The one thing that I was assigned to do in Month 10.
Be a teachers assistant in a preschool care point. But something so much bigger and better than that happened this month and I am incredibly grateful for the month in Swaziland.
The kids who melt my heart when they called me Momma or how I felt when some kids who came running to me with tears welling up their eyes because they were hurt by another kid, and I had to be the one to step up to tell them that it was not okay to hit each other.
Some of my kids asked me to kiss their scraps on their knees or run and play tag with them until they collapse from exhaustion, or when I had the opportunity to teach them their numbers, shapes, colors, and alphabet. Who wouldn’t take that chance to teach them the basics of learning and encourage them to not give up but to keep going in life. Or the 30 kids who fought over the two hands that are attached to my body but soon felt like my arms were dislocated because of all the pulling, tugging, fighting over who would hold my hand but or the little girl who out of nowhere kissed my cheek and asked me if I could be her mommy.
The times when I was worried about the young ones who walked home alone and I was never sure if they made it home okay especially when the days came when they weren’t school.
This month I had the opportunity to take the basic motherly tasks for these kids who may not have a mom at home and my heart was fully invested in the things these kids needed me for. Because I wasn’t sure what their home environment is like for each child. They could be going home to some hard family situations
Do they have a mom to love them?
Do they have a dad to play with them?
Are they living with their grandparents because their parents died from AIDS?
Do these kids search in the garbage dumps for food because they won’t eat otherwise?
At age 9 are they taking care of their younger siblings?
Or are they living in an unsafe family environment?
All of these things are true and it saddens me.
The short time I was with them I had the opportunity to show them that there’s someone who loves them all individually yet equally and so deeply. I explained to them that his name is Jesus. I told them that even though their earthly parents may not love them like how they are supposed to but their Heavenly Father loves them more than we can ever fathom.
I fell completely in love with the kids that I barely even knew but who immediately stole my heart.
The kids who wore the same filthy worn out clothes that were basically holding up by a few threads and several stitched patches, some kids had a flattened plastic water bottle with strings used for shoes and some just walked barefoot to school. They were eager to be loved and I was so eager to do just exactly that everyday for an entire month. I found myself getting excited for ministry and dreading the part of the day when I had to leave them.
The Lord broke my heart for what breaks His this month. I saw with my own two eyes how these kids were living and how little they do have and yet they are still so selfless with one another
These kids are so incredibly selfless at age 4 or 5. At lunch a majority of the children receive a bowl of plain white corn soup. It has no flavour. some of the kids put dirt, sugar, hot Cheetos to give their lunch some flavour. Theirs some kids who bring their lunches from home that contain of cookies, sandwiches, juice. All the other kids crowd around these kids to beg for these kids lunches. And they willingly give their lunches the little that they do have. And then these kids end up eating this white corn soup with dirt in it. At age 5 it seems so easy and selfless for a child to give all that they have to someone and they never hesitate at all when it comes to things like that
When I left Swaziland I had to put all my trust in the One that created each and everyone of them for a purpose on purpose. When I’m not present in their lives I have to trust that they will be okay, no harm will come to them, and that they will grow up to be men and women of God, people will be present in their lives that love The Lord and influence them to do the same.
I had a desire that entire month to adopt two children specifically but it wasn’t possible. I may not be their mom right now but for that month I’d like to say that I was a mom in some little way to these kids.
There is hope, love and joy in the lives of the kids.
The kids that have called me momma this entire month, I knew in that moment that I am supposed to be a mother to the motherless
When they aren’t at preschool I wonder where they could be, what happened, and wonder why they wouldn’t be at school that day. All the reasons flood my mind and I begin to get worried. I feel sick to the inner core of my being.
