It is so nice to let you know that after 10 months of waiting – we are in our very own rental house! We feel so blessed to be here. The man who rented here before took good care of the place, and he even had the kitchen renovated before he left. Marius and I both really love cooking, so anyone who knows us well knows what a blessing a nice kitchen is. The house is spacious, with a room for the nursery and a guest room. There is a fenced-in yard, complete with a lemon tree, lime tree, mango tree and 2 banana trees. So no matter how tough the economy gets, we will always have fresh fruit to eat! We want to thank all of you who have prayed for us to get a home. We just moved in this week, and every morning we wake up SO grateful to be in our own place.
We’ve been very busy for the past few weeks. Marius coordinated the painting of the floor of a new medical clinic at Nsoko (an extremely poor part of Swaziland). The AIM Real Life college students were a great help getting the floor done for the grand opening of the clinic. There was even one girl on the team from Ball Ground, GA. (See photo above) Small world, huh?
Later that week Marius and I had the privilege of delivering some much-needed food and blankets to a lady named Make Zwane. She is doing an amazing job with widows and orphans out in a rural area near the border. She’s a Swazi teacher and her husband is a pastor, and they are making a difference in their nation. They are not one of AIM/CHC’s “sponsored” carepoints, but nevertheless some very generous people in the States (thank you Becca) raised $2,000 for her, and she decided to buy blankets for the elderly (believe it or not it gets quite cold here in the winter), as well as food to distribute amongst the people. They’re going to have a big meal together next Sunday when they will distribute everything, and Make Zwane asked Marius to please buy several live chickens and deliver them to her for the feast. That is going to be an interesting journey, as the place we delivered the blankets and food to was about 2 hours away, including 33 kilometers of very bumpy dirt road that consumed an hour of the drive!
We also had the opportunity to visit with Pastor Sam, who is another wonderful Swazi man who’s making such a difference. He and three other volunteer teachers are teaching at a school that AIM has partnered to help finish construction on. Marius got to take food (pap and beans) so that the kids will have a meal at school before they walk home. When asked what the teachers wanted, they said it would be so nice to have a teapot to start the morning out with a hot cup of tea. Marius and I bought some tea supplies for them, and now they’ll be having tea. It’s amazing the simple things that truly make life easier here for these super volunteers.
I am very excited that I get to come home in August for a short visit. I’m coming for my dear friend, Michelle Schramm’s wedding in Montana. We promised one another long ago (when it felt like we were the last two single girls on earth!) that we would really make an effort no matter where we were in the world to make it to one another’s weddings. She kept her promise almost four years ago when I got married, and now I get to be a part of her special day too! (Thank you Liz for helping me with my airfare!). It will be a short visit, and it will just be me as we can’t really afford for Marius to come too, but it’s gonna be great! I know I won’t have a chance to connect with everyone I want to see, so I want to invite you to come see me if you can.
I will be speaking at Trinity Evangelical Church in Marble Hill, GA on Sunday, August 9th at 10:30 am (call 770-893-2682 for directions). For those of you in Montana, I’ll also get to speak at Whitefish Foursquare Church on Sunday, August 16th at their 10:30 a.m. service (Call 406-862-1653 for directions). My heart would love to see every one of you precious people who help make it possible for us to be in Swaziland, but I know that my 6 month pregnant body probably won’t have the stamina to individually visit everyone, so please come to one of these services if you can!
Next week we will have an anatomy baby scan in South Africa for my 22-week checkup. Please pray that everything with the baby is developing as it should, and that we would be able to see if it’s a boy or a girl. We are so curious!!!
We love you and thank you for being a part of our Swazi journey with us.
Jodi & Marius
Praise the Lord!!! So glad to hear you have a home to call your own! (Did you get the dining room table?) We love reading your updates and to see what you guys are up to with the Lord. We miss you and pray for you daily!
Jodi and Marius,
We are so thrilled for you two over your new home and baby!!! We’re in the States right now and are bummed it’s not at the same time you’ll be here Jodi. I’m so glad you get to see your family and be at Michelle’s wedding. Have a wonderful time and just know how much we love you guys.
love,
anna
Woo Hoo! We are SO excited about that new home and
the chance to see Jodi in August! We love you both
and miss you. God is good!
Rejoicing with you! So very glad to hear all the good news.
We cannot wait til your arrival to atlanta. Is it too early to go on down to the airport and wait? Looking forward to hearing if this Oma and Opa has a new grandbaby boy or girl in the family. The house is wonderful and worth the wait to get that one. We Love You Both and are so proud of your work in Swaziland.
Jodi,
Congratulations on everything in you life…better than the old job at H&L!!!! I will let my mother know about Marble Hill, I know she will be there!!
Steve
We are so happy to hear you have finally are moved into your home. Have fun cooking togther in the kitchen. We are so proud to see people we know well making such a big diffrence in so many lives. Good luck with the check up and safe travels back home for your visit.
Peter & Carolyn
I sent you an e-mail about the 9th of August. Let me know that you received it. Blessings, Jill
A cooking home is a happy home! Enjoy your current residence & God Bless!!
J&C Lupi
Praise the Lord for your new home! Oh I so want to make another trip to Swaziland. Where is Marble Hill, GA? I will look it up. My prayers are with you both and your precious baby. Love, and blessings, Robin
I am so happy for you and Marius. God’s blessing always come. thank you for having the heart of God.
Blessings,
Janice
I am so happy for you Jodi & Marius. I can’t wait to see what the baby is going to be. You are all in my prayers.
Congratulations on the house!! We know this is such a blessing for you. Great Pics!! Having a good place to cook is always a good thing! Love you both!!
Randy and Sandra
Good to see your new home! Looks great and better than what I imagined. Thank God.
It seems God opened the doors for you guys after long days of waiting many things, baby, house etc.
We are praying that your home visit will be blessed and you can see all friends and family you want to see.
God bless you!
Juri
What wonderful news!! Congrats to you both, we are so happy for ya’ll and I can hardly wait to tell the ladies at our UMW that you will be in Georgia soon! We just had an old fashioned ice cream social and I shared with the ladies the good news of your pregnancy. They will be delighted to hear about the house and your upcoming visit. Marble Hill is “just a jump & skip” from Lathemtown and we certainly want to come and see you.
God Bless,
Jamie
Great to hear! I miss you guys, it was such a blessing meeting you both. I love keeping up with how you are doing!
Happy crepe making in your new home!! Can’t wait to see you in August – I have passes for Marius and Mom if you need more and want some company on the trip 🙂 Praying for your growing little one!
This is all such good news!!! Congratulations on the house. I know that you will make it wonderful home in no time! You’ve already been gracious hosts 🙂
You both look fabulous. Jodi, pregnancy clearly agrees with you.
So happy to have some news from you.
Peace to you and much love…
Erin (who wishes she was back in Swaziland…)
Super-dooper! Welcome to your new home! Thanks for all the new photos of your current works….you both look wonderful, happy and blessed. I will plan on seeing you Aug. 9th; wish Marius could make the trip too. I will be anxious to get your email following your doctor’s appt. As always, you remain in my prayers & heart.
Love,
Cindy
I thought that there was a typo in the bulletin a couple of weeks ago, and am thrilled to find out that it was not!!!!! I am so excited that I get to see you! You are so missed by us!!
Love you Sweet Friend!
Great news you guys are looking so gorgeous and keping busy i see we love you and think of you God bless and grace be with you during the pregnancy and beyond enjoy your sleep so long
Sandra Payne said hello 6 weeks ago! She said that she knew your grandma would be soo happy – smiling down on the two of you with the baby on the way!
I am so happy that you two are finally in your home. Just four months of living with my parents seemed sooo long till we moved into our new home a coulple months ago.
Can’t wait to see you in august.
A fabulous report of God’s goodness and provision! What satisfying work you two are doing. Thank you so much for keeping us updated. Looking forward to seieng Jodi in MT in August! From your glowing beautiful face, I’d say that baby’s a girl 😉