At the beginning of August, I joined a small team from Witbank on a One Heart mission trip to the Kingdom of eSwatini.

Our small team gelled immediately. We found things in common, more things that bind us than separate us, although we were quite different people. Building up to the outreach, our meeting times were filled with the presence of God and marked with real joy and relationship.

We met the team from Durban at the border, and they were buzzing with energy from the moment we met on that Saturday morning until we packed up camp on Monday. It’s great to see a group of young people that relates well amongst each other. Their willingness to help with setting up and preparing meals is something I’ll remember. The thing that made the greatest impression on me was their genuine joy and enthusiasm. The sound of laughter ringing out over the camp still brings a smile to my face.

The plan for the mission trip was simple: we would go into the village and do home visits to pray for people as they had need, we would visit a church and ministry there through drama and dance, then we would show the Jesus film.

I learnt that things seldom go according to plan, but there is always opportunity to be a blessing. We don’t go on mission trips to stick to the plan, we go on mission trips to reach people for the kingdom, being a vessel that God could move through here on earth. It’s not up to us who God needs us to reach, and I am starting to believe that He seldom works through us without working in us too.

On this trip we were able to help with the renovations to the missionary’s house and show the Jesus’ film in an open field in the community. Before the film, we were able to talk to people and pray for them, in that way, sowing seeds that will yield a harvest for the kingdom. After the film we allowed a time for people to commit their lives to the Lord. One could see a genuine desire to live for God on people’s faces. We also gave food packages to each family that was there. It is quite humbling to think that we could be part of God’s provision for those people on that day.

During some down time, I was personally ministered to by people on the team, because they didn’t limit the work God could do. The freedom and peace I gained allowed me to minister, not only while I was on the mission trip, it continues to guard my heart and mind as I go through my days.

What I learnt from this outreach is that the initial impressions we have of people are often wrong and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to spend a weekend with strangers, work with them, get to know them and gain new friends.

One Heart is an organisation which lives up to its name: taking people from different churches around the country and creating a place for them to become one heart, so that they can show the kingdom of God to the people of eSwatini and Lesotho.