Hello to all my dear friends & even to my not-yet friends who are
reading this because Dr. Frost encourages you to :)
Well we were so blessed to have the team from Euto B*ptist here
serving with us. They were so encouraging and helpful to our ministry.
We spent the whole week with them, along with Make Gertrude, Babe
Mavuso, and (of course) Bhekie! They were our translators and are all
key members of our community of believers here. It was so different to
be on the other side of a short(er)-term team. We got to see a
different dynamic being part of the leadership rather than a part of
the actual team. I made some sweet friendships and got to sing a lot
(Thank you, Landon) and I was so sad to see them leave.
While they were here we did all kinds of different things. We did some
hut-to-hut visiting in our rural communities, visited orphans, held a
ladies retreat, a youth retreat, and a children’s day camp! Needless
to say, it was exhausting – but it was SO rewarding. The team of 16
broke up into smaller teams every day to go to different areas. I
mostly took the teams to the Mafucula area (which happens to be my
home). It felt just like taking one of my friends home from college or
something. I was so excited to introduce these people to my family and
my friends here.
After the team left, we decided to visit South Africa and relax! Kim
and I drove to RSA and mostly watched a lot of television because we
don’t have that at our home!
When we came back from South Africa, it was time to get down to
business! I started designing our plan and schedule for the upcoming
three months! We’re excited to continue our work alongside CHIPS, the
HIV Intervention Program, while also “doing our own thing”. We have
decided to do come community needs assessments hut-to-hut and while so
doing we can also share the message of sexual purity or faithfulness
in marriage and (of course) the Good News!! Usually, when you visit
someone’s homestead here in Swaziland, they expect you to bring the
Word. This will be awesome for us to be able to do.
We will still continue to go out with CHIPS and help with their
HIV/AIDS testing and visiting the sick and the poor, but we will also
be doing the community needs assessment on days that we’re not with
Jenn, Ian, Jabulani & Mary or doing whatever other opportunities come
our way.
Something that it has taken times getting used to is the pace of life
in Swaziland. Things happen much slower here than in the US…so getting
one thing done per day is seen as successful! I have to confess that I
have been frustrated at times because I’m so used to going and going
so much that I barely have time to stop – it is so unusual to have all
the time that I have.
This weekend we have been at the national B*ptist youth camp in
Manzini. We came along with a few youth from our association who are
attending the camp. We’re staying in Mbabane with Heather & Sienna,
the other HandsOn girls, until tomorrow afternoon. We presented the
True Love Waits message at the camp this morning and had a really
great time.
One of our best youth girls, Kate (her SiSwati name is complicated!),
was just elected the associational youth leader! We talked with her
about getting connected with some of the girls at Mafucula and meeting
on a weekly basis.
Monday we will be heading back to the Hhohho region to attend the
Umhlanga (Reed Dance). Umhlanga actually officially started on
Tuesday. Over 80,000 maidens have been registered for the event. This
event pays homage to the queen mother (mother of the king). The girls
are rounded up from all over Swaziland on government vehicles and
taken to the queen mother’s residence. They go out to find reeds and
then, dressed in traditional attire (which I would encourage you to
Google), they will dance with the reeds in the presence of the king
and many other important people. This event is usually where the king
begins to pursue his next wife. It is also the biggest tourist event
in Swaziland so we will encounter many different kinds of people!
On a tangent, I just wanted to send up some praise because I had a
weird sick spell this week. I was having intense headaches and nearly
passed out twice…I could not even stand for over five minutes. It only
lasted a short while but it was scary so I am thankful that it’s over!
Also I need to let you know that Bhekie has recovered from being
sick! PTL!
Here are some points of concern that you can be taking up to the Father:
• The supply of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), a treatment for HIV, are
said to be running out this coming month. Please pray that something
extraordinary happens to revive the supply. The clinics have already
begun giving out expired ARVs and now we are afraid that if something
drastic doesn’t happen that many people will die.
• Umhlanga. Many girls are raped or “fall pregnant” during this
weeklong camp-like atmosphere. Please continue prayer for the girls
that they will be kept safe.
• Bhekie is facing some problems with his congregation right now.
Please keep him in your heart because he is one of our dearest friends
and one of the strongest believers we know!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Winter Break Update :)
Hello dear friends!
Well I can certainly say it is different not having Internet readily
available or reliable! I am thankful for the little bit of slow speed
that we get!
I have had a crazy and exciting few weeks! Since we left the
homestead, we were unsure about what we would exactly be doing – but
we have started to get involved in some different things. Last week
the summer m’s left to go back to America. We were sad to see them go
– we are pretty fond of them! It was nice to have six people our age
here in Swaziland with us. We went to Manzini to say goodbye to them
and did a little grocery shopping since the big cities have a much
better selection than here in Tshaneni!
On Monday, Corine needed to go to the doctor in South Africa because
she had tick bite fever. This was our first time to leave Swaziland,
although we live right on the border to South Africa. We went to
Komatipoort and almost experienced culture shock! We saw so many
uhmlungus (white people) that we were unsure of what to do! It was a
very nice day and I must say I would consider the highlight the fact
that we found Dr. Pepper and Reese’s Pieces at Spar! I had missed my
Dr. Pepper and was thankful to have a small comfort from home!
Wednesday was a fantastic day. We went out to work with Ian & Jenn who
are an older m* couple (self-supported) that work in the Vuvulane-ish
area. Their program is called CHIPS. There are many small communities
in the area in between cane fields and they do HIV/AIDS work which is
what we are really desiring to do. They own their own kombi (15
passenger van) so they can transport clients to the hospital in Siteki
or do testing in the kombi. We just rode along with them. Mary, a
Swazi woman, is the phlebotomist. We went from community to community
testing people for HIV/AIDS, checking their CD4 levels, and visiting
the sick. While Mary was testing people we would get out and play with
the kids or sing songs with them. All of the kids are always expecting
emaswidi from us (SWEETS!) so we usually take some out with us.
Though Mafucula was a rural area, these communities we were going to
Wednesday are the poorest ones we have seen.
That night we had a meeting with all the B*leaders in the Lobombo
region at Wayne & Barbara’s house. We had a fantastic dinner (always
look forward to Mrs. Barbara’s cooking!!) and then talked about our
plans for when the team from America comes, just so that everyone
knows what is going on. Bhekie stayed in Tshaneni with us and we did
language on Thursday. Any time we spend with Bhekie is fantastic – he
is always so encouraging and informative.
Friday I decided I determined to go to Mafucula to see our family
since it had been too long since we’d been to visit them. Corine had
to go somewhere so we didn’t have the vehicle to be able to drive
there and its about 30 minutes or more away from Tshaneni out in a
rural area. I was undeterred! I was so set on going that I took a
kombi which is our public transport. Kim wasn’t feeling well so I went
alone. Let me tell you – it was an EXPERIENCE!! Haha While waiting for
a kombi at the bus rank, I met a kid who was also going to Mafucula so
he was my little guide. I know that the Father brought him to talk to
me and boy am I thankful. I know that there is a kombi that goes right
to Mafucula but it doesn’t come often. But this boy said we could take
this gigantic bus…so I trusted him. Well, it took us to a bus stop on
the main road, then we walked to Vuvulane (which is probably a few
miles) and got a kombi to Mafucula there. It was just a funny day.
When I finally got to Mafucula I was so thankful! Kayise, my sister
and dear friend, was there waiting for me. I went around and greeted
my family and it was probably the best day I’ve had since I’ve been
here. Zodwa’s son Ngcebo, who used to be so afraid of us, ran up to me
and wanted me to hold him! He is so precious. Then, I went on a hunt
for Bongiswa! He was angry with me at first because I had been gone
too long – but he soon got over that and he showed me his schoolwork.
He got 100% on almost all of the worksheets he was showing me! He’s
such a clever boy :). Kayise and I laid around and talked for a while
because she said I needed to rest.
I spent all afternoon just hanging out with my family (and I got to
eat Make’s cooking. Yum!). I got to talk with one of the teachers from
the secondary school for a long time as well. Going out to Mafucula is
a fantastic practice for language! Kayise is always so excited when I
know what she’s saying! I would have to say that she’s my best friend
here in Swaziland. Some women made fun of the way I walk (on my
tiptoes) and I knew exactly what they were saying! I just laughed.
When I went back to Tshaneni, I took a shower and the water running
off of me was brown! I was so dirty from walking on the dirt roads!
We have some plans to go on the kombi with the CHIPS next week before
the team gets here on Wednesday. When the team gets here we will be
with them most of the time!
Some ways you can be talking to the Father for us:
• That He would lead us to know exactly what our place is here.
• That we would meet some people to really pour into in the communities.
• For Corine’s health and finances, as she is self-supported.
• For my Uncle Rick in America – he had emergency back surgery on Friday.
• That the team would have safe travel & that they would make a
lasting impact with their work here.
Well I can certainly say it is different not having Internet readily
available or reliable! I am thankful for the little bit of slow speed
that we get!
I have had a crazy and exciting few weeks! Since we left the
homestead, we were unsure about what we would exactly be doing – but
we have started to get involved in some different things. Last week
the summer m’s left to go back to America. We were sad to see them go
– we are pretty fond of them! It was nice to have six people our age
here in Swaziland with us. We went to Manzini to say goodbye to them
and did a little grocery shopping since the big cities have a much
better selection than here in Tshaneni!
On Monday, Corine needed to go to the doctor in South Africa because
she had tick bite fever. This was our first time to leave Swaziland,
although we live right on the border to South Africa. We went to
Komatipoort and almost experienced culture shock! We saw so many
uhmlungus (white people) that we were unsure of what to do! It was a
very nice day and I must say I would consider the highlight the fact
that we found Dr. Pepper and Reese’s Pieces at Spar! I had missed my
Dr. Pepper and was thankful to have a small comfort from home!
Wednesday was a fantastic day. We went out to work with Ian & Jenn who
are an older m* couple (self-supported) that work in the Vuvulane-ish
area. Their program is called CHIPS. There are many small communities
in the area in between cane fields and they do HIV/AIDS work which is
what we are really desiring to do. They own their own kombi (15
passenger van) so they can transport clients to the hospital in Siteki
or do testing in the kombi. We just rode along with them. Mary, a
Swazi woman, is the phlebotomist. We went from community to community
testing people for HIV/AIDS, checking their CD4 levels, and visiting
the sick. While Mary was testing people we would get out and play with
the kids or sing songs with them. All of the kids are always expecting
emaswidi from us (SWEETS!) so we usually take some out with us.
Though Mafucula was a rural area, these communities we were going to
Wednesday are the poorest ones we have seen.
That night we had a meeting with all the B*leaders in the Lobombo
region at Wayne & Barbara’s house. We had a fantastic dinner (always
look forward to Mrs. Barbara’s cooking!!) and then talked about our
plans for when the team from America comes, just so that everyone
knows what is going on. Bhekie stayed in Tshaneni with us and we did
language on Thursday. Any time we spend with Bhekie is fantastic – he
is always so encouraging and informative.
Friday I decided I determined to go to Mafucula to see our family
since it had been too long since we’d been to visit them. Corine had
to go somewhere so we didn’t have the vehicle to be able to drive
there and its about 30 minutes or more away from Tshaneni out in a
rural area. I was undeterred! I was so set on going that I took a
kombi which is our public transport. Kim wasn’t feeling well so I went
alone. Let me tell you – it was an EXPERIENCE!! Haha While waiting for
a kombi at the bus rank, I met a kid who was also going to Mafucula so
he was my little guide. I know that the Father brought him to talk to
me and boy am I thankful. I know that there is a kombi that goes right
to Mafucula but it doesn’t come often. But this boy said we could take
this gigantic bus…so I trusted him. Well, it took us to a bus stop on
the main road, then we walked to Vuvulane (which is probably a few
miles) and got a kombi to Mafucula there. It was just a funny day.
When I finally got to Mafucula I was so thankful! Kayise, my sister
and dear friend, was there waiting for me. I went around and greeted
my family and it was probably the best day I’ve had since I’ve been
here. Zodwa’s son Ngcebo, who used to be so afraid of us, ran up to me
and wanted me to hold him! He is so precious. Then, I went on a hunt
for Bongiswa! He was angry with me at first because I had been gone
too long – but he soon got over that and he showed me his schoolwork.
He got 100% on almost all of the worksheets he was showing me! He’s
such a clever boy :). Kayise and I laid around and talked for a while
because she said I needed to rest.
I spent all afternoon just hanging out with my family (and I got to
eat Make’s cooking. Yum!). I got to talk with one of the teachers from
the secondary school for a long time as well. Going out to Mafucula is
a fantastic practice for language! Kayise is always so excited when I
know what she’s saying! I would have to say that she’s my best friend
here in Swaziland. Some women made fun of the way I walk (on my
tiptoes) and I knew exactly what they were saying! I just laughed.
When I went back to Tshaneni, I took a shower and the water running
off of me was brown! I was so dirty from walking on the dirt roads!
We have some plans to go on the kombi with the CHIPS next week before
the team gets here on Wednesday. When the team gets here we will be
with them most of the time!
Some ways you can be talking to the Father for us:
• That He would lead us to know exactly what our place is here.
• That we would meet some people to really pour into in the communities.
• For Corine’s health and finances, as she is self-supported.
• For my Uncle Rick in America – he had emergency back surgery on Friday.
• That the team would have safe travel & that they would make a
lasting impact with their work here.
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