Hello all!
I decided to write a blog about some of the kids we met during our time serving in Swaziland! Since it takes just under a billion years to upload one photo, I chose to highlight a few of the kiddos we were able to play with and love on. There were anywhere from 6 to 20 kids at our care point on any given day. (Side note: A care point is a community run compound that is a safe place for kids to be kids as well as receive a meal and to learn.) We walked 7 kilometers to the care point and 7 kilometers back to our compound where we lived in Nsoko. We went twice a week, so while we didn’t have a ton of time with them, we made the most of it and cherished the time we did have! So without further ado, meet the crazy kids of Nsoko!
Queen Bee
Meet the leader of the pack! She had the sass, the strut, and all of the attitude. She is the big sister of the bunch and you can just tell by the way she carries herself that she has a big future ahead of her.
How she received her nickname: pretty self explanatory 🙂
Banana
The one with the greatest facial expressions. This is Queen Bee’s right hand woman. She is loyal, sweet, and caring. I once saw her pick up a child that was only a little smaller than her because he was upset and carried him on her back. (She didn’t even care when he peed on her.) This is the only banana I will ever love.
How she received her nickname: Those dang yellow minions only ever talk about bananas, so since she was Queen Bee’s minion, we thought it was fitting.
Grasshopper Girl
Man, does this girl march to the beat of her own drum. She is quirky, weird, and full of energy! While the group would be doing one thing, she could join in seamlessly or go off and entertain herself for hours. She is my muse.
How she received her nickname: Most of the kids played with/sucked on grasshoppers. One day, she chased one with a stick then proceeded to pounce on it, spike it like a football, re-catch it, and then show it to me with almost the exact same face as in the photo above.
Koala (real name: Umpupu)
Umpupu has a special place in my heart. Each day at the care point, she would always hang on to me and never want to let go. She has a sweet, gentle spirit about her that was adorable. Her heart is so big and she loves others well. Also, she would randomly sniff my arm. So, yeah.
How she received her nickname: She always wanted to cling to me like a cuddly Koala.
Chipmunk//Heybubba
THIS CUTE BABY FELL ASLEEP ON MY LAP!! I know, right?
He did his best to keep up with the big kids, but you’d often find him at the back of the pack. But he never minded and always wore a sweet smile on his face.
How he received his nickname(s): he looks like he was plucked from an Alvin & the Chipmunks movie; on the last day, Katy recorded a video where she said, “Hey Bubba!” so naturally he responded in his cute little voice, “Heybubba”
Macklemore
This is the child who inspired this blog. While he cried over just about everything, he was surprisingly chill. He was the fashionista of the group and experimented with his outfits – he even wore a skirt one day! I think when he grows up, his sensitive soul will make the ladies swoon.
How he received his nickname: Do I even need to explain? I mean, look at that coat. (What what. What. What.)
