Month two on the race, and it it’s mind bowing, but it’s normal, and it’s mind blowing that I find it normal. I write a lot, trying to cover the goodness in each day, but not enough to cover the extent of what life here is really like. I don’t take as many pictures as I should, because these are sights, places, and people I see almost everyday. But. There are quick snaps in time that I realize these moments of normalcy I am living in Swaziland are anything but normal and will later be held by just my memory alone. So, these things deserve to be expressed through my words and to be captured as best my iPhone camera can, and also deserve to be shared through this blog thing. With that said, I’ve decided to try and pinpoint some of these normal things and compare them to my normally normal normal…
Here, I was pushing a wheelbarrow for over an hour to break up, saw off, and gather firewood to haul back to our care point, so that the children were able to have their cooked rice meal. Our light was coming from the sun through the clouds and our bodies helped by the strong winds, we made our way down this long path alongside a quiet train track and distant mountains.
Normally, I’d probably have been pushing a shopping cart through Target for an hour, alongside other busy people.
Here, I hop on top of my bunkbed I share in the room of 18 girls and close the opening of my bug net.
Normally, I say goodnight to the 5 others in my family, close my bedroom door, and fall into bed.
Here, we stand at a Kumbi (van transportation) stop for about 3 minutes, or 50, waiting on a ride that may or may not come. When it does, we hop in and hear the African music behind our voices telling the driver where we are headed. We sit next to the 3, or 21, other passengers on the 15 passenger van and ride with the windows cracked until someone is at their stop, where they get off and the Kumbi keeps going.
Normally, my friends or I would order an Uber and we’d have their arrival time, price, and all details at hand. We’d get in the air-conditioned, air-freshened, and bluetooth playing car that would take us, and only us, to our pre-scheduled destination.
Here, I look into the smiling eyes of little children face to face, and look into the deep eyes of older grandmothers sharing their hearts, stories, and the goodness of God.
Normally, I’m on my phone sending snapchats with friends back and forth. Just excessive amounts of pictures of our faces when we aren’t face to face for a reason I can’t explain… it’s just a thing? All to say, there isn’t that deeper relation face to face as often.
Here, my friends and I get home from a hot day at ministry and walk across and down the street to buy an ice block from a small square shop. These ice blocks are a triangle tied baggie of good frozen orange flavored juice at the cost of 1 rand (which is about 7 cents in US $). The same flavor every time, and it’s good every time.
Normally, my friends and I would drive to sonic and get one of the various flavors of their slushes. Or cool down in a pool. Or in air conditioning.
Here, we have an opportunity on our off days to walk an hour to our gas station “Savemore” where we can grab some snacks or support locals selling market items, or just go to go.
Normally, I’d be driving to a gas station to get gas for my car.
Here, it’s hammocks.
Normally, its a couch.
Here, I’m holding a kid upside down so he can pick up rocks to throw at chickens.
Normally I’m holding a remote or… anything but a kid upside down picking up rocks to throw at chickens.
So, my normal here isn’t my normally, and I’m happy about it. Happy to share it too.
