Measurable Impact

As we reflect on the remarkable journey of the past year, we are filled with gratitude and pride for the incredible impact you have collectively made in the lives of the communities we serve. With your unwavering support, Abide Well has accomplished significant milestones in 2023.

In 2023, we were able to make a lasting impact on the lives of families in need by constructing four new homes. These homes not only provide shelter but also represent a symbol of hope and a foundation for a brighter future. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to give families a place to call their own and the stability they need to thrive.

Through our feeding program, we served over 10,000 meals to school children and the elderly facing food insecurity. Your support allowed us to address the immediate needs of those struggling with hunger. By providing nutritious meals, we are not only combating hunger but also promoting health and well-being.

One of the highlights of the year was the successful launch and sustainability of three new chicken farmers in the rural area around Malanda. These ventures not only create economic opportunities for individuals and families but also contribute to the overall development of the community. Your support played a crucial role in empowering these aspiring entrepreneurs and fostering self-sufficiency.

In line with our commitment to community development, we are thrilled to share that approximately 10 individuals were employed in the rural areas surrounding Malanda. These job opportunities provide financial stability for individuals and their families and also contribute to the overall economic growth of the region.

None of these achievements would have been possible without your generosity, dedication, and belief in our mission!

Turning to scripture, we see that when the needs of the marginalized and oppressed, the Lord is pleased! In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25 verses 31-46 speak about those who will be at the right hand of the Son of Man. Here, Jesus likens Himself to a Shepherd sorting out His flock. His Sheep (the believers/the righteous) are recognizable to Him as those that helped strangers in need. The Goats (non-believers) are unrecognizable to Him.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

When we house the elderly and feed kids in elementary schools, this is pleasing to the Shepherd! We are then also easily recognizable to Him.

It reminds me of the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus is ministering to a lawyer. Jesus says, essentially, the key to eternal life is to Love God and Love your neighbor. The lawyer thinks he will get away with a small semantic twist. He will Love whoever is convenient to Love, and only then consider those people his neighbor. That way he can “Love” whoever he wants. With what seems like a wry smile,the lawyer poses a question, attempting to justify this thought: "And who, then, is considered my neighbor?" Ill paraphrase Jesus' parable (although you should go read Luke 10:25-37 for yourself), His answer isn“anyone who needs help”. It doesn't matter if they believe what you believe, or look the same as you, or live where you live, help everyone you can help and do it to the Glory of God.

Immeasurable Love

Measurable outcomes are exciting. Four homes, three new entrepreneurs, 10,000 meals! When we started Abide Well I dreamt of the day we would have this much support and be able to talk about these numbers. We also worked on getting every homestead in Malanda reliable water. But I’ve been meditating on another verse as well. It’s important to read the Bible in its entirety to maintain balance where the Bible is balanced as well!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The physical needs are tangible. They are exciting because they are measurable. We can even pat ourselves on the back for following through on loving others. But let's not forget about the souls of the people who we help. True love, in the Biblical sense, has 2 parts. The physical part is important. It is what we have been talking about here. That, in turn, leads to the eternal part. These things often work together in the Bible. In John 3:16 Jesus’ Love led to his physical presence, which led (and still does lead) to salvation. He came to us in the midst of our poverty. He healed people, he addressed physical ailments, and he performed miracles. But he didn’t just come to hang out with us for 30 years and make some folks feel good. He also came to declare that whoever believes in him shall not perish.

We see this theme again a few chapters later in John. Jesus took a couple fish and loaves of bread and multiplied it to feed 5,000 people, but he didn't just leave it at that! He recalls to us his desire that none shall perish, but have eternal life! A couple verses after performing this physical miracle, we hear him say this:

John 6:35 I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Let's be mindful of what Jesus came to do, and try to do likewise. So WWJD? Put simply,  Jesus came to save the poor. The material poor, and the poor in spirit, are both in need. One in need of shoes, and the other in need of saving. Love addresses both, otherwise it isn't love at all. This brings up another point, extreme evangelists may state that only conversions matter because salvation has eternal implications. Why are we concerned with physical possessions at all? Did you know that there are two “John 3:16s”?  We already looked at the famous one, now let's look at the other (ok, technically it's 1 John 3:16-18). 

1 John 3:16-18 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

So we talked about what it looked like in Eswatini to carry out 1 John 3:16-18 in the year 2023, those were the statistics of meals served and homes built! So what did it look like to carry out the other John 3:16? For the poor in spirit to be converted?  Well, to be honest, sometimes that part isn't so simple. And It isn’t quantifiable. If someone tells you it is, then they are not being honest. We could hold a revival in Malanda and have Pastor Enoch preach and have people getting baptized and we could just start counting heads in the crowd. That might satisfy our ego, but it isn’t what we do. In fact, let me be straight forward. Sometimes we try our hardest to alleviate physical pain in these communities and be a beacon of hope and point to Jesus in everything we do, and still come out the other side seeing absolutely no heart change. It happens, and it is easier to ignore and move things along and go back to counting meals served to orphans than try to address it. But if we did that we would not be doing as Jesus did, we would be ignoring eternal implications. So in the name of transparency, let me tell you there were times in 2023 when I was very discouraged. Let’s talk about one of them.

One of the homes we built wasn’t occupied for several months and I had no idea. I thought this granny moved right in because her home was in such bad condition that it looked like if one more storm hit it, she would be buried in that house. She lived in such a rural area that it was extremely difficult to build the house we built in the first place. On my last trip to Eswatini I started hearing rumors that she hasn't moved in. I didn't want to believe it! I knew the new house we built was so much better and liveable than her old one. So I went to visit her, and it was true! It looked like she hadn’t even opened the door. I didn't understand it. I started asking questions to get to the bottom of it. Initially she said she had “lost the key”. That seemed odd considering she never told anyone, but we got her a new key anyway. Then she said she was “waiting for her daughter to come and put a rug on the floor so she didn't want to put stuff in there”. Things weren’t adding up. She didn't want to move in now, or for the past 6 months, because she would have to spend 5 minutes moving stuff around to fit a rug? I was getting frustrated, and I could visibly see my team was embarrassed by the whole situation. 

The truth? She hadn’t moved in yet because the house was not painted. She would never be so forward to say that to our face, because she knew it was ridiculous. Someone else had their house painted and she thought she would hold out in hopes that we would do the same thing for her. The thing is, we told her we were no longer painting houses as part of our work. There are certain things we ask the homeowner to do themself, and this is one of those things. She knew this, she was just being stubborn. She was willing to be caught in a storm, with her old house falling down on her head, before she was willing to accept that someone else was blessed with a painted home while hers was simply gray. 

That day we visited her, we stayed there until every last item was moved from her old house to the new one. She was finally in her new home, but I doubt she experienced a personal heart transformation. 

The reason I am telling this story is because I want our donors to understand that working with people can be messy. If we only reported the impressive numbers and the pretty pictures of strong homes, we wouldn't be telling the whole story. In 2023 these types of things happened, in 2022 they happened, and in 2024 we will experience another moment of discouragement, I have no doubt.

To abide: ‘to accept’/ ‘the ability to remain’/ ‘to endure’

As we share in the messy, unpredictable narratives of transformation, we recognize that true impact extends beyond statistics. It involves the unseen struggles, the heart's resilience, and the enduring spirit that underpins every journey. This is the narrative we aim to share, a narrative that echoes the profound and multifaceted love exemplified by Jesus—physical and spiritual, tangible and eternal.

Amidst the ebb and flow of our work, where triumphs interweave with moments of discouragement, the essence of our mission is an abiding reliance on the Lord. Discouragement, though familiar, is not the conclusion. It propels us toward introspection, reminding us of the deeper purpose that fuels our commitment. “Abide” is not just in our name; it holds a more significant role as our guiding directive. It's something we strive to embody and something we wish to see Swazis doing. It challenges us and, by extension, you—our steadfast supporters—to dive into a life of abiding.

To Abide Well is to take staying well one step further, it is a very meaningful appeal to all of mankind to bear patiently, to wait for, to endure without yielding, to be satisfied today, and to dwell in the house of the Lord. It touches on the physical and the spiritual. 

Isaiah 32:18 My people will abide in peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places

Psalm25:13 His soul shall abide in well-being…

John 15:9 As the father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love.

Psalms 91:1-2 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

There are times in my life where I have purposely chosen to remain outside of the house of the Lord. There are times when I have chosen to remain in a poorly constructed house, just like that granny. It was my very own mud and stick house. A foundation of  personal ambitions, societal expectations, or worldly pursuits. This was a house built on sand (Matthew 7:24). 

Now let me be clear that goals, plans, ambitions and pursuits are not bad. I would just like to be sure I am living in the right house first. God’s house symbolizes the life that aligns with his purpose, wisdom, and divine plan. It embodies a path guided by faith, trust, and obedience to God's will. This house is constructed on the foundation of divine principles, love, compassion, and a deeper understanding of our spiritual calling.

When I am dwelling in the shelter of the most high, I am fulfilling this calling to the best of my ability. I pray that in 2024 I will be able to do this even more.

Conclusion

The Story of 2023 comes to a close as we stand at the intersection of measurable love and immeasurable grace. The journey of the past year has been marked by tangible accomplishments—four homes built, three new entrepreneurs empowered, and 10,000 meals served. Your unwavering support and generosity have translated into transformative changes in the lives of individuals and families in Malanda.

Scripture echoes the resonance of our efforts, emphasizing the importance of aiding those in need as a testament to our commitment to the Lord. Through the lens of Matthew 25:31-46, we recognize that our actions are not merely charitable deeds but reflections of a profound love that aligns us with the Shepherd's flock. Our endeavors to house the elderly and feed school children are, in essence, acts of love pleasing to the Lord.

Yet, beyond the numerical achievements lies a deeper understanding—one that mirrors the multifaceted love exemplified by Jesus. The physical outcomes are vital, providing tangible evidence of our commitment to loving others. However, true love, as illuminated by Biblical teachings, encompasses both the physical and the eternal. Jesus' acts of healing, addressing physical needs, and declaring salvation embody the interconnectedness of these aspects.

My hope is that you see this not just as our yearly recap, but as an invitation. It is an invitation to our donors, partners, and supporters to embrace the entirety of our mission, beyond the borders of Eswatini. The essence of "Abide" extends beyond a name; it serves as a guiding directive, challenging all—Swazis, supporters, and ourselves—to understand and embody what it means to abide well. This appeal beckons us to a life of patience, endurance, and satisfaction in the present moment, dwelling in the house of the Lord in both the physical and spiritual sense.

In conclusion, The Story of 2023 is a testament to the impactful journey we've undertaken together. Measurable outcomes underscore the tangible changes we bring to communities, while immeasurable love speaks to the deeper, eternal implications of our mission. As we step into the future, the echoes of Abide Well resonate—an enduring commitment to both measurable impact and immeasurable love.