Month 6 of our World Race put us at an orphanage in Swaziland. I wasn't honestly all that excited to be spending 30 days with a group of kids. It's no secret that I like kids, but I don't LOVE kids by any means. I like kids on my terms, aka if I get tired of them I can just leave them with their parents and walk away (that's why I love my nieces, they're not mine!). Even before we arrived in Swaziland we were told that each racer would be paired with 1 orphan for the month. Within the first couple of days of being there, I had a chance to play/interact with most of the kids. On our third day we were having a meeting in the church and sitting 3 rows ahead of me with a huge grin on his face and his eyes locked on me was. . . Masotja!! (it took me about 4 days to actually learn his name). At that moment Masotja started to move through World Racers and over benches to reach me. And once he got to me, he just simply plopped himself in my lap and just looked up at me with a huge smile!!! My buddy had picked me out, I was his and he wasn't letting anyone else have me. . . After that moment, Masotja and I were buds for life.
Over the next month we just became closer and closer, to the point where he would light up like a firefly every time he saw me. I can honestly say that Masotja changed my perceptive on how I view children. Adoption in Swaziland currently isn't possible, but that didn't stop Kelsey and I from talking about giving Masotja a better life. We both loved the little booger. After a short while Masotja began loving on Kelsey too (holding her hand on walk or when going to chapel, giving her hugs or just calling her name out on Christmas to come see his gifts). It's funny how countries speak different languages , but the laughter of kids never changes. . .
While we were in Swaziland we learned that the Swaziland government won't accept that there is an orphan problem in the country. Swaziland has the highest HIV infection rate in the world, with a life expectancy of 32, so you do the math on if there are a ton of orphans in the country or not. It's sad for me to think that so many of Swaziland's children will grow up parentless! I am not sure if we will ever see Masotja again, however I know that I will never forget Masotja and his smile, his love, his laughter, the way he yelled for me to come out and play, the way he held both Kelsey and my hand on walks, the way he passed out on my lap during movies or just his general childlike innocence. . . If you are a parent, please, please never stop loving on your kids!!! I have never seen so many kids that don't have loving parents and all they wanted was for someone to love on them!!!
I can only pray that Masotja and the rest of the children at the orphanage get to feel the love and warmth of earthly parents someday in the near future!!!
