I read this blog written by Pastor Gift, our ministry contact in Swaziland, where we worked this past February. Reading it made my heart break again for that nation and its people, for its orphans and its widows. Please take the short time required to read it and answer the question Gift asks at the very end.
“The Nsoko community once again is facing a challenge within a
challenge. Most people in this area depend on Government food grants to
survive. What I do not understand is why it takes so long for Government
to replenish the food supply to these people? 
challenge. Most people in this area depend on Government food grants to
survive. What I do not understand is why it takes so long for Government
to replenish the food supply to these people?
“Yesterday I was sitting in my house doing administrative work when
I heard a timid knock at the door. At first I thought it was my puppy
now becoming big dog Max. I heard the gentle but desperate knock on the
accompanied by murmuring sounds. I reluctantly stood up and went to
check this unusual knock out. Guess what I found out there? God. Yes, I
saw God. But this time it is not as I expected to see God. He was
represented by this old lady. This lady was so frail and skinny you
could have thought she was dead. I inquired, “how can I help you gogo”.
She shyly gave a response, “I am hungry my son, help I am dying.” I
immediately thought of what we had at the kitchen. I wish Isabel was
writing this blog as a third person because it is difficult to say
this. We had no food too except some bread that I was serving for my
daughter when she comes from school.
I heard a timid knock at the door. At first I thought it was my puppy
now becoming big dog Max. I heard the gentle but desperate knock on the
accompanied by murmuring sounds. I reluctantly stood up and went to
check this unusual knock out. Guess what I found out there? God. Yes, I
saw God. But this time it is not as I expected to see God. He was
represented by this old lady. This lady was so frail and skinny you
could have thought she was dead. I inquired, “how can I help you gogo”.
She shyly gave a response, “I am hungry my son, help I am dying.” I
immediately thought of what we had at the kitchen. I wish Isabel was
writing this blog as a third person because it is difficult to say
this. We had no food too except some bread that I was serving for my
daughter when she comes from school.
“The Spirit within me said I you going to spare food for your
daughter and not give God right at your door. Joy came upon my spirit
right then and I went to the kitchen and began to make juice and took
all the slices of bread put it on a tray and went to give the old lady
outside. Her eyes immediately brightened at the sight of food. I
watched her eat as if she had not eaten in days. When she was done I
cannot remember how many times she said “God bless you my son”, “Thank
you so much” with that shaking timid voice. I watched her as she stoop
up to leave her body telling a story of shame as she moved. As she
disappeared she left me with a picture of a miserable face that does
not remember any joy. Here is someone that has lived a life of shame
most of her life.
daughter and not give God right at your door. Joy came upon my spirit
right then and I went to the kitchen and began to make juice and took
all the slices of bread put it on a tray and went to give the old lady
outside. Her eyes immediately brightened at the sight of food. I
watched her eat as if she had not eaten in days. When she was done I
cannot remember how many times she said “God bless you my son”, “Thank
you so much” with that shaking timid voice. I watched her as she stoop
up to leave her body telling a story of shame as she moved. As she
disappeared she left me with a picture of a miserable face that does
not remember any joy. Here is someone that has lived a life of shame
most of her life.
“She is just one out of so many. Scott Borg has been to Nsoko this
month with an Adult Team that happened to have teenagers too. On
Tuesday and Thursday we visited homes for ministry. This team had
bought basic food parcels to give out to the homes we visited. I went
with a team to a home that I know is a youth headed family. Father and
mother are dead only the children survive them. The World Racers would
remember Mfan’thini. (I do) This is his family. They have absolutely no means.
This young girl, hard as it is to admit, has to sometimes prostitute
herself to feed the to young sisters, younger brother and her own small
child. On the second visit we went to this gogo’s home.She is
trying her best to raise her grandchildren that were left behind by her
dead children. The only surviving daughter destroyed her house and left
never to come back.
month with an Adult Team that happened to have teenagers too. On
Tuesday and Thursday we visited homes for ministry. This team had
bought basic food parcels to give out to the homes we visited. I went
with a team to a home that I know is a youth headed family. Father and
mother are dead only the children survive them. The World Racers would
remember Mfan’thini. (I do) This is his family. They have absolutely no means.
This young girl, hard as it is to admit, has to sometimes prostitute
herself to feed the to young sisters, younger brother and her own small
child. On the second visit we went to this gogo’s home.She is
trying her best to raise her grandchildren that were left behind by her
dead children. The only surviving daughter destroyed her house and left
never to come back.
“I must say, the people of Nsoko are still full of hope. They hope
in life, they hope in hope, and above all they have hope in God. How
people survive here sometimes I do not know. But the fact is they do
survive. They hope against hope. As I write in my car there is an
envelope full of HIV results. The Luke Commission worker tells me that
almost all of the people who got tested, they tested positive. She
mentioned a special case of a fifteen year old who is in a critical
position because her CD4 count is very low. HIV and poverty somehow do
assist one another. They are cousins. These people are poor and they
are also the most infected. In Swaziland the infection rate is at 42%.
Nsoko has a 49% infection rate. People are dying and in numbers.
Businesses are being affected.
in life, they hope in hope, and above all they have hope in God. How
people survive here sometimes I do not know. But the fact is they do
survive. They hope against hope. As I write in my car there is an
envelope full of HIV results. The Luke Commission worker tells me that
almost all of the people who got tested, they tested positive. She
mentioned a special case of a fifteen year old who is in a critical
position because her CD4 count is very low. HIV and poverty somehow do
assist one another. They are cousins. These people are poor and they
are also the most infected. In Swaziland the infection rate is at 42%.
Nsoko has a 49% infection rate. People are dying and in numbers.
Businesses are being affected.
“The other day I was called upon to rescue a young man of about 22
years. He was from hospital to collect his ARV’s. He had just enough
money for transport and nothing for food. He fell next to the gate
because he could not walk any longer. We have hope though. We hope
against hope. The Real Life team is rounding up its ministry in Nsoko.
Having these vibrant young people minister to their counterparts does
give a ray of hope. It makes me think: God does care about Nsoko.
years. He was from hospital to collect his ARV’s. He had just enough
money for transport and nothing for food. He fell next to the gate
because he could not walk any longer. We have hope though. We hope
against hope. The Real Life team is rounding up its ministry in Nsoko.
Having these vibrant young people minister to their counterparts does
give a ray of hope. It makes me think: God does care about Nsoko.
“Do you?”
If you care, please pray for Swaziland — and please click here.
Also, if you’re interested in reading a fascinating book about the plight of the Swazi people, I highly recommend the book
Scared by Tom Davis.
