Loving Swaziland

Three months in Swaziland was a dream come true; it was a gift from God. After spending a brief two weeks there in January I knew God would bring me back, but I had no idea it would happen so fast. As most of you know, I spent the last 3 months of my life co-leading a ‘Real Life’ trip of 15 college age girls to Swaziland. We worked in a few different communities and in a variety of ministries. Here is a glimpse of some of the people who have been the focus of my heart:

 

About halfway through our time in Nsoko we were hit by the reality of how hard it is to provide for your children in a land full of poverty and death. A woman named Busisiwe came to see Pastor Gift to ask him to take care of her 3 young boys. Busisiwe had developed tumors on her neck and was given a diagnosis that didnt give her much of a chance, even with surgery. In her desperation of trying to provide for her sons, she brought them to Pastor Gift. These three young boys become the ‘trial-run’ of a potential foster care system in Nsoko. One of the local Gogo’s (grandmothers) was already taking care of a young boy who had lost his parents and had no place to go, and she willingly and lovingly opened her home up to these three boys as well. Over our remaining time in Nsoko, all four of the boys became our family. They were at our house all the time, playing games, putting together puzzles, eating meals, and learning how to roast marshmellows over a candle. Sabelo, Manthla, Sibusiso, and Musa are the most polite, sweetest young boys you could ever meet. We fell in love instantly and poured out as much of ourselves as we could to them. It was extremely difficult to leave but I rejoice in knowing that they are being taken care of by an extremely loving and selfless woman who is loving them like her own.

 

We met Abigail at one of our carepoints. She is 15 years old and was living with her father who was constantly in and out of the hospital and her stepmother who didn’t treat her very well. One of our girls, Bailey, reached out to her one day while we were doing a lesson for the younger kids and they formed an instant bond. Abigail even showed up to our teenage girls Bible study the next day. But, the following night was when the reality hit. She showed up at our house by poking her head into our kitchen window around 11pm. I will never forget the image of her standing with her face in the botton window pane looking so small, so scared. She had run away from home, trying to get away from her stepmother, and was 7 1/2 months pregnant after being raped by her uncle. She came to us scared, lonely, and without hope. During the 8 weeks we had with her, Bailey gave her entire self to loving this young girl. She spoke so much truth and love into Abigail that when her baby arrived the week before we left, it was a day of love and joy and celebration, instead of a day of sadness and shame. Hope was brought into her life and she knows she is not alone. Abigail is also staying with the boys at the Gogo’s house and is so excited to love her baby well and to learn how to be a good mother.

 

Bongiwe was my girl I met back in January and found again when I returned. She is beautiful and so full of life and I LOVE spending time with her. She is kind and caring and always looking to the needs of others.

Spunkose (‘yellow jacket’) and Zackele. These brothers completely stole my heart. I met them at my friday carepoint. They were usually the dirtiest and smelliest kids there, but they were also wild and energetic and I loved holding them and running around with them. My favorite moments with them would be when our girls would be teaching a story in our tiny carepoint room and they would sit in my lap and be so comfortable. We just fit together.

Mcolane (‘Deck Shoes’). We instantly connected because I loved his face and his shoes. I love making silly faces at kids and having them reciprocate. Mcolane was the best at it. His lips are huge and so his ‘fish face’ was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. He would run around and be crazy, and then sit in my lap and color. I think my favorite moment was when church was finishing and I went to return him to his mom. He took a pair of glasses from one of our girls and put them on and started yelling for his mom to turn around and see him. He was so proud to show her his new look.

                                           

 

                

 

 

 

Of all the ministries we had in Swazi, my first priority was loving the girls I was coleading. They are all amazing and beautiful and the Lord did such a work in their lives. It was one of the most intense, overwhelming, and wonderful experiences of my life and I feel so blessed to have been in Swaziland with them. The Lord taught me so much through them. We all walked into this trip with such differences (life stages, pasts, expectations…) but in it all we learned how to be a community, be a family, and love each other. I think the ‘growth’ that I am most excited about in seeing in our team is how our girls have become equipped to call out the lies in their own lives and the lies in each other and replace them with the truth of Christ. They have grown so much in recognizing the chains of their pasts and have been able to finally walk out of the opened shackles. Freedom has started in them in Swaziland and I cant think of anything better to praise God for. I love my team so much and feel so humbled that I got to walk with them through this time in their lives.