Next Ministry Steps: Moving to Africa and Getting Married!

Hello, my dear friends, family, and supporters!

I’m busting this blog out of an unintentional, very long hiatus.

Lately, life has been full with a whole lot of goodness, and I’m excited to finally invite you into it. This is a bit of a long update, but I think you’ll want to read it all.

Per the blog title, yes; next year I’m moving to Africa and I’m getting married! Two things that I did NOT see coming a year ago this time. (:

Meet my fiance, Bheki Motsa (pronounced BEH-ggy MOAT-suh)

photo credit: Kam Kathleen Photo

But first, what I’m currently wrapping up:

For the past three and a half years, my role has been the Worship Coordinator for our ministry from our main office in Georgia, USA. Stewarding weekly all-staff worship, facilitating other worship events, and giving teachings, I helped empower our staff and participants to cultivate deeper intimacy with Jesus as they minister to the people of the nations. I’ve treasured this role so deeply, as it tangibly brings together my heart for worship, people, and missions. I’m incredibly grateful for these several years of walking it out.

 

photo credit: Kati Simpson

 

In the fall of 2022, I’m transitioning to serve as a long term missionary serving at our base in Eswatini!

Eswatini, formerly called Swaziland, is a small country in Southern Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. I spent a couple of weeks in Eswatini this spring (April/May 2021) on a vision trip. Back in 2014, I spent a month there on my World Race, but a lot has changed and developed in the last 7 years! The purpose of my trip was two fold: to see more aspects of the ministry first-hand and what my involvement could look like, AND to ask the Lord for clarity about the man I began quietly dating in December 2020.

Would the Lord give me perspective about building His Kingdom in Eswatini for the foreseeable future AND confirmation about partnering with Bheki for..ever?

The answer was yes and yes.

Snapshots from my vision trip

Top L = meeting with the two program heads of a leadership program I’ll get to be involved in.

Top R = countryside views on a morning run.

Bottom L = Zebras at a nature preserve park.

Bottom R = Bheki and me in his hometown

 

Between now, November 2021, and then, November 2022:

My present task is training the woman who is stepping into being the new worship coordinator, Julia Yoder. An alumna of World Race Gap Year and CGA (the leadership school I’ve served as a house mentor for and guest instructor), Julia has a beautiful heart after Jesus and heart for worship. I’m really excited for the ways she’ll steward the worship expressions of Adventures.

In March of 2022 I’ll begin training as a midwife (a birth attendant)! This dream first landed in my heart 10 years ago, and I’m delighted that it’s finally the season to step into it. My training will look like 3-month in person intensive in Montana in the spring which is followed by 2 years of online training. The program I’ve chosen is specifically geared towards midwifes serving in resource-lacking regions with a missional focus. Wow. Thanks God. There are significant tangible needs in the maternal health care realm in Eswatini, some which I heard about first and second hand during my vision trip, and I’m so delighted to be hands and feet to serve women and families in this way in the years ahead.

Bheki and I will get married in September 2022, and will then spend a month (October 2022) receiving specific missions training with a ministry in North Carolina.

We plan to launch to Eswatini in November 2022!

photo credit: Lauren Kobe

More about my fiance and Adventures Eswatini:

Bheki serves as the country director for Adventures Eswatini, and oversees the 100+ Swazi staff members and international long term missionaries working there. He was born and raised in Eswatini, gave his heart to Jesus in high school, and first got connected with Adventures when he served as the interpreter for a short term missions team in 2007, while he was in university. Bheki then attended the leadership school Adventures Eswatini facilitates, joined staff after his completion of it, and was entrusted with more and more through the years until he stepped into his present role as country director in the beginning of 2020.

I’m deeply grateful for the man that he is and for the opportunity to build the Kingdom of God in partnership with him for the rest of my life.

The main focus of Adventures Eswatini is family strengthening. As the website beautifully describes: “We believe that children are the future of Eswatini and that children are best situated in loving, supportive families. Our programs engage communities by providing care for vulnerable children, fun and educational opportunities for young adults, and strengthening programs for families. Our calling is to see young Christ-centered servant leaders who are able to build a successful life that pours back into neighbors, family, and surrounding nations.”

 

Praying With Me

• Prayer for closing my 6-year season in Georgia well; wisdom in relationships with my final semester of young ladies I house mentor in Adventures’ leadership school; wisdom to finish training the new worship coordinator Julia Yoder well
• an ease to understand the midwifery training I’ll receive this spring (and for the continued 2 year online training)
• my season of engagement and marriage preparation: that Bheki and I would seek first the Kingdom of God and see all the things we need added unto us.
• the right people to join Bheki’s and my team of supporters/ministry partners
• Pray you and I can stay connected. It’s really encouraging for me to hear from you, and I would love to support you as well!

If you’re not yet partnering with me financially and you’d like to, click the button at the top of my blog. I’m immensely grateful for your support!

I’m gearing up to raise more in order to be a fully support raised missionary, and am so excited to see how the Lord will provide for all that He calls us to.

Thanks for reading all of this!

As always, I would love to stay connected and pray for you during this time as you have been faithful to do for me.  I’d love to hear from you about what God is doing in your life and how I can partner with you in prayer. 

May the Lord impart His peace and boldness to you in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

From my heart,
Erika V. Wynne