Those are basically the only English words I’m likely to hear all day from the kids at our ministry as they yell for my attention or ask me to take their picture. Let me tell you more…
June is C Squad’s “manistry” month which means the 11 men on our squad are living together in the mountains near the capital, Mbabane. As you might have gathered, that means all 26 women are left living together under one roof this month. Talk about chaos, noise and emotions!
This month our ministry contacts are also missionaries from Adventures in Missions who are partnered with Children’s Hope Chest (CHC) in Manzini, Swaziland. CHC has set up almost two dozen “Care Points” across the country, 4 of which we are working with in town. Each morning we go, in groups of 4-6, to these Care Points to serve in whatever way necessary. I am among a group of 6 that walk 20 minutes to the Mangwaneni Care Point (near the local dump).
For two hours every morning I help teach a preschool class of about 15 students. In between those two hours the kids take a break, get fed "sour porridge" and have some play time with us. At noon they can head home although most rejoin the older kids (after they get out of primary school) at 2:30pm for some “pap and beans” or “fortified rice with soy.” This food is provided by the Care Point and sometimes the only meal the older kids will have in a day. It’s refreshing getting to hang out with some of the older kids in the afternoon since most of them have a comprehensive knowledge 
of English thus, we can actually communicate. On Wednesdays and Fridays we stay until 3:30 and do a short Bible Club with the kids aged 12 and under.
During days we don’t need to do Bible Club, some of us head to the local, Nazarene hospital (about a 45 min walk) and visit patients in the Children’s Ward or the Women’s Ward. In many situations the mothers have to stay 24/7 and end up sleeping under the cribs or hospital beds of their children so it can become very draining and all-consuming experience. Often, we are able to provide some rejuvenation for the parents by being new faces with whom they can chat and share. Other times we read books, play with the kids or just pray for the patients hoping to not see them around the next time we visit.
This month has been energizing in the sense that we got to join with the ladies of Team Monarch to create our own temporary team. They’ve provided refreshing views and personal feedback so that us ladies of Team Unveiled Pursuit may continue to grow. However, this month has also been draining from working with young children. Additionally, our house has become a breeding ground for germs and it certainly doesn’t help that we’ve been working with kids or visiting the sick at the hospital. People have been fighting off illness all 
month and I feel like its circulating and that much harder to get rid of. I am one of many trying to heal from a sore throat and bad head cold. Please continue to pray for all of us; that we can finish the month strong and for health so we can make the most of debrief and get through the upcoming travel days.
