mall! manzini! swaziland! 2010!

I’m at the mall in Manzini, Swaziland right now.
Michelle and I were just walking around, in and out of stores just
looking around. We stopped in ShopRite (A local grocery store) and
bought a few drinks, including 2 cans of very refreshing Mountain Dew. After purchasing them we reminded one another of the training session we
had the day we arrived in Swazi, on Tuesday. At the session we were
taught cultural norms in Swazi; No eating in public; No burping in public;
Giving and receiving with your right hand only. So Michelle and I then
had to discuss whether or not drinking our Mountain Dew is considered
eating or not (You tell us??). We then decided to sit on a bench and write in
our journals. A few moments of writing and I nudged Michelle,
pointing out an older Swazi lady who just opened up her soda can but
kept a plastic bag wrapped around it when holding and drinking it. So we
followed her lead and cracked open our Dew’s.

…I continued to quietly mumble to myself that not burping out loud while drinking soda was impossible…

A bit more time went by and and a younger Swazi lady squished right next
to us, on the other side of Michelle on this small bench in the mall and she excitedly said “Hello!” and quickly started a conversation.
She was extremely friendly, speaking with a Swazi-accented English
asking
us all about why we were sitting in this mall in Manzini in Swaziland.
We explained that we were missionaries from the United States and then
asked her about her life as well, she is 23 years old. Her smile was gigantically beautiful and her laugh was even bigger. Her name was Philani,
pronounced Pii-laan-ee the way she spoke her name was even more
beautiful. Philani
laughed a lot about how we had no idea where we were staying, all we
knew was that it was “that way.” Hahaha. We told her not to worry though
because the rest of our group was right around the corner and they knew where we were staying. She proceeded to give
us her phone number, which we were happily pleased to take because we
agreed hanging out again would be fun, not on a bench in the mall next time. As
she was saying goodbye she explained to us that if we were ever lost
and didn’t know how to find our way home to just call her and she can
get her boyfriend, (and his car) to come pick us up and give us a ride!
How awesome is Philani?!

After she left us we walked around the corner to the computer store
where I am sitting currently at this computer, writing this blog after
purchasing 30 minutes (+30 more minutes by this sentence) of time to use
it. I had a different idea to write for this blog but after meeting
Philani and sitting here, God put something else on my heart. I
had to hesitate when handing the cashier my debit card; I had to
question whether or not it was appropriate to drink in public; We had no
idea which way our home was; We had to write down Philani’s phone
numbers; And I had to just pay for the time spent while I’m using this
computer.

I’m speechless right now. I feel like the most stereotypical spoiled brat in the world, which in many ways is very true.
God gives me everything I need and more. He gave Philani the most
beautiful smile I have ever seen. But then God showed me the verse,
James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due
to change.” Everything from Him is perfect. We are perfect. Philani is perfect. Michelle is perfect. I am perfect.

God is teaching me that I don’t need anything I brought with me in my
suitcase to be thankful. I need to be thankful for everything he has
given me, for my smile. There is no variation or shadows due to my
change in location. Everything in His universe, this world, my life is equal to everything in Philani’s life.
The change in currency, climate, and food I have been experiencing is
what I should be thankful for and I should be seeing as a perfect gift
from Him. His lights are shining down on me right now while he is
teaching me that I am perfect but I should also listen to him when he
says, there is no variation or shadow in His eyes when he looks at my life and Philani’s life.

Yes, I am perfect and I need to be more thankful! Swaziland is so beautiful! Jesus is beautiful! He is amazing! I love him!