We got to Nsoko, Swaziland 5 days ago and I immediately my heart was touched. I’ve definitely had my thoughts of comparison between Swaziland and Moldova. Moldova was the hardest month so far and already I know this is going to be the best month in so many ways. I already feel more connected with our contacts than any other month and that could be because they are working through AIM and so their hearts are in sync with ours. The people of Swaziland have the warmest smiles and souls. We took public transport one day and the guy taking the money didn’t say a word to us until we got off at our stop and he said for us to have a blessed stay. Beautiful. Everything that Swaziland is just captured me.
Today Phil, Charlotte and I visited a care point with our contact Eric and two Swazi’s named Phendile and Samonga. It was deserted when we arrived so we visited a go-go’s house to see what was going on. The community/village was having an important meeting that day and the care point was a topic of discussion. Charlotte, Eric, and Samonga went to the meeting and the rest of us met with some of the kids. Phendile told the story of Cain and Abel and gave them silly bands and small toys. They each got to color a Dora the Explore page. Phil and I prayed over the kids and then just talked with them about what we’d been doing. One of the boys was 11 or 12 and his name was Seeswa. His eyes lit up when we told him small details about our lives. The idea of the world outside of his you could tell made him curious. He’s an orphan and is living with another boys family. He can’t go to school. I could see his mind working and joy flow from him when he heard something new. He just watched us and was filled with wonder. Phendile blew bubbles and so we all ran with the kids to chase them. He put all of himself into chasing them no matter how far. The potential of this boy broke my heart. He was sitting in the dirt with a hole so big in his pants I could see his bottom. You could just tell that he would try anything for the first time and wants to experience. His wonder was obvious which is what caught my eye. It’s rare you see people who still have wonder. It emanated from him.
I am determined to change this boys life. He wants to be a soldier but God and I both want him to be so much more. I’m going to find a way to get him in school and if you have extra money you don’t know what to do with-hop on board. I can’t describe to you how important this boy is. He’s not just another face in Africa. He’s a child that has a heart as wide as the sky and his eyes are so open to take in more than he could have ever dreamed. I don’t know what it is about this boy but I know that more than any child I’ve ever met he needs all my help. My heart aches for every child that has no family but his eyes changed my life. He’s not a child without parents. He’s a child with a future so bright but someone has to light the flame. I could use all the help out there to set the fire.
If I could adopt this child right now I would. I would take this boy home with me and love him to pieces. I can’t. I daydreamed for a minute of what his face would look like if he were in America getting to play soccer or go to a movie. It’d be the most overwhelming change and maybe it wouldn’t be the best situation for him. You can tell he’s happy with his life. Chasing bubbles and wandering around is enough to fulfill his day. I’m just selfish and want to give him all the blessings I have and more and surround him with people that are going to constantly hug him and tell him how he can be anything he wants. I wanted so badly to say, “you can be anything you want when you grow up,” but i knew it wasn’t the truth. In America we can tell kids that. I can’t offer the hope of dreams for these kids. What I can offer them is physical love, the knowledge that they’re loved unconditionally, crackers, stories, and other temporary things. My prayer needs to consistently be that the temporary would become a path to the eternal.
