Sawubona (hello) from Swaziland!
Almost three weeks has passed since I arrived in Swaziland. Internet has been difficult to find, and unreliable when connected, so I trust you understand why this is my first blog post for the month.
Swaziland is a beautiful country, rolling green hills and mountainsides stretching in every direction. The view is always pleasant when walking to town or riding in the back of a pick-up. The air is hot, but the breeze and regular rain cools the afternoon heat. The mosquitoes and endless other critters are persistent in finding their way into my tent. I find new bites each morning, but I am thankful to sleep through the night.
My daytime activities include going to the local primary school to assist in a classroom and visiting the health center to visit and pray for patients. My heart has been touched and broken daily for the people of Emkhuzweni.
Students come to school barefoot with torn and soiled uniforms, hoping for a scoop of rice at lunch to ease their hunger. They sit in rickety and rusty desks in classrooms full of dust and stale air. Many of they come from homes with illiterate and unemployed parents; their needs are unmet. These children desire love and affection and approval. Their faces light up and smiles spread across their beautiful dark skin when I compliment them or greet them in their traditional way.
I usually find the health clinic crowded when I arrive, no matter what time. People come for general medical treatment, but also for more serious conditions such as TB and HIV/AIDS. I have met and prayed with patients and their loved ones. The conversations are broken, many parts being lost in translation. But the God of the Universe and all languages knows our hearts and what we ask. There is great sorrow and pain in most of the hearts of the patients, yet hope fills the room when the prayers go up.
One of my greatest joys this month has been to visit the maternity ward to greet the mothers and the newborn babies. Not all the babies are born healthy, so it is not always easy to see their tiny, frail frames. We pray with the mothers for their babies, husbands, and other children. We ask for favor and blessings upon their lives and that these children will grow up to know God’s love.
Just yesterday, I went with Dr. Christian, a physician from the Congo who works with HIV/AIDS patients at the Emkhuzweni Health Center, along with Amy, Ashli, Lauren, and Sara to a rural health clinic about 10km away. We went to visit and encourage the patients there, but were surprised to find there were very few patients around. The staff informed us that the patients come very early in the morning, around 5am, for their treatment so they can return to the fields to work before the aggressive afternoon sun comes out in full force. We weren’t really sure what to do while Dr. Christian performed his duties, but as we talked with some of the staff we realized they needed encouragement. We decided to hold a time of devotion with the ladies. We shared Psalm 40 and 1 Peter 5:7, as well as some songs. At the end, we offered individual prayer for anyone who would like it. Ashli and I paired up and prayed with two women. It was such a blessing to my heart to feel used by God and to make a difference in the lives of the clinic workers, even if just for that day.
Team Degel and Team Fierce Pursuit pack up and leave Swaziland one week from today. In some ways, I feel ready to move on and certainly won’t miss the lack of conveniences and facilities. Yet, I will miss this place and the people that have grown close to my heart.
Thank you for your prayers for me during this month. It has been challenging in ways that my first two months were not. Your prayers and support do make a difference and I count each one of you as an important part of my World Race journey. Much love and Happy Thanksgiving! Eat some turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie for me. 🙂
Please Note: If you are able, check Facebook to see my Swaziland pictures. It takes so long to upload pictures to my blog and has not worked well for me. So, imagine my Facebook photos are inserted above. 🙂
