A Day in the Life: Swaziland
Thursday, June 14, 2012
6:30am Wake Up!
7:50am Leave the house to go to the bus stop. (where the bus never comes)
8:10am Give up on the bus. Hitchhike to downtown… this happens a lot.
8:30am Take an actual bus to Nwgene Park, where my ministry site is for the month
9 to 12pm Ministry Site – Care Point
Teaching preschool for children 3 to 5 years old from the community
Teaching how to write, color inside the lines, the alphabet, shapes, numbers
Feeding the children after school at noon
Children’s Hope Chest sponsors these carepoints and provide the food
12:20pm Go to the hospital! (Meaning walk about 20 minutes)
12:40pm Have lunch at the hospital courtyard. Good peanut sandwich with an apple.
1 to 2pm Visit with patients and families
Walking into the children’s ward, I saw a child who was trying to reach the sink, but she was too short. So I went over, picked her up and helped her reach the sink. Then we walked, hand in hand, back to her bed. This little one has been sick since birth and she is now 5 years old. Her mom said it was a continuous cycle of good times and hard times. But today was a good day for the little girl. She was on the way to recovery, again. The mom, on the other hand, was having a hard time with this never-ending cycle of health. It has really taken a toll on the family.
Then I visited with a girl who is 19 years old whose baby is sick. We chatted about life and dreams. She wants to become a teacher one day. And she really enjoys reading. The only book in my bag was If You Give a Moose a Muffin. So we read it together to her baby daughter. We talked for about 20 minutes; this girl/mother just wanted a friend. Her daughter is suppose to go home this weekend so I don’t know if I will see her again.
Next, I went over to the women’s ward. The lady that I had talked with last time was still there. But today there was a Bible on her bed that looked brand new. She said a group came through, showed the Jesus Film, and handed out Bibles. I told her that I had a Bible too. I pulled mine out to show her. She ask me to read to her. I read from my Bible and she followed along in hers. I read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. And some other small passages. I prayed with her before having to go. What an awesome opportunity.
1:30pm Walking and helping.
We were just from the hospital to the main road and a lady came up behind us and said “ Will you help me?” She had both hands full and the bags on her head. We said “Sure! Where are you going?” This lady was headed to the market. As we walked, we talked with her and learned that she had connections with the Hope House (hospice). This was a ministry that we were trying to get a hold of, but had been unsuccessful. This lady offered to take us there personally, and we agreed on going next Tuesday. While at the market, the pastor of the Hope House just happened to be there and she introduced us to each other. What is the likelihood of that… it was a God thing.
2:30pm Bought fabric from the market and then dropped the fabric off at the seamstress. She is going to make the fabric into African pants. Super exciting! It was only 9 USDs for all the fabric and for the sewing to done.
3:00pm Walk to the Internet café. Get Internet for 30 minutes and pay ridiculous amounts. WiFi doesn’t exsist in Swaziland, and the two Internet cafes are far away and expensive. Soooo we go once a week.
I went with a teammate and she purchased an hour – while I only got 30 minutes. So I had 30 minutes to kill. There was a little girl, bored to death, while her dad was on the Internet. Soooo I pulled out some paper and colored pencils from my bag and we colored. I love coloring. So I made this little girl's day, but it also made my day.
4:00pm Head home. Time to walk just a little more. About a 30 to 40 minute walk from the Internet Cafe. By then we were tired sooo it was a slow, casual walk home in Swaziland.
4:45pm Arrive home
6:30pm Have a delicious dinner with all the girls. Although there are 26 girls… we still eat really good here in Swaziland.
8:00pm Feedback time
9:30 to 10pm Go to bed
