As Jane and I consider all that we will see and experience in Swaziland, we have asked ourselves and prayed over the question...."How do we prepare?"  God has been so amazing by providing many things at just the right time.  All this week our Church, Highland Baptist, has been hosting an "On Mission Celebration."   Each night guest speakers have been presenting an aspect of their missionary experiences and offering a challenge to us to pray and support Missionaries.  Wow!  Perfect timing Lord.  Here is what the Lord has been telling us:

  The first night we heard from Milton Hollifield, Executive Director-Treasurer, Baptist State Convention, NC and he challenged us with Matthew 9:  35-38.  In this passage, Jesus looked at the crowd and saw their condition and had compassion on them.    Then Mr. Hollifield reminded us of our commission from  Matthew 28: 19-20.
  Monday night we heard from Steve Schwarz, a missionary serving in Northern Zambia.  Steve challenged us with Romans 10:1.  Paul speaking of Israel says "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation."  Steve's challenge was this... we should have that same heart's desire; to share the gospel with the purpose of introducing people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and desire their salvation.  Again, wow!
  Tuesday night we heard from Myron Whitmore and his wife, Lana, who serve in Northern India.  They challenged us with Acts 1: 8.  In Acts 1: 8, Jesus tells His disciples that in the coming days they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them.  With this Holy Spirit power they will be witnesses for Him in every corner of the world. Myron reminded us that whatever we do for the Lord it must be, and can only be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit, our Enabler, our Guide, and Leader.  Nothing that we do for the Lord in our own strength is going to be sufficient.  
  Wednesday night we met Susanne Arnold, a very delightful, young lady, who had just completed a tour in Venezuela.  She shared with us her ups and downs as a missionary, her training, and her joys.  On one of her initial training rotations she found herself in Canada on an "intermediate, white water rafting trip filled with adventure....more adventure than she was prepared for.  This trip was designed for the young  missionaries to realize their limits, potential, and build team skills.  On one of the final legs of this rafting trip was a "cliff jump."  After much prodding and the realization that she was going to have to jump, she kept hearing her guide and trainer say, everything is fine....."You're good to go."  She said this trainer must have said that same phrase a hundred times before she finally mustered the courage to jump.  That phrase, "You're go to go" kept resonating in her mind.  So as she prayed to the Lord to give insight on what to do.  One night the Lord ministered to her and lead her to Matthew 28: 19-20.  There was that one word that stuck out......Go.  She challenged us with this.....If you are a Christian you already have a mission....."Go and make disciples"; you're "Good to Go"

So here is what we heard....As we prepare and when we get to Swaziland we need to see their condition, have a Christ-like compassion for them, and realize our commission.  We need to have a heart's desire of salvation for the people that we will meet and see.  We must also realize that none of what we wish to accomplish can be done with out the Holy Spirit's enabling power.  We need to fully rely on the Holy Spirit's power, not our own.  Finally we must realize that we already have everything we need through Jesus Christ, our Savior..... We're "Good to Go."  Pray for us....Blessings