The first Nazarene Church in Swaziland and Game Park day!

Thursday, June 2, 2011 

*I wrote this in the comi as it was happening, so its a bit choppy.
 (comis are the vehicles we rode around in for our two weeks in Swaziland)

on top of rock Harmon S. meditated on

                                                                 

Endzingeni Nazarene Mission (where first Nazarene Church was started)

So we are sitting inside our comi behind a locked gate. We came up to the top of a hill to stand on the rock where Harmon Schmelzenbach, who founded the first Nazarene church in Swaziland used to come pray. The view was absolutely gorgeous. But when we came back to leave, the gate was locked, so we've been sitting here while we were trying to contact the owner so they could unlock it. We can't reach anyone, so we're trying option two. We just totally gunned it through this super tall prairie grass. Then we got stuck on a barbed wire fence. All the men got out to get us un-stuck and we just made it out of here, even if it wasn't the traditional way through the gate. Now Mongi our driver is looking at the front, and the tires to check the damages. He says we are good to go. That was quite an adventure. I'm not sure if its over yet...

                                                    

 

 ...okay so this whole day we thought after we got back from the first Naz church of Swaziland we were going to dig a ditch. But apparently they weren't ready for us yet. Our leaders didn't tell us that though, so we thought that's where we were off to. Instead, they surprised us and we went to a game park! It was awesome! We saw giraffes, zebras, warthogs, an ostrich, elephants, and rhinoceroses. It was super cool! We saw two giraffes up close and personal. They were so beautiful. I think they are my new favorite animal. I watched one for a while eating out of the tree tops. He never ran away from us. He just looked at us like, "Why are you watching me eat right now?" He was super laid back. He looked at us for a while with curiosity. It was definitely the highlight of my day. I just saw a giraffe eating and walking around in his natural habitat in Africa! 

My low point is right as I got up to him and could take a really good picture, I turned my camera on and it said, "change your battery pack". So I couldn't get any pictures of how close I was. I was super depressed about that.

Until Then, Holly

the wagon Hermon  Schmelzenbach rode to the top of the hill in to build the Nazarene church