Seth Barnes - Swaziland, land of heartbreak & hope

My partner in ministry, Scott Borg, wrote this post on the eve of his departure from Swaziland.

I always

have mixed
emotions when I go to Swaziland and when I leave to go home. It's
always hard to go.

How do I summarize these past 8 weeks? So much work, so much hope, and yet so much darkness - the paradox that is Swaziland. Undeniable light and unspeakable pain. I am never away from that influence deep within. I am a functional Swaziaholic.

I see some of the disparity in the faces of the children. One child exhibits unbridled joy and gives my heart hope.

Another child reveals the difficult path of the life they are headed down. The worries and darkness already show on the face and in
every step. Life is a march, not a dance. Day after day of survival bleeds hope from the soul.

I spend a lot of time working with people on plans, models, and strategies to help Swaziland. Leading trips, rallying resources,
bolstering staff, encouraging locals. All these things consume my days here in Swaziland.

But none of it will save Swaziland.

The only thing that will save Swaziland is Jesus. The root of
every issue here is spiritual and the spiritual strongholds here are
indeed strong and only broken with spiritual power. HIV? Spiritual
Issue. Orphans? Spiritual Issue. Monarchy? Spiritual Issue. Failed
economy? Spiritual Issue. Compromised pastors? Spiritual Issue.
Broken families? Spiritual Issue.

I am not trying to oversimplify the complicated cultural,
political, economic, and anthropoligical context. All these things are
part of understanding the spiritual battle for the lives of the children
pictured above and all those they represent.

For the innocents and the helpless this battle belongs to the Lord
but it is ours to fight! We need to continue to come alongside those
Swazis who are fulfilling the ministry of Jesus.

"Oh Swaziland, Swaziland, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to
you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate."

The battle belongs to the Lord. But the war won't last forever.