Breathtaking Mountains. Refuge on a Hill. Children. Snotbubbles. Rocks. Heat. Marijuana Field. Peanut Butter Overload. No chocolate or coffee. Hills for days. Paint. Carbs on Carbs. Beans, Eggs, and Rice. Popcorn Saturated in sugar. Spiritual Warfare. No water. No power. Mice. Guard Dogs. Eavesdropping. Homestead Visits. El Shaddai. Chapel. Singing. Laughter. Baby House. Mutant like slugs, grasshoppers, and millepedes. Garbage Pickup. Change in Climate. Thunderstorms and Fog. Community living. Sunsets. Sunrises. Sleeping babies on laps. Illnesses. Vomiting. Silly Games. Hammocks. Goats. Burn Pit. Ant Invasion. Slugs. Prayer walks. Feedback. Witch doctors. Burning Fields. Piggy Back Rides. Traumatic Backgrounds. Squad. Cows. Sharing Testimonies. Poop everywhere. Sunburns. Card Games. Waterfall. Hikes. Woman Time. Game Night. Crowded Kitchen. One stove, forty-one people. Worship. New Friends. God time.
These are just some bits and pieces of what comes to mind when I look at our time in Swaziland in the first 3 weeks. I will do my very best to put into words what I have been learning, seeing, hearing, experiencing, and doing thus far.
We arrived at El Shaddai the evening of October 7th. As we climbed higher and higher up the mountain I was almost in disbelief that this is where I would be living for the next 3 weeks. My awe only increased when we woke up the next morning and were able to see the breathtaking view. We are literally on the top of a mountain.
We have again been blessed this month with accommodations. Though we are sharing one kitchen, fridge, stove, and oven between 41 people, we have done it with so much love, patience, and generosity. Most of us, minus two teams, have bunk beds. Hot showers are abundant. Power and Water aren’t consistent, but they are present. We are in charge of our own meals, which has brought us together as a community.
Charmain, A South African woman that was told by God to build this refuge for orphans years ago, founded El Shaddai. There are children aging from infants to late teens. There is a baby house where the younger ones stay as well as a girls dorm and a boys dorm. In the mornings we do different types of ministry depending on what the orphanage needs. So far that has looked like painting the chapel’s walls, building roofs, picking up garbage around the whole property, gardening and helping with the pigs, hauling dirt, digging, sorting clothes, etc. Teams have also just begun to go on homestead visits, where we walk to houses in the area where the families are in need. Through the use of a translator we talk to the families about God and their struggles and give them some necessities to feed and care for their family. We pray over these families as well.
In the afternoon we have the opportunity to play and spend time with the children. This is one of the best parts of my day. Their sweet faces and tiny bodies are lovely to behold. It’s funny how little you begin to care about the things in life that don’t really matter when you are spending time with God’s beloved children. Many of their histories are ones of abandonment, neglect, grief, and extreme abuse. But that hasn’t stopped them from being joyful and being kids. We have each been specifically given one child to work with for at least an hour each day. I have been lucky enough to be assigned to two children, Ayanda and David. These children are both so different and beautiful in their own way.
El Shaddai has many needs, both prayerfully and financially. There is a need for more staff, especially male staff to come and work at El Shaddai. Prayers are needed for continued strength for the current staff here: Charmain and her daughter Chanelle, Rachel, Katie, Elvis, and all the aunties. Also please prayer for financial provision, health both spiritual and physical of the children, and for the surrounding community
“Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping my spend the night, but there is joy in the morning.” Psalm 30:4-5
