One year between visits seems like a short time, and during that time so many great changes have take place at Ludlati! As we pulled up to the Carepoint this morning instead of shy kids standing at a safe distance, we had kids racing up to the gate to open it and let the van drive in. Yes, I said gate. The fence is up all around the entire carepoint, and it provides security for the kids. Nonkululeko (Make Matsabula) has also started a lovely garden, and the fence provides protection of the vegetables growing there from being eaten by animals. I had to run off a goat late in the afternoon so the gate does need to be closed when less people are around. Nonkululeko plans to expand the garden next year, and have the kids begin to learn how to garden, and help with the garden at the carepoint. The carepoint is also cleared of much of the brush and trees. Some nice shade trees were kept as well. And the kitchen is painted a nice yellow color compared to the plain concrete blocks we saw last year.
Enough about the carepoint. It was an exciting day today as we pulled up. Many of the kids were more eager to greet us right away. Some were still shy, but it did not take long for most everyone to warm up to the excitement. It was also fun for me to remember and say several names of kids and Bomake and watch their surprised look as they turned their head and shake hands. The number of kids has also grown due to the great work God is doing through Disciplers Londiwe, Bheki (now on leave to go to school) and Xolani. They are mentoring and teaching the kids about Christ, and the kids look to these mentors to share their troubles, and feel genuine love and concern. They are also helping out in the community by challenging and inspiring these kids to do well in school and honor, obey and respect their parents or extended family if they have them. They have also started a teenagers group that focuses on honoring God and their bodies by abstaining from sexual activity which also protects them from AIDS. They are also teaching them to be men and women of God who will love their spouses and their families, and experience the joy in life God intended instead of the destruction of the family most of the kids currently know.
The day was filled with the fun of playing soccer, netball, hoola hoops, jump ropes, and of course bubbles! Few things work better than bubbles to inspire fun and interaction. In the afternoon, we all gathered in the building, and the kids gave us a wonderful greeting in English. They sang wonderful songs for us. Their voices are really beautiful. Then our team member Carrie gave an excellent teaching on how she learned to trust Jesus after her Dad died when she was 2 years old. She used a blanket to illustrate the word of God that talks about God wrapping his protective wings around us like a mother hen does with her chicks, and she used a blanket and sock hat to look like a chicken with wings, and wrapped her wings around three volunteer kids who stood in as her chicks. The kids liked it so much they clapped after her presentation was done. After this teaching time we handed out one fleece blanket and one sock hat to every child. According to our numbers, 130 children received these gifts which came from the funds of team donations. We thank you again, and the kids thank you as well! We also shared a lovely gift of homemade aprons for each of the Bomake at the carepoint today. They loved their aprons!
That was the fun part of the day. We did home visits, and my teams first home visit was good, but difficult. There are many challenging living situations for people here, and the woman we visited today is one of these stories. We visited the home of a little boy named Bhonke. He is a lively, fun boy who lives with his Grandmother and older sister. They say Go-go for Grandmother in Siswati. This Go-go could hardly walk out of her home to visit, but she was eager to do it. We helped her set up the mats and chairs so we could visit with her. She shared that she had not had a visitor in months, did not have the physical strength to finish a fence around her property to protect a garden from roaming animals. Without a fence she can not plant a garden, and without a garden it becomes hard to raise food. She has been fighting sickness after sickness this past year. Her daughter has to be away working for another family to raise school fees. When she is not working, she is at school. She also said she was ashamed of her home. It is made of mud, does not have a door, and has holes in the roof. When it rains, it comes in the house. We were honored to visit with this lady, and humbled to be people who cared enough to at least listen and pray for her. We offered encouragement to her, told her we cared, prayed for healing and provision for her, reminded her that God loves her, and that we are bothers and sisters in His family. For each home visit we bring a gift of basic food items like rice and beans, and luxury items for many Swazi people like coffee and sugar. When we parted, we exchanged hugs, and it was good to see her pained face changed to a big smile. What an example of joy in the midst of suffering. Please pray with us that this Go-go receive answers to her prayer requests.
This first day of visiting Ludlati carepoint and a wonderful Go-go’s home was a fantastic, joyous, yet challenging and tearful day. We shared the easy side of loving friendships through fun and gifts with the kids and bomake, and the more difficult yet beautiful side of visiting, listening to, and encourageing a person in the midst of suffering. I like how a trip like this is described by our guide, Dennis Brock. There is a lot in the ministry of prescence. Words and prayers are good, but often times just being together is the best way God uses His people to bless and help each other.
Posted by Don at 09:18 PM. Filed under: Ludlati Visit 2011 •
