Things are more intense here, theexpanse of sky is vast, the sun is stronger, the sunsets brighter and
the stars seem closer. The truth of life in Nsoko is even more
intense than the land. Every day our team holds malnourished
children and we are wrecked by the reality of poverty. Bit by bit we
sense more of God’s plan for Nsoko and understand small part of His
redemption in this community. This place has such strong need and
dynamic beauty.
Today I was holding Sinetemba who was
left orphaned after his mother Dudu died soon after our last trip to
Swaziland. I asked his Aunt why he was so fussy and she said, “He
is just hungry.â€� It’s hard to hold a small inconsolable child with
tiny arms and legs and know that he likely has had nothing to eat for
quite some time. But it’s good to know that there is food at the
Care Point and that he will get to eat at least one meal today.
left orphaned after his mother Dudu died soon after our last trip to
Swaziland. I asked his Aunt why he was so fussy and she said, “He
is just hungry.â€� It’s hard to hold a small inconsolable child with
tiny arms and legs and know that he likely has had nothing to eat for
quite some time. But it’s good to know that there is food at the
Care Point and that he will get to eat at least one meal today.
One thing that’s set this trip apart
from others is that I have been coming here long enough to see the
holes people who have passed away from HIV/AIDS have left. During my
last two trips I spent time visiting with and talking to Dudu and now
she has died. Last year we all fell in love with Maswane’s courage
as she faced dying of AIDS at 19 years old because she was raped as a
young girl. It’s odd to drive by her hut and know that she is no
longer there, but it’s good to know that she is out of pain and with
Jesus.
from others is that I have been coming here long enough to see the
holes people who have passed away from HIV/AIDS have left. During my
last two trips I spent time visiting with and talking to Dudu and now
she has died. Last year we all fell in love with Maswane’s courage
as she faced dying of AIDS at 19 years old because she was raped as a
young girl. It’s odd to drive by her hut and know that she is no
longer there, but it’s good to know that she is out of pain and with
Jesus.
During one of our first days this trip
while visiting a remote Care Point we ran into the mother
and
daughter of Nora one of the women we did a Legacy Book for. Our
meeting last year immediately came rushing back into my mind. The
team was about to leave, we were loaded up in the sprinter when a
truck followed by a huge cloud of dust pulled quickly into the
center. Two women, one holding a baby, jumped down out of the bed of
the truck, turned back and lifted a very weak woman out. I was
immediately reminded of the Gospel story where the friends of a
paralyzed man lower him through the roof of a house to get him near
Jesus.
while visiting a remote Care Point we ran into the mother
anddaughter of Nora one of the women we did a Legacy Book for. Our
meeting last year immediately came rushing back into my mind. The
team was about to leave, we were loaded up in the sprinter when a
truck followed by a huge cloud of dust pulled quickly into the
center. Two women, one holding a baby, jumped down out of the bed of
the truck, turned back and lifted a very weak woman out. I was
immediately reminded of the Gospel story where the friends of a
paralyzed man lower him through the roof of a house to get him near
Jesus.
I got out of the bus to investigate and
found out that they had traveled far to see our group. It was
obvious that Nora was in the last stages of HIV/AIDS, half of her
face was infected and her lips had sores all over them. Our entire
team decided that what we had planned for that moment wasn’t nearly
as important as being with Nora and her family, so we prayed for her
and invited her to participate in Legacy Books that afternoon.
found out that they had traveled far to see our group. It was
obvious that Nora was in the last stages of HIV/AIDS, half of her
face was infected and her lips had sores all over them. Our entire
team decided that what we had planned for that moment wasn’t nearly
as important as being with Nora and her family, so we prayed for her
and invited her to participate in Legacy Books that afternoon.
I was so excited when I saw Nora’s
mother and her twenty year old daughter at the Care Point a few days
ago. As Paloma and I were talking with them she asked about the baby
and they both pointed upwards then explained that the baby had died.
My heart broke. We took a photo of four generations (shown above) of their family
last year and now two of those generations have been destroyed. It’s
also very likely that Nora’s daughter has HIV/AIDS since her baby
died so young. In my mind I see the photos from last year and the
photos from this year and the holes are hard to reconcile.
mother and her twenty year old daughter at the Care Point a few days
ago. As Paloma and I were talking with them she asked about the baby
and they both pointed upwards then explained that the baby had died.
My heart broke. We took a photo of four generations (shown above) of their family
last year and now two of those generations have been destroyed. It’s
also very likely that Nora’s daughter has HIV/AIDS since her baby
died so young. In my mind I see the photos from last year and the
photos from this year and the holes are hard to reconcile.
One of the best things that’s happenedthis year was talking with a beautiful woman who we did a Legacy Book
for last year (pictured on the left.) She brought her book out and proudly showed us her
families photos. She also told us how much she valued the book and
how grateful she was to have it for her children. It was beautiful
to see the fruit of the Legacy Books Project. Getting the news that
Nora’s granddaughter had died was really hard, but I’m thankful that
we got make a book with her story and take pictures for her family.
