1) The Kingdom of Swaziland is the last remaining “kingdom” of Africa. The current ruler is King Mswati III, who has reigned since 1986 and just recently married his 14th wife. The Swazi people can be put in jail for talking against the king.
2) Swaziland is the 5th poorest country in the world. The average Swazi income is $130/month and this money provides for an average of 13 people.
3) The official language of Swaziland is SiSwati, but as a result of British colonization many Swazis speak English. However, the Bible has only existed in the language of SiSwati since 1996. Many of the elder population only speak SiSwati.
4) The cost of a public hospital visit is unbelievable. The services to fix a young child’s broken tibia include: doctor’s visit, an x-ray, a cast, crutches, a few rounds of medications, an IV and fluids, and one night in the hospital. The total cost of all services: $24 USD. Yet, most of the Swazi people never receive this care. When infections and injuries arise, families will begin to save their regular wages to make a hospital visit, which can take many weeks – thus prolonging the agony and exacerbating the health issue. And if they manage to save enough money in time, the next obstacle is finding means of transport to the nearest hospital, which in our case was an hour and a half drive.
This is Mbogeni, the 6 year old boy we took to the hospital. AIM staff and medical emergency funds provided the transportation and covered the medical bill for his family.
5) Swaziland is home to the highest rates of HIV and AIDS in the world. The area of Nsoko, where our World Race teams served, is the center point of HIV in Swaziland – with nearly 60% of the region testing positive for HIV.
Thobile, 19 y/o, and her niece, Snegiwe, 8 y/o. Thobile lost both of her parents a few years ago to AIDS-related complications and has been living with other relatives since.
6) The U.N. estimates that by the year 2050 Swaziland will cease to exist as a country. The population of 20-40 year olds has dramatically decreased in the past decade due to AIDS-related complications.
7) 1/3 of Swazi children are single or double orphans as a result of AIDS related deaths to their parents. Most Swazi children are now raised by community grandmothers, known as GoGos. Some of the communities are being sponsored as Neighborhood Care Points (NCP). The NCPs receive rice and bean meals 6 days a week provided by sponsoring organizations, such as AIM, which are cooked and served by the GoGos. Not all communities are sponsored, as an NCP requires a local and foreign church financial commitment. For some of the children this is the only meal they receive in the day.
Joe Brother at a care point – prior to serving the rice meals to the youth.
8) There is hope and progress being made for the kingdom within Swaziland. There are Christians from all over the world who have heeded to the call to serve the people of Swaziland – in church plants, meal provision, HIV and tuberculosis prevention and treatments, discipleship and lifelong partnership. Please pray for those who valiantly serve our God and his people in a country that is expected to become a ‘neverland’ in our lifetime. We love you, Erica and Mxolisi Myeni, the AIM Nsoko Discipleship team, Crystal and Josh Malloy (and family), Charity and Stephen Spragg (and family), the AIM Manzini team, and The Luke Commission. Peace be with you!
Crystal Malloy playing with the Umbuntfu children at their Christmas party
Isaiah 58:6-10
