Swaziland
El Shaddai Orphanage
1.What were your living arrangements like?
I lived in a hut with 4 other girls and bunk beds and we shared a bathroom.
2.What was the food like?
The food was good we cooked it ourselves. Southern Africa has a lot of food like America and it was the beginning of winter so the vegetables were perfect!
3.What is the culture like? How is it different from ours?
The country of Swazi is male dominate and women aren’t seen to have any power or opinion. For example, traditionally the King is allowed to have as many wives as he pleases and the heir to the throne is the last son to be born from the last wife before the king dies. So there’s no way of planning who can be king. This tradition sets the stage for the country and the example of men having all the power. Luckily at the orphanage they are working hard on reminding the girls that they can make a difference in the world and their voice matters.
4.What did you learn about yourself?
My teammate Kate kept telling me that I was a good Martha spirit this month. Whenever I had free time I wanted to be with the group of girls I became close with at the orphanage and we didn’t ever do anything fancy we just hung out and enjoyed each others company.
5.What did you learn about how the culture effects the way the people understand the gospel and live as Christians?
This whole trip I’ve been taught how to make Christianity a lifestyle and not a religion and Africans are great role models for it. They are all madly in love with Jesus and it makes such an incredible atmosphere just being in a place where people want to talk about Him. Just seeing some of the kid’s relationships with Jesus taught me a lot about how to improve on mine. They talk to Him daily and hand over all their burdens to Him and are so happy by doing so. (PS. African Worship = AMAZING)
6.What was your most memorable moment from this month?
My parents were able to come out and spend a week with me on the race and not only did I need the time with them but I was totally blessed by it. The kids we worked with have been with racers for years but never thought about us having parents; they would come up to me and tell me that my mom and dad were their mom and dad. It was exciting to share ministry with them.
7.What was the hardest thing about your month?
Leaving. I don’t like goodbyes!
8.What was the biggest lesson you learned?
I learned that I’m still afraid to ask God for things because I’m afraid He’ll let me down. It’s a human way of thinking but I need to remember that God is bigger than anything I can wish for and He knows my desires before I even think of them.
9.What did you see God doing among the people of Swazi?
God is showing up. Swazi people trust Him and ask Him for what they need and they’re never afraid. They are seeking Him and God is ready to be their all powerful.
10. What did you learn about the community and the people you served?
On the World Race you form relationships and then you leave and then you do it all again, multiple times. The kids at El Shaddai experience this often as well because racers frequently spend a month with them. With a pattern like this its easy to start to build up walls and myself and some squadmates found ourselves doing so at the beginning of the month. But the kids I were with weren’t having any of it and they broke down walls so fast it was as if they were ignoring them. Just like God does with us, they wouldn’t let anything get in the way of loving us for the whole time we were there.
11. What FUN activities did you get to do?
Every week we had movie night or girls night with the kids and made popcorn and friendship bracelets. We also got to take a night hike once where you could see shooting stars and the milky way that was pretty cool.
12. What one thing surprised you the most?
Africans love to eat bones to get more bone marrow. We gave them all our “leftover” chicken.
13. Explain your “typical day” this month.
In the morning we would rotate between manual labor, teaching preschool, and helping at the baby house. After lunch we would help the big kids with their homework, then prepare a chapel for them, and usually enjoy the breathtaking mountain sunsets before taking turns cooking dinner. Maual labor was husking corn for some people but for me it was cleaning pig pens (yep) and working in the garden.
14. Name one main difference between this month and previous months?
This month felt the most like home.
15. You had some special visitors in Swaziland, how was it? Did they give you the extra burst of energy to finish your last few months? What was your favorite thing you did with them?
They definitely gave me a burst of energy but it was hard to see them go. I enjoyed hanging out with the kids with them and just being with family was comforting. I can’t wait to see them again!
16. Living and working at an orphanage what were some interesting ways you saw the kids play since they didn’t have many toys?
They have the BEST imaginations! They can build toy cars with wire and push them around. They pretend shoes were houses and they love singing. Just being with them made me want to get rid of all the TV’s and electronics in America.
17. Can you believe you are in AFRICA????
No, I love it!
18. Can you believe your race is almost over?
Yeah I’m pretty excited to come home.
19. Anything else you want to add? Fun story?
In Swaziland you can’t buy the land you can only change names on it because all the land in the country is considered “kingdom land.” I think it’s a great example of how God sees the country.
