Ngungwane {Swaziland, Africa}

I’m laying in bed in Swaziland, Africa.  It was a wonderfully long day and it’s pitch black outside now…closing in on midnight.  The sun rises at like 4:30am here…It wakes me up, I take a look, sit in wonder of Jesus and then go back to sleep for a few more hours.  To say that South Africa and Swaziland are beautiful would be a complete understatement.  Maybe the most beautiful place I’ve been and the people are crazy amazing.

I lost two bags.  I kind of thought I would because when I arrived at the Nashville airport on Friday they rerouted me, so I kind of expected some lost baggage.  Two bags full to the brim of supplies, but today they showed up.  Just in time for tomorrow.

People have asked me about this trip…what’s it for?  Who are you with?  What are you doing?  So here’s the quick down low.  Jesus put a passion for Swaziland in Josh Kelley’s heart in 2009.  It was quite wonderous to see because I had never even heard of Swaziland at that point.  Josh headed off to Swaziland with Children’s HopeChest and AIM in 2009 not knowing a soul, but he knew God wanted him on that trip.  A bit of time passed and we introduced our then church we were attending to Children’s HopeChest and the “community to community” partnership they help facilitate.  A care point is essentially a plot of land where local kids meet everyday to receive food, discipleship, love, and medical care.  You can read all about the details HERE.

We launched the carepoint Ngungwane in 2011 and began trying to get sponsorship for each of the profiled kiddos at the carepoint. Since then we’ve funded the fencing of the carepoint’s land, a bathroom, provided school shoes and built a solar powered well.  The one thing we could never get off the ground was a trip.  I’ve been trying to make my way to Swaziland to visit all the kids and the care point for over two years and every time I thought it might happen God shut a door, but not this year.  And I’m so very thankful.

So what am I doing?  It’s kind of crazy in the most best way ever.  I’m hanging out with kids all day.  I’m meeting families and the ladies in their community.  I’m getting to know them and I have the honor and sheer pleasure to love on them and let them love on me back.  I’m learning ways I can help come along side them.

Today I met a sweet go-go who is making her own necklaces to sell.  They are gorgeous.  I bought a ton and all my lady friends will be receiving one.  I might even be mailing one on over to Jessica, Noonday‘s founder, as well.  (insert a wink and a nod)

Today we did a cabbage distribution.  They have gardens they work and maintain and these gardens produce some serious crops…like the biggest cabbages I’ve ever seen.  Today each of the kids at Ngungwane received two cabbages to take home. It was incredible.

We blew lots of bubbles and painted fingernails…boys too if they wanted 🙂  I got my serious fingernail painting skillz on.

We took polaroid pictures of every child at the carepoint for them to keep…plus all the go-go’s pictures too.  Everyone loved them.  It was hilarious to look around and see a 100+ Swazis…men, woman and children…shaking their polaroid pictures while they developed.  It was definitely a highlight from the day.

We got to see first hand how the care point runs.  It was nice to finally be here…to see in person all the hard work which goes into this “community to community” partnership.  And to meet all the people who work so hard to make sure all these incredible kids have some of their needs met daily.

And we also did a home visit today.  AIM & CHC let their swazi staff decide whose homes we will be visiting based on need.  With each home visit we take a gift to thank the family for allowing us to come to their home…a huge bag of beans, a huge bag of corn and several other food and necessity items.  Today as we visited with the family I thought the oldest granddaughter looked a tad familiar, but thought there was no way out of all the kids that we would be visiting our 3 sponsor kids who are siblings and our pictures of them at home are almost 3 years old so I couldn’t be sure.  We met with the kids and their grandmother and prayed over them.  As we loaded into the van, I asked one of the Swazi staff about the children’s names and sure enough, it was indeed our sibling set of 3.  We were able to meet one of their cousins as well.  I felt like it was one of those moments ordained by God.

I’m learning more and more everyday I’m here.  What He has planned I do not know, but I know He’s moving.  Jesus is teaching me new things.  These children and people are to be revered.  They are absolutely fierce and beautiful and hard working and joyful and yet, I have so many questions for Jesus.  So many.

I will never understand child headed households and children with no parents and diseases, but what I do understand is one day heaven will be on Earth and God will make all things new and He will set things right.  Until then, He has commanded us to love.  He has commanded us to love Him and to love others.  So I’m going to do my best and let God guide my heart in the direction He’s leading.

Happy Monday from Swaziland.