Travel Journal

April 7th, 2007

Greetings from Swaziland! Your prayers and contributions are being used by our mighty God.

Those we have seen at the clinics thus far are poorer and sicker than most, even on Swazi standards.

Echo said of the children she treated yesterday: "They are the most malnourished and under- developed I've seen in three years. Ten-year-olds are the size of 5-year-old boys."

Harry said most of the patients he diagnosed had intestinal worms. "Some told me they'd had worms for 6 years, others for as long as 11 years. A couple of mothers said they were vomiting worms."

We have medicine that taken just once will clear up the worms for at least 4 to 6 months! Swazis are so grateful for the medicines, and we are grateful to all those who have donated so we could buy them.

To backtrack for a moment: We arrived safely with 31 of 32 bags, plus 18 carry-ons. We had 14 bags too many. The South African Airways manager in Washington, D.C., charged us only half price for our 14 extra bags, even though he told Echo, "Do you know how many hard-luck stories I hear about Africa every week?" Thank you, Jesus!

Most of our 15 translators have returned to The Luke Commission. They're ready to work for the Master. We all spent three days setting up "home-base." We ordered and repackaged medicines (that's an ongoing project); sorted medical supplies, clothes, office supplies, and electrical equipment; scanned 4,000 eyeglasses (we're still working on that); stocked food for 22 people; repaired cars and trailers for the back roads; contacted chiefs and other Swazi leaders.

On the evening of our first clinic out in the "bush" 89 Swazis accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. They were men and women, young men and young women, children - but our excitement and awe increased when we learned that all but 2 were from the pagan Zionist religion.

Not one of the families had a SiSwati Bible in their home. Now they do! We have purchased 2,000 SiSwati Bibles and ordered another 1,000. Please keep praying for more.

We have plenty of English Bibles, which we give to whoever can speak English. However, as one translator aptly noted: "If you insult me in English, I might not understand; but if you insult me in my mother tongue, I understand. Our people need God's Word in their mother tongue."

Many riverbeds are dry this time of year in Swaziland. That makes it easy for us to cross them, as we must to reach the bush communities, but we wonder where the Swazis get their water.

We have the Living Water to offer them, and His water will never leave their souls thirsty. Thank you for upholding The Luke Commission before the Throne of Grace. We send our love and appreciation.

Love in Jesus,
Janet Tuinstra for Harry and Echo,
Kalvin, Grace, Luke, Jake, Zeb and Zion

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