Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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Before you read this blog, read Part 1.
 
         I returned home that night, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Kiwi. I sat in the restaurant just looking at pictures of him on my computer. I kept zooming in on the cigarette burns on his arms and thinking I just can’t leave him there. This all happened the day after God spoke to me about really being present with the Swazi people in the midst of their pain. I started praying, pleading with the Lord, Please Father. Show me a way to help him. Show me at least of glimmer of hope in Kiwi’s situation.
    At that moment Pastor Gift (our ministry contact in Nsoko) walked into the restaurant. He doesn’t normally show up at our home unannounced, but he needed to talk to one of my teammates. I knew this was an answer to my prayer. I told Gift about Kiwi, showed him the pictures, and asked what we could do to help him. Pastor Gift told me that we could involve a social worker and begin to have the case investigated. HOPE.

    I knew that these children needed advocates. They needed people who would be courageous enough to fight against cultural norms and talk about things that are hard. The next day was my first training session with the care point teachers. After a morning of discussing goal setting and lesson planning, we made a drastic shift and began to talk about abused children. We talked about the prevalence of abuse in Swaziland, specific signs of both physical and sexual abuse, and the fact that reporting suspected abuse can literally save these kids’ lives. I didn’t know if it was culturally appropriate to broach this subject, but I didn’t care. It was amazing to give the teachers permission to talk about what they are seeing at their care points and abuse that they suspect. I hoped this conversation would encourage them to begin reporting abuse to Pastor Gift.
 

    Almost a week later, I was finally able to return to Ngunya. I was so anxious to see Kiwi again and check up on him. I also knew this would be my chance to introduce him to Pastor Gift.
    As soon as I jumped out of the van, I spotted Kiwi standing with a group of boys. My face lit up in a huge smile and I waved to him. He shyly buried his face in his hands giggling and then peered up at me and waved. His burn is looking better, but he has a new cut running from the top of his nose to his lip. He told me that this cut came from chickens. I spent the day just showering him with love.
    At the end of the day, Pastor Gift came to pick us up from the care point. I walked towards him to introduce him to Kiwi. As I was walking to him I saw Khanysile (Ngunya’s teacher) talking to Pastor Gift about Kiwi. I approached in time to hear her say, “I’m afraid someone might be hurting him.”. A huge smile spread across my face. The teachers are beginning to break Swazi cultural norms and advocate for these abused children. The three of us talk about the next steps that must be taken to ensure Kiwi’s safety.