We have lived up on a mountain top at El Shaddai for about three weeks now.
We hear laughter and children running as early as 5 am. I like to sleep until at least 7 am.
The days always seem to start out cloudy and misty. Usually we are in the thick of the clouds. Most of the days up here are chilly and rainy. The weather this time of year is normally transitioning into summer, but this year, the rains decided to delay for our arrival.
The roads are often too muddy for travel and we have walked over an hour to catch a bus from a main road. Oh the things we do for WiFi.
The rain creates opportunity for one of my favorite sounds – rain on a tin roof. The Best!
We’ve had a couple of ridiculously gorgeous sunny days. They are perfect for busting out water balloons with the kids, long hikes, and painful sunburns. And on those days we all eagerly anticipate watching some of the most amazing sunsets ever. I’m not kidding when I say that this scenery belongs in movies.
There are 96 kids that rule the roost up here. Some have families but live at the orphanage because they cannot care adequately for them, others live at El Shaddai to experience love in a better way than they were being shown before and some are without a family.
There is a baby house filled with little nuggets that love to eat dirt, hit each other, climb on the playground, swing, fall asleep in your arms and pee all over your new shirt. They are quickly stealing many of our hearts. Most of them come with heart wrenching stories. But you would not know it as you watch their smiles light up their faces. I love walking by the playground and having 8 of them yell, “Manda, Manda. Come push me.” or “Manda, come inside. Watch this”.
You have to be careful with the command to come and play, because your previous mission was not involving an hour long stint at the baby house, which is what it can often turn into.
I often walk by the baby house and up the hill past the main kitchen for the orphanage and have at least two kids attack me for hugs or being carried. I try to set them down or shake them off of me. They are too old for this, but it’s not without tickling them or turning them upside down first.
These kids range from first grade to sixth grade. Many of them yell my name or call out “Kaitlyn” when I walk by. Apparently I look like a character from the Disney movie Camp Rock and thus I have adopted the name Kaitlyn for the month. Who knows? But I go with it.
I love hugs and hand pulls from my buddies like Joseph and Benjamin, and Louis. They always want to watch movies. And I play soccer with my guys Nick, Dean, and Mess. I think it startled them that I could pull some moves. They have a one up on me because they are used to playing in bare feet over the rough ground. I definitely slow when they head to the gravel with the ball.
Lately, I have really been enjoying conversations with the older girls, Wendy, Esi, and Ruth. They like to tease me and make fun of my laugh. But more than anything, they remind me of my girls at Bedrock Student Ministries and they simply want to talk, be noticed and known. It has been a blessing to get to hang out with them. My soul loves it so much.
There a couple of people here that help work at the ministry that have been amazing to get to know as well. One, Rachel, is a World Race Alumni, and has been a blessing to me as she is more than willing to help us in any way and knows what it is like to be on the Race and to squad lead.
She lives with Katie, a peace corp volunteer. Katie is hilarious and so friendly. She has an amazing vision for the children here and for future plans of hers to continue education back home. She’s a big encouragement this month.
We live in cabin type dorms. Some sleep in tents, hammocks or bunk beds.
There is hot running water when there is electricity, electricity and we have access to two kitchens for cooking. It is not at all the Africa I was expecting.
With the squad all together we have a cracker jack team of squad mates putting together meals for the 43 of us up top and leading the way in the galley. I helped make pancakes the other night. We eat amazingly well. The food delicious and we eat well on our budget of $3 per person per day.
Four people travel twice a week to the nearest city – the capital of Mbabane – to go grocery shopping for the squad. It’s a full day of work.
There is a bunch of downtime (because of the rain) this month but it’s typically spent running around with the kids.
With that being said, a group of teachers and non teachers have been running school sessions for the kids each day (this is their summer break – yes, it’s summer here). I help teach a health class on Mondays. There are several construction or manual labor projects going on, to include: cleaning out the duck pond, building a new water cistern, digging a new trash pit and building shelves to organize the clinic. Groups have also been helping to patch holes in the roof and we leveled the road down near the school. Also, some people are helping the kids make secret gifts for both the girls and guys.
The orphanage runs a clinic, farm to include animals, and church. We have had an opportunity to help with all of these things. My friend, Susan, has been running the clinic this month. She lets me poke my head in every now and then to get my hands a little dirty with medicines and seeing patients. I love it.
The clinic has a back storeroom that was jam packed with supplies from previous donations. Most of the stuff was for surgeries or for procedures that the clinic, not normally staffed with an RN, would ever need. We sorted through these supplies and separated out 30+ boxes of medical supplies to donate to the nearest government hospital. It was a fairly big project, but it was cool to have some people on the squad realize that they had good hospital experience to separate out those supplies.
We host chapel every week day for the kids. It’s been fun watching each team host it and seeing the squad perform so many different skits from the Bible.
We have been planning several events to celebrate Christmas together with the kids as well as with the squad. One squad mate raised over $2500 to give the all of the kids new clothes and shoes this Christmas. I cannot wait to see their faces.
We lost a squad mate in between Nepal and Swaziland due to visa troubles. We miss you Guille!
And we sent another one home to receive back surgery a week ago. We’re hopeful that Kara will be back with us soon. And yes, her surgery went well.
Each of us as squad leaders has had a hospital experience this month for someone on our squad. 🙁
We celebrated halfway through the Race on the 15th with a Hunger Games style battle between makeshift teams. It was slightly ridiculous and all out fun.
We’re enjoying the Twelve Days of Christmas, goofy events hosted by some squad party planners. And on Christmas day we’ll celebrate with a squad wide white elephant gift exchange with things from our packs.
I’ve loved the freedom this month has given us as a squad. I love the children here with their beautiful grins and silly giggles. And I have loved being here in this month together.
For all of the quiet moments, like when we light our Advent wreath and sing a soft hymn. For all of the silent moments, like when we announce that someone is going home. For all of the loud, crazy moments, like when Dutch Blitz is being played in the kitchen or when water guns have sprayed someone again. And for all of the beautiful moments, like when a kid comes running and jumps into someone’s arms. God is so so good.
To A & J: There is a river to go swimming in down near the high school house – a 20 minute drive from the mountaintop. Just watch out for crocodiles. A water fall is within sound distance but it’s not safe to go to because of interesting neighbors… and rumors of a rather large boa that eats cows. I don’t know about that…
I don’t know how to say Jesus Loves You in Siswati yet. But I’ll work on it.
You two would love it here. There is always mud, mess and running around.
Merry Christmas to everyone back home! I’m still hoping for $1500 to be fully funded.
