In Swaziland they have BoGogo (grandmothers are called gogo plural is bogogo) who spend their days cooking, cleaning, collecting firewood, and fetching water. Because of the high HIV/AIDS rate in Swazi much of the middle population has been depleted, leaving the Bogogo to take care of the children. I have never seen such strength and faith in people from their situations but yet when you greet them they smile from ear to ear and embrace you. I got the pleasure to bond with a very special Gogo, her name is Gogo Alveena. She would come by our team house and bring us fat cakes (imagine a circular funnel cake) for only one rand each which is about 10 cents in USD. Her English was decent but not great, yet she still would try to carry on a conversation. I began to order fatcakes from her in bulk and talk to her every time I saw her. Very quickly we formed a bond and I just couldn’t get enough of that sweet woman. The morning we left Swaziland she brought us fatcakes for the road and I gave her our leftover rice and a pack of lemon cookies. She thanked me over and over then she said the words that ripped my heart out, “I am your gogo, I am your grandmother” que the waterworks. I hugged her probably 15 times that morning and I wish I could hug her some more. I am so blessed that God put Gogo Alveena in my life even if it was for a month. I can’t imagine the things she has witnessed in her lifetime and I seriously wanted to pack her in my bag and bring her home with me. My heart is full and I ask that everyone pray for the Swazis and if you’d like my sweet Gogo Alveena. God bless the Bogogo.
