. It was truly amazing to see their gratitude for a small box of prizes and to know that it was used to express God's free gift to them in Jesus.

One special thing about the day was that we got to see Caleb's sponsor child, Lwazi. He was a very sweet fourteen year old who Caleb hit it off with easily. Caleb was able to talk to him a bit through an interpreter, give him a Christmas Child box, and give him some clothing. It was a real blessing to meet him, and will make our prayers for him much more vivid and real. All told, we saw about 280 patients that day and left knowing that we provided clothing, healthcare, and lots of joy to the care point. We pray that as more gets built and Pastor Themba continues to preach, more lives will be

changed there.

The Local Hospital

2009-07-03T20:46:00.015-06:00

The day after clinic is spent restocking the supplies for the clinics. We spend time filling up bins with clothes and filling small bags with individual portions of pill and medicines to give out. We also had the opportunity to go to the local hospital. Hospitals there are certainly nothing like hospitals in the US. Patients are put in wards of beds with many patients in one large room. The pediatrics wing has a few extra rooms with one for malnutrition and a few rooms for tuberculosis patients, although they really weren't "isolated" the way we would isolate them in the US. It was hard to believe that there are rooms in the hospital just for malnutrition, something rarely seen back home. We also met a boy nicknamed Lucky. He was 14 and had been in and out of the hospital for skin grafting and healing from a burn he suffered two years ago. He was in his hut and the petrol (gas) had leaked from one of the canisters in the hut. When his sister lit a candle for light, there was an explosion and Lucky was burned severely. With the amount of skin area he was burned over, he was indeed lucky to have survived. He has undergone several skin grafts since then and now is near leaving the hospital. We also met and prayed with a severely malnourished boy who was 12. I don't think any of us have ever seen someone so thin in our lives. He didn't even have

the strength to put food in his mouth. Wendy was able to feed him some of his meal and he even smiled a bit. We could see Jesus in that boys face. After visiting the hospital, we realized that God can work in all kinds of places in many different people and circumstances.

Our First Clinic

2009-07-03T19:39:00.014-06:00

We went to our first clinic in Swaziland with the Luke Commission at Madubeni. This is a local village with a primary school where we were set up. It's amazing that the trucks and trailers are able to survive the trip on the long bumpy dirt roads. We pulled in to the school and there were well over a hundred beautiful children looking out at us. There were also lots of adults waiting for us when we arrived. The Swazi workers with the team started setting up the clinic while the kids started lining up for a check-up. We went through the lines and lines of kids, checking them for scabies, ringworm, and hair fungus. We then proceeded to have the kids come get some clothing. Wendy, Caleb, and Hannah took kids one by one to fit them in the clothing items. Several of them were shoeless, so we were blessed to give them shoes. There were also several kids who weren't students at the school who we gave clothes out to. One of the little toddlers only had on a shirt – no shoes, no pants – and we were able to give him both. We spent about 3 hours as the kids came in one by one giving out clothing to hundreds of kids. As the kids left with their new item of clothing and a bible comic book that Rachel handed out to each one, many of them were smiling and so thankful for just one item of clothing. After this we started the adult medical clinic. The people were divided into two groups, those with eye problems and those without, who could go straight into the medical line. The eye patients got their eyes screened on a basic eye chart and then, if abnormal, had them checked with an auto-refractor, which can tell any eye problems. A computer program was able to print out a "prescription" which was them plugged into another program to get a number for a set of eyeglasses which were given to the patient. On the medical side, people lined up for some basic tests – blood pressure, pulse, and blood sugar. They were also offered an HIV test, many of which accepted. Patients then came into another room where they were told about Jesus and offered a chance to pray for salvation. They then went to see the doctor – either Dr. Vanderwal or Andy – with the help of a translator. Their medical record consisted of a 3x5 card with symptoms on the front along with test results, and medicines to be prescribed on the back. If they were HIV positive, they were given a referral to a regional HIV and had some more testing done. After being seen, they were sent to the pharmacy room, where Wendy and the kids helped a Swazi named Themba give out medicines from prepackaged containers. Everyone then had the chance to watch The Passion of the Christ with another Swazi translating. After everything was done, we packed up for the drive back home. All told, we left at about midnight and got back at 2 AM after seeing 614 patients. It was an exhausting day, but a real blessing to know we had blessed the people with the love of Christ.

Arrival

2009-07-02T21:19:00.003-06:00

I wanted to get some blogs out while we were in Swaziland or the few days in South Africa, but lack of internet kept us from doing so. So we wrote the blogs and are posting them now.

We made it to Swaziland safe and sound. It was a long couple of flights – first 9 ½ hrs from Denver to London. After an 8 hour layover in London, we flew 11 hours to Johannesburg and hung out in the airport for 5 hours. Finally, we flew a small twin-propeller plane to Manzini. There we met the Vanderwal's, the people running the Luke Commission, after going through customs. They are such a nice family of six (8 year old triplets and a five year old) who have an incredible ministry here. We drove to their house and met some of their help, and one precious little girl named Susanna. She is a beautiful little Swazi girl that the Vanderwal's took in as she had been abandoned at the local hospital. They had heard from their local sources that her mother had left here there, but they didn't know much about the mom. They know that Susanna was on HIV meds after birth because they didn't know the HIV status of the mom. There is a social work program at the hospital for babies like Susanna, but it can take quite a while for an adoption to go through. There's evidently about 2 or 3 babies abandoned a week here, so there is certainly a strain on the system. The Vanderwal's took her in and will take care of her until she is adopted. That's on top of taking care of their own four kids, as well as their staff of 10 Swazis and a nurse staying with them. Fortunately, we will be able to care for her and even have her at nights. Pray for Susanna, that she would be HIV negative, that a good Christian home would adopt her, and that she would grow up to be a woman of God.

Swazi Pictures

2009-06-22T06:12:00.003-06:00

Hey everyone! We had hoped to be able to take the blogs we wrote on the computer and use them on the computers at the local nursing college. Unfortunately, I didn't think to convert them to an older version of microsoft word. So this is an abbreviate blog, and hopefully we will be able to get online this Friday when we go to South Africa and post again. But I don't want to leave everyone hanging. We have been very busy with clinics and working getting ready for clinics. We've done three clinics so far, each of which has been very special. We've also gotten to see hospital patients two of the days, including patients with HIV, tuberculosis, and a variety of other diseases. We've gotten to see the care point that our church sponsors and even meet the boy that we sponsor at that site. We got to give out operation Christmas Child boxes, been able cloth hundreds, and provide glasses and medicines. We've done clinics in arid locations and in the mountains. We've gotten the chance to see hundreds of Swazis in that time. It really has been an incredible blessing to see the faith of some of the Swazis and to know God is at work here. So here's some pictures until we get a chance to put out some full blogs........Well, I guess that doesn't work real well either. I hope we can get a few posts out soon to let you in on what's happening here. Thanks for praying for us. God has kept us safe and keeps giving us opportunities to serve. I hope we can continue to see God at work here.

What God's Done

2009-06-07T21:30:00.011-06:00

We always thought the adventure would start once we took flight to Swaziland. Little did we know that He would be taking us through this adventure every step of the way before we even left! It has honestly been so incredible to see how God has provided and moved to get everything ready for the trip. He has truly filled His promise to provide far above what we ever even imagined. So... giving Him the glory, we want to recap some of the things he has done to get us ready.
1. God linked us up with the Luke Commission (TLC). We had been praying about a way to serve doing a mobile clinic in Swaziland, possibly even going there full time to do so. God slowed us down and said, through some friends, to go short term first. So we looked for an opportunity. We googled mobile medical and Swaziland, and there they were! Amazingly, Harry Vanderwal, the doctor with TLC is an internal medicine/ pediatrics doctor just like Andy, which is not that common of a specialty. So we linked up with a doctor in the same field, in the country we were looking at, doing exactly what we were looking at doing. Coincidence? I think not.
2. God has provided abundantly. We have to be honest about something. When we thought and prayed about fundraising and writing our letter, we knew that we needed $8100, which got revised down to $7400 after we got the airplane tickets at a lower price than expected (another God movement!) We needed just about $6000 to send to TLCfor the trip, the rest was for the flights, passports, immunizations, etc. Honestly, we were just hoping to get maybe $2000-3000. YE OF LITTLE FAITH! So far, with our last report which was May 27th, we are over $8000 in support, and it has been from over 50 families and individuals. God has also provided duffle bags for the trip. A HUGE thanks to everyone who has joined us on this journey helped us follow Gods direction.
3. God has move in His timing for our trip. Initially, we were planning on June 12th through July 1st. Moving the date back to the 2nd got us flights for substantially less, so we changed. We were planning on spending the last few days with some missionaries who stayed at our house this last year. Unfortunately, we learned near Memorial Day they had to leave their home and wouldn't be able to house us. So off we went to the internet to try to find new plans. We found a cheap but nice guest house to stay for our last few days. We didn't kow that God was going to provide for that extra expense. We were going to have to stay in a hotel in Swaziland the first two nights there, but the Vanderwal's called and asked us to start a few days earlier. Since they were going to provide a place to stay, we no longer had to use the hotel.
4. Prayer support. We knew beforehand that we would need prayer in preparation for this trip. Andy is meeting for discipleship with a man named Reed, who is such a prayer warrior. We have gotten lots of prayers and encouragment from Wendy's Bible study group. We had dinner with some friends and supporters, Kevin and Patti Diffee, who spent time at the end of our meal praying for us (and doing so in a notoriously liberal resturant). We had a commissioning and prayer time from our church Woodmen Valley Chapel by 6 incredible Godly women, who I know will be praying routinely. They also sent us off with packets of goodies to encourage us during our time in Swaziland. Last, tonight we had our Souled Out commissioning, where Brian Carlson, friends, and the junior high students prayed over us for our trip. It's a blessing to know that so many have been praying and we will have lots of prayer warriors covering us during our trip. God is teaching us how to depend on the body of Christ.

It has been just incredible to see God's movement. A supporter told us that if you see God moving so much behind this, He must be wanting to do great things while we are there. We did want to let you know a few things before we go. First, we will only have dial up internet in Swaziland, so we likely won't be able to update the blog while we are there. Second, we do want to try to send out an email or two if we can, so if you want an update, send us your email at awingram@msn.com. Last, we have LOTS of time on the plane, so we'd love the chance to pray for you. We have been praying for many of you already and it is such a blessing to do so. Just email us your requests and we will pray for you from the heavens (in flight).

Finding Comfort In God's Holiness

2009-05-23T11:16:00.006-06:00

God spoke to our family about his holiness through this great video called "What Do I Know Of Holy" by Addison Road. Psalm 99:2-5, 9 says "Great is the Lord in Zion; He is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name-He is holy. The King is mighty, He loves justice-you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, FOR THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY".

God's holiness can bring us comfort. As we go through our daily lives are we allowing God to touch our faces and look into our eyes? When he touches our faces and looks into our eyes, have we opened ourselves up and been so transparent that he fully knows us? As we praise and worship Him for his holiness, we are lifted from the mire of sin. As we believe in Him, we are made holy and we can trust in Him completely. It is really incredible to think that all creation knows His name.

It's a Small World

2009-05-21T19:56:00.003-06:00

God has an amazing way of connecting those in His family together. A year ago Caleb's youth pastor from Woodmen Valley Chapel, Brian Carlson, was able to go to Swaziland and see the state of the country. One of the people he met was Jumbo Gerber, who is a missionary from South Africa working in Swaziland with a group called Adventures in Missions (AIM). Jumbo and his wife, Kriek are missionairies with AIM. Adventure in Missions and The Luke Commission, which is the medical missions group we are going on our missions trip with, have been working together at a number of carepoints. Adventures in Missions is also the organization which heads up The World Race. We were blessed to have 4 World Racers live in our basement this last Fall. It's great to see how God fits all of the pieces of His body together to further His kingdom. Here is link to the news from the Gerber's and some pictures of one of the first clinics they held: http://jumbogerber.myadventures.org/?filename=first-clinic

Giving and Receiving

2009-05-15T20:41:00.003-06:00

Acts 4:32, 34 "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had….There were no needy people among them."

We can't believe that today is 4 weeks until we leave on our trip! In one of our recent blogs, we talked about how God has been providing. God continues to bring in support daily and we are blown away by His amazing provision, even in ways that we couldn't have imagined. God has provided over $5000 in support through 26 supporters (families and individuals) that we know about. We just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has given donations and supported this trip. We know that many of you have given sacrificially. It has been a blessing to see a few people give who we know are raising funds of their own for missions. We have also been blessed to see our nephew Joshua, who is a junior in high school, break all of the stereotypes of a self-centered teenager and gave his hard earned money in an incredible way. Our families and friends have been very supportive in many ways. Some fellow bloggers have given, which considering that we've never met personally, is incredibly special. Our church Woodmen Valley Chapel has given a wonderful gift toward this trip with The Luke Commission. The nurses at St. Francis Medical Center, the hospital where Andy works, have set up a locker to be a "piggy-bank" to give donations for the trip. Just like the church in Acts, people have been sharing from everything they have to support something God has arranged. It has been awesome to see how God has provided for this work. Thank You God for this incredible gift!

On other items, it will be an intense last month. School is ending with lots of the end-of school activities these next few weeks. I have to work for the last 14 days before the trip as well as 14 days after. Hannah has basketball camps up to the day we leave, and Caleb will be training for cross country. We are asking for prayer that we would continue to grow closer to each other and to God during this time. Also pray that we would recognize the enemy's attacks and would be strong physically and spiritually. We are also very thankful that God provided us with many wonderful skirts for Wendy and the girls through the Goodwill and ARC thrift stores. Culturally the females need to wear skirts in Swaziland, and that's not something Wendy, Hannah, and Rachel wear very often. Everyone is extremely excited for the next four weeks to go by and to start on our trip. Thanks again for everything!

Luke Commission update

2009-05-06T21:00:00.003-06:00

Wendy and I wanted to fill everyone in on the latest from the Luke Commission. God continues to do such amazing things through their ministry and work in Swaziland. We also have a HUGE praise - we have two young guys willing to watch our house and dog while we are gone! Thanks so much to Craig and Teddi Domann for their willingness to share their interns with us. We are in awe at how God continues to provide for us over and over in so many ways. We are also so thankful for so many of you that continue to give so generously towards this missions trip. Thank you God for all you are doing, as you prepare us to go to Swaziland. Here's the latest from the Luke Commission.

On the Road Again with The Luke Commission

Writing from Africa always puts a different slant on what needs to be said to friends and supporters in North America.

The sights and sighs of Swaziland seep into our pores. The strangeness of another culture quickly gives way to the tasks and opportunities of each day.

All who pray and give and work for The Luke Commission can rejoice! The VanderWals and their team are out in the bush once again, treating beloved Swazis who do not have regular medical care and telling them about this man Jesus who became God in the flesh to suffer as they do.

TLC's letter of support from the Ministry of Health was signed 18 hours before the first clinic was scheduled to begin. How's that for God's omnipotent timing. That's behind us now, but sometimes it's good to look back even a few days...

The trailers had been loaded just waiting.

Medicines had been purchased, box after box delivered to the Manzini home base, then repackaged and labeled with instructions for usage in SiSwati. Medical supplies had been organized by Harry and Echo, anticipating what they might encounter in all the corners of Swaziland.

New brightly-colored clothes had been unloaded from one of three containers, sorted, and packed into tubs for boys and girls of all ages. Hundreds of shoes collected last year by a large church in Ohio were arranged for easy fitting. Handmade wraps and blankets had been set aside for the very young and very old.

Eyeglasses had been inventoried and those seldom used replaced by more common lenses and frames. This reshuffling took hours before 3,500 eyeglasses were stacked on carts and rolled onto the trailers.

Bibles and thousands of SiSwati tracts had been prepared for transport. Lunches and water had been packed for The Luke Commission team.

The two vans that pull all these supplies and carry 12 to 15 adults and 4 children had been serviced and new tires added. Yes, we continue to pray for new vehicles but trust God to keep the old on the road until then.

And then... the prayers and faith of Swazis and Americans alike were answered. As Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord."

All systems were go for The Luke Commission 2009. We hit the tar road - and before long the dirty road.

At the first clinic almost 500 patients received treatments and medications, 120 (half the adult patients) voluntarily tested for HIV, 100 were fitted for eyeglasses, and 800 children were dressed in new clothes and shoes. It's just a beginning, but oh what a beginning it was.

One grandpa mkhulu said to Echo: "We do not understand. You forsake everything - your family, your country, your wealth - to come to a country you do not know. You work under blazing African sun. We do not understand. We would not do that."

Unfortunately, more Swazis are testing positive for HIV than before. The HIV rate for pregnant women has risen. Leaders here tell us the rate is especially high among young men and women. The ravages of the disease surround us.

"It's a silent war," Harry noted. It is difficult to admit one has AIDS even when it's obvious physically. Often, HIV/AIDS is talked about in the third person. Meanwhile, family members are dying.

Consequently, The Luke Commission affords as much privacy as possible to those testing for HIV, even in the bush. (We'll expand this in the next update.)

Eight high schoolers and their teachers from a large public high school in California observed and assisted at one clinic. "I will never again complain about having nothing to wear," said one teenage girl, as she fitted shoes on a small child with dusty, scabbed bare feet.

One male teacher with two sons at home noted, "I've never dressed little girls before, but I'm learning fast. Look at their sweet faces."

Swazi children are shy and often do not smile while they are being treated medically or offered new clothes. But the instant the youngsters rejoin their friends and families, they leap and laugh and raise their hands with glee. Hallelujah moments abound in Swaziland, as does profound sadness.

A volunteer nurse from the northern Idaho, working with The Luke Commission this month, had tears in her eyes when a beautiful 18-year-old Swazi girl tested positive for HIV. "She has to go home tonight and consider her life. She was crying, and I wondered what she was thinking, what dreams were being shattered..."

Visiting the nearby Manzini hospital regularly brings us face to face with impending death. Those still in their right minds readily accept our prayers even in English and cannot wait to read the SiSwati tracts.

Mothers sit by their sick babies day after day, watching them grow weaker and weaker as their cries shrink to tiny meows. New mothers are grateful for soft baby clothes, and injured children who may spend days in traction welcome the toys. Suffering and hope intermingle, and the human race groans for deliverance.

That deliverance takes on many faces when we trust in God. For instance, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 encourages us "to wait for His son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."

As we long for Jesus' return, might we all be about the Father's business wherever he has planted us.

Love in Jesus,
Janet Tuinstra for Harry and Echo and The Luke Commission everywhere

Going with the Luke Commission

2009-04-24T21:21:00.007-06:00

The Luke Commission is the group that we are doing our medical missions trip to Swaziland with this June. This is the latest newsletter from Dr. Harry and Echo Vanderwal, the family who started the Luke Commission. The interviews are very eye opening. We especially like the part about "deworming", and it is amazing they give out thousands of packets a day to the Swazi people as preventative medicine.

If you cannot view images in this email, please click here to view online

Are you looking for new ways to be a part of The Luke Commission on this side of the world?

For just pennies a day, you can join the Compassion Care Team. As a committed friend giving regularly and generously, you can multiply the impact of The Luke Commission.

You can help HIV-positive parents live another 10 years, provide precious eyesight to thousands who have never seen the intricate details of God's creation, and offer eternal life in Christ to those whose life expectancy is just 32 years.

How can you do all this? Simply go to http://click.bsftransmit1.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=iotXP5bNzem43NoEKS9I1uOdKwLoVzQy3P484GDz44A%3d&digest=ohTUffiBqwmQEQbRxhIy/w and say you'd like to become a member of the Compassion Care Team. You are the hands and feet of Jesus. What a privilege is that!

Hear a firsthand account about the medical work in Swaziland from Harry and Echo VanderWal, who were interviewed on KMBI radio in Spokane, Washington, the first week of March, 2009.

To listen to the 2-part interview in its entirety, click on the following links.

Interview Part 1

Interview Part 2

Sincerely,

Mark Kordic
Director of Advancement

PS: Share this email with a friend and invite others to join us in this life changing labor of love!

Read TLC Journal stories

Sitting At His Feet

2009-04-16T21:55:00.038-06:00

God has been teaching me what it means to sit at his feet. One of my biggest challenges and distractions in resting before Him has always been busyness. It is an area that my Father has been changing in me, especially these last couple years. Some of the change has come through God physically slowing me down, but also God has been teaching me to say no. By the grace of god, he continues to teach me how significant it is to fix my eyes on Him by simply sitting at his feet and listening. God has been mightily using a Colorado Springs Wow-woman's bible study this semester. We are going through a book called Fix Your Eyes on Jesus, written by an incredible woman of God and friend Kirkie Morrissey. Through scriptures from this week's study God encouraged me to shut out distractions and spend more time enjoying and listening to him. God has been giving me discernment to sometimes say no to people, things, and maybe even ministry opportunities, in order to sit at his feet and enjoy his presence. Honestly, it is just difficult to know how to find a God-honoring balance between enjoying my Savior, serving my family, loving people, and serving him in ministry and everything else that needs to be done when raising a family. I am not condemning myself, but rather being honest. I just don't want the busyness of life, even serving God, to ever become a barrier to knowing Him deeply. So, I have been asking God to transform me in this area and am thankful that his truth and presence is at work. An interesting example is from Luke 10:40, "Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Another great example was from Matthew 26:11 Jesus said "The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me." I don't believe this statement justifies ignoring the needs of the poor. I do wonder if it is communicating the significance of the special sacrifice and beautiful relationship Mary had, as she sat at the feet of Jesus. I desire a precious relationship like the one Mary had with Jesus, where I am taking the time to sit alone quietly, listen, worship and adore my Father.

God has also been whispering to me, Wendy "be still and know that I am God". I have started to give myself permission to take time to be still and it is amazing what God is doing in the midst of the stillness. In the stillness, God is drawing me to himself and revealing more of himself to me. In reading a book recently by Joanna Weaver called Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World she says "The closer we draw to the heart of the Father, the more we see his heart for the world". I think this may be true, and then she goes on to say "As we take time to hear his voice-God provides the horsepower we need to pull the heaviest load. He saddles up Grace and invites us to take a ride." God spoke clearly to me the other day about something he did not want me to take on right then, when he gave me this verse in Exodus 18: 17-18 "What you are doing is not good...You will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone." There is freedom and joy in realizing that He can most certainly do his work without me and there are times he is calling me to shut down, say no, and just simply sit at his feet and listen. Then there are many times that, after my precious time of sitting at his feet and listening, he says go, love, and serve me and others. Thank you God for teaching me when to sit and listen, and when to act and serve.

God’s Provision

2009-04-15T15:08:00.011-06:00

God has been teaching us that he will always provide for us. We were at the Thorn this last weekend. It is a drama based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. They depicted the feeding of the 5000 as part of it. One of the statements really stuck with me. Thomas, the disciple, was the narrator, and said that none of the people who met Jesus that day were ever hungry again. They would never hunger because Jesus would always provide for His children. That's just a paraphrase, but it's true. When we meet Jesus, he fills us and we will always be provided for.

One of the things we have felt God wants us to do for this trip is raise support. It's not really something we are comfortable with or like to do. We don't like to give up our self-sufficiency and rely on God to provide. God has had to open up our eyes to the need to depend on Him for this trip, and to trust and have faith that He will provide. God put 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 on our hearts as we did this. It starts with, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." We have been so blessed by seeing the hearts of some cheerful givers as they have sacrificially given. We have seen God move in the hearts of his people who instantaneously followed His leading and gave. We have seen people who, despite their own financial trials, took God at His word for provision and gave when they were needy themselves. God has used people who, in the midst of personal crisis, looked beyond themselves and gave in obedience to their loving God. It truly has been a blessing to see God providing and our faith has been built up as others have stepped out in their faith. We are very thankful for how he has already provided and we are trusting that he will continue to provide more than enough for this trip to Swaziland.

With God's provision in mind, we just want to say thank you. First, thank you God for providing. We know You called us on this trip, and will provide for us to take the trip. Second, we want to thank you to everyone who has given. You have been ministering to us in ways we can't imagine. Your gift of prayer and finances will further the kingdom of God and bring healing in Swaziland. Last, we have surpassed the $2500 mark, and we are very grateful for this. If you are thinking of supporting us, please pray about it. We believe God has already arranged for the people who he wants to do this good work through. We also wanted to share this video. As Sarah Groves says in the video, "I have what I have but I'm giving it up." As we all take this journey together, I hope and pray we can continue to give all we have for God's glory and His kingdom.

Hungry

2009-04-10T09:50:00.007-06:00

Our fridge died. About two weeks ago, the temperatures slowly started climbing further and further up. We were making dinner for the kids and pulled something out of the freezer and it had a semi-thawed quality to it. So out came the laundry basket, it got piled full of food that was taken to our basement fridge. While doing this, we took the opportunity to toss out anything we thought might be getting old or a bit too warm to feel comfortable re-cooling and eating. Out went the eggs, a few hamburgers, a leftover bit of pot roast, some fruit and veggies. And off we went to get a new refrigerator.

I (Andy) only tell this story because God has been bringing the idea of hunger to mind a lot lately. I live in a country blessed with plenty. We live in a world where many are trapped in poverty. Please understand, I'm not being anti-American. God has blessed us in America abundantly. I'm just trying to reconcile what Jesus says with my own prolific appetites. In this world, hunger and poverty kill at least 25,000 people a day. If it takes you five minutes to read this blog, about 90 people would have died in that time. Over half of the world lives on less than two dollars a day. I spend more than that on a latte or energy drink. The food I tossed from the fridge is more than most people in the world will eat in a week. I have never admitted or seen anyone as a doctor during my practice solely for malnutrition unless it was due to some other underlying disease.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cook. I love watching cooking shows. One show that's on the Travel Channel is Man vs. Food. There's this guy who goes around the country looking for the best pig-out challenges and tries to beat the challenge, whether it's a 7 pound omelet, a 4 pound steak, or some other crazy gigantic amount of food to eat. We've even got a competitive eating league in the US. Buffets can be found all over (I do admit, the local Indian buffet is fantastic.) From where I'm sitting, I can see in my pantry 5 types of cereal (most half empty), two types of chips, two types of crackers, pop tarts, marshmallows, and other assorted foods. Yet, amazingly enough, it's not all that uncommon for me to look in there and think, or have my kids tell me, that there's nothing good to eat. Anyone who knows me knows hunger isn't something I really struggle with…more like overeating. Not a hospital week goes by where I don't see many people who have illnesses brought on by their overeating and obesity.

Please understand…I really don't want to make anyone feel guilty. If anyone is guilty, I am just as much. That's really not my goal. I know as well as anyone that I can live on far less, and my flabby body would probably be much healthier if I ate less. I do believe God has put me where I am and given us blessings to use to help others. If you want to help out with hunger, there are plenty of places to give – Children's Hope Chest, World Vision, and Compassion International. I'm really thinking more of the mix of physical and spiritual hunger. I do find it interesting that the people in the Bible also were focused on their stomachs. Jesus was talking to the crowd that had just gotten the free outdoor fish and bread buffet. He said, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. (John 6:26)" Then Jesus goes on to say, "But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you." Later, He says, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one He has sent." That leaves out a lot of the worries I have from day to day, as well as many of the things I spend my time hungry for. Seek the eternal life He gives and believe in Jesus. That's it. It sure makes me think about where my hunger is. I know the Bible says were are to hunger and thirst after righteousness, that David thirsted for God's word. I want that. I want to live a life of hunger for God. I want that for my wife, my kids, and the people around me that I love. Best of all, I know my hunger will be filled. "Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again." What a promise.

God, fill us with a hunger for you. Thank You for filling that hunger through Jesus. Help us to be filled to overflowing by you so we can go out and meet the needs of those hungry around us, both physically and spiritually.

Power and Majesty

2009-04-03T08:33:00.010-06:00

God has been teaching me about His power and majesty. Psalm 46:10 says "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." There are so many things we deal with here on earth that are inevitable, like sickness, injustice, pain, war and so much more. God in his grace has been showing me the significance of taking time each day to keep my focus on Him and his promises, instead of those other things. I have been asking God to help me take time to be still and exalt him for his power and majesty. There are many promises about his power and might and it humbles me to realize this promise from Romans 14:11 " ' As surely as I live', says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" I am so thankful that God has been teaching me that life is less about me, and more about Him and who he is! It amazes me to think a time will come when all people will join together and fall down in worship to our God. Psalm 145: "I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness". God, help me to worship you, tell of the glory of your kingdom, and speak of your might.

Do you want to get well?

2009-04-01T21:06:00.009-06:00

John 5:6 – "Would you like to get well?"

I've got to say, on the surface that sounds like a silly question. The guy has been sick for 38 years! Of course he'd like to get well, healed from his illness. But I am just like the lame man. I am crippled by so many things. Pride. Judgment. Anger. Callousness. Selfishness. There's even wounds I don't understand. Hurts. Regrets. Sadness. Poor self-image. Jesus asks me the same question – "do you want to get well?" Do you really want to get rid of all that junk and be made whole? Again, on the surface it's easy – of course I do. Some of the question is do I really want to have my old, dead self fully removed, or do I kind of like having bits and pieces of it around. I like having bits of control, to have my own way, to do what I want. To be healed and rid of all that junk means getting up, leaving my old life, and walking away from my old self, my desires, my wants. The man's identity was as the cripple at the well. All he was known as was in that identity as a cripple. Everything would change for him. Everything would change for me if I fully abandoned my old life, took up my mat and walked. All of a sudden that silly question is a whole lot harder than it appears. God, show me the things in my life that are keeping me from wanting to be healed. Help me to lay those things down so I can be made whole and be fully healed in You.

Letting Go

2009-03-27T20:18:00.008-06:00

These last few days, our son Caleb has been at the Springs Rescue Mission. Our good friends, Kevin and Patti Diffee who attend First Presbyterian, invited him to go with their church youth group. So Caleb spent the last three days and nights at a homeless shelter spending time with the homeless and serving in different ways. It was really tough to let him go. He's our first and oldest kid. We haven't let him go stay in a setting like this, outside of our wings, except for Christian camp last summer and sleepovers, let alone among a bunch of homeless people! But God, in His infinitely inspired way, has taught us two things through this. First, we need to be more open and less judgemental about the homeless. Even before he left, we went through the litany of warnings and cautions. Tonight, we went to the closing dinner and heard the testimony of the middle school kids about their encounters. Amazingly, none of them were killed, beaten up, or even robbed by the homeless (although Caleb got a chance to talk with a man who had killed someone). The stories were of how caring the people were, how they showed love and community with each other, and how they desire to find a better life. God opened up our eyes to some hidden prejudices we held, and how we need to see others as Jesus does. From the different testimonies shared, God allowed this group of 18 middle schoolers to bring hope as they spent time and served those in need. The kids shared over and over that their eyes had been opened as they spent time and got to know some of the homeless here in downtown Colorado Springs.

Second, in letting Caleb go on the Urban Immersion trip, we had to let him go and trust God for His protection over our son. God gave Wendy a beautiful Psalm - Psalm 91. David starts with, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Later in verses 9 and 10 he continues, "If you make the Most High your dwelling, even the LORD, who is my refuge, then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent." God would be our son's protector. He would keep Caleb from harm, He was giving us his promise and telling us to claim it. All of the worrying about Caleb's safety didn't have to be, since God would be his refuge. We need to let go of our kids and let God take control of their lives, and trust that He knows the best way and will keep them safe along the way. We will be the first to say there are many times we struggle with being overly protective and hanging on too tight, but God is slowly teaching us to surrender and let go of our kids. We are learning the only way we can do this as parents is to entrust them to God and claim God's promises for them as we let them go.

Through Our Kids’ Hearts - Rachel

2009-03-23T20:22:00.007-06:00

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." – Romans 8:28

Last summer we were praying about going on a missions trip to Swaziland. Our youngest daughter, Rachel, was going to be entering second grade. God, in His perfect planning, had already decided Rachel's teacher for the year – Mrs. Hayden. Not only has Mrs. Hayden been a fantastic teacher with academics and character for Rachel, but she also grew up as a missionary child IN SWAZILAND! Of all the places her family could have been missionaries, they were from the small country of Swaziland. Throughout the year, Rachel has been listening to many wonderful stories about Mr. Hayden growing up in Swaziland and learning different interesting facts about Swaziland. Mrs. Hayden even went to boarding school in White River, South Africa, where our friends, the Laubscher's, are serving God through Hope In Africa. Mrs. Hayden has been an inspiration and encouragement for Rachel all year long. What a wonderful God we have that He would have planned this blessing in advance for our youngest child.

God gave us another amazing blessing last week. We had been looking and praying about plane tickets for a number of weeks and the prices were up to nearly $1850/ ticket. God led someone we were working with to mention changing flight dates. By moving our departure date one day, we were able to get tickets for $1550/ ticket! The prices on the date we were going to leave are currently at $2000. What a great blessing to have saved $300 per ticket! Thank You God!

Though our kids' hearts - Hannah

2009-03-16T21:44:00.010-06:00

We have met a number of wonderful people during our time here in Colorado Springs. One of the families we've met is the Black's. They are a family which worked as missionaries in Swaziland, ministering to thousands of people and continuing to make a difference with the Swazi people in Nsoko, Swaziland. One of the things Gary said during a visit to our house was that sometimes God uses our kids to lead us into His will. Our wonderful daughter, Hannah, is a good example of this. A little over a year ago, she had to write a personal information speech for one of her classes. We had been praying and talking about the possibility of taking a trip to Africa as a family, but didn't have any real direction at the time. In her speech she wrote at school, she said that one of her dreams is that "I want to go to Africa and help the orphans whose parents died from HIV/ AIDS." She even drew the picture below to demonstrate her dream of giving Bibles to the Africans. Since that time, she has continued to be excited about going to Africa. She even wanted a camera for Christmas so she could take pictures of people while we were on our trip. She's also very excited to see the animals in Africa, as she wants to be a vet when she gets older. It's amazing that God used her desires and heart to direct us into His will.

The World Race

2009-03-12T10:46:00.003-06:00

During the last year and a half, one of the things God has used in shaping our direction and opening our eyes is the World Race (www.theworldrace.org). This is an eleven month long missions trip through Adventures in Missions which goes to a different country every month. One of the countries they minister in is Swaziland. Reading about their journeys has opened our eyes up to what is going on in the world outside of the US and has helped direct us to Swaziland. We have gotten to know a number of racers and have had four of them take some time in our basement. The World Racers all have a deep heart for God and helping those in need. These are some pictures from one of the racers, Tara Bruce, who is on the field now. Her current blog has lots of great pictures and information on Swaziland: tarabruce.theworldrace.org/?filename=swaziland-photos.

Our First Post!

2009-03-09T15:39:00.009-06:00

So welcome to the Ingram family blog. In case you don't know, our dog is Lucky (hence the title.) We are currently planning on going to Swaziland this summer for a short term, 3 week missions trip, and wanted to keep people informed on our progress. We are so excited! I hope we can grow not only during the trip, but also as God prepares us to go. Welcome to our journey!

This is a video from the Luke Commission who we will be going with.