Lesotho (aka Wakanda)

Just two of these country recaps left…wild. I’m gonna keep this one quick and I’ll be back soon with another Lesotho-related post. 

Location: Mokhotlong, Lesotho (pronounced “Le-su-tu”)

Arrival: September 30

Departure: October 26

Days: 25

Team: Ember: Sarah, Em, Jamie, Josh (Sql)

Living conditions: The Mission House. A perfect place to stay with everything we needed and plenty of space to spread out. It sits on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley where the city is. It has a captivating view outside of the front door. In the common area of the house the walls were covered in painted handprints from previous teams who had stayed there before and we enjoyed looking at all of them and then adding ours at the end of our time there. 

Weather: Somewhere between 60-70 degrees in the day and 48ish at night. Perfect. Very windy, dry, sunny some with quick storms throughout the day. We loved watching lightning storms over the mountains. 

Ministry: It varied day to day. We visited the hospital and the school every morning. At the school we did little devotions, verse memorization and songs. At the hospital we did a simple gospel presentation to the people waiting to get into appointments and such. We did manual labor at the school which consisted of carrying rocks for hours upon hours. There were a few other things sprinkled in that we were apart of, but that was the majority of what we did.

The coolest thing about the ministry this month was getting to see how active the church is in their community. Harvesters has planted 13 churches in the small surrounding villages that previously had no churches. They have started a Christian School that has over 200 kids plus a boarding school. They visit the prison and the hospital regularly. The members are the ones who keep these ministries going and it was a beautiful picture of a healthy church that serves and ministers to its community well. 

Fun Fact: For any Marvel fans, Wakanda in Black Panther was based off of Lesotho!! 

Lesotho is called “Kingdom in the Sky” and is a hidden gem. It is landlocked by South Africa but is so unique, has majestic mountains and a stunning landscape. It is also very secluded in most parts and feels untouched by the outside world. There is a distinct cultural attire for men, which is a large colorfully printed wool blanket pinned into place and worn like a robe. It looks quite regal, especially when they are on horseback. These blanket robes are used in Black Panther as well. It felt like we got to visit Wakanda. 

Lesson Learned: I came across this description of what the Bible is and I pondered it for a lot of the month. It is from the front of the Gideon Bibles (the ones in hotel rooms). 

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully.  It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Let us not forget what we hold in our hands. Let us not take for granted the gift of having God’s very words written on a pages and within our reach. 

Best Food: There was a popcorn stand about 2 minutes away from our house and we walked there almost everyday to buy a bag for M5 (equivalent to about $0.25). It was our favorite snack. 

Like I said, I am working on another post to share more of what I learned during this past month. We have now arrived in our final country (!!!), South Africa, and our last ministry begins tomorrow.