It’s the time of year when we start planning for our next annual visit to Ludlati Carepoint.  This year’s trip is scheduled for July 24th through August 4th (return home Aug 5).  We are having a trip information meeting this Saturday @ West Side Church in Champaign, IL from 9:00-10:30AM for anyone interested in traveling or supporting the travel team.

Here is the video made from pictures and footage from last year’s trip titled “Home Away From Homestead”.

We and our Ludlati friends sincerely thank God for everyone who gives time, energy, skills, supplies and finances to make the trips possible to visit our neighbor kids and people in and around Ludlati Carepoint.  KnownToMe started on the journey with Ludlati in November 2009 with a long term development plan to raise support and provide resources for the Swazi ladies (Bomake) who faithfully work at the carepoint, and build infrastructure and relationships.  All these things help to meet true needs, but these relationships we actively build are the only way to deliver encouragement, love, hope and life.  God spreads His love through us to our Ludlati neighbors and back again to us, because He loves us all individually and together as a family community.  Will you join us?

Please come to the 2012 Trip Information Session to…

•   Learn how we partner with Childrens HopeChest to support the people of the Ludlati Carepoint in Swaziland for mentoring, discipleship and caring for the children of their community.
•   Understand how the Swazi people are partnering with Children’s HopeChest and AdventuresInMissions to break the cycle of loss from dependence and the HIV/Aids epidemic in Swaziland.
•   Hear from past travelers from area churches and the reciprocal impact of visits. The Summer 2012 visit will be the third visit from our community to the Ludlati community in Swaziland.
•   Learn all the 2012 visit details and upcoming fundraising opportunities.

You can find this link to travel team information always available at the upper right corner of the right column:  2012 Swaziland Travel Team Info

On Friday August 26th I was not able to post, but I wanted to share the highlights of the day, even though we are now home.  Logistically, it was one of those days when things go wrong with the vehicle, communication errors, too hot weather and forgotten water. Even so, the team stepped up to the opportunity to be extra flexible, and they had a great day with the kids.  The day was planned to be an open day.  This allowed time to just hang out and be with the kids during most of the day.  It was a day of just being present, and sharing the blessings and joy of relationship.  A day to grow closer together, learn more about each other, and simply appreciate each other.  Building relationships is a big part of our role.  By our role, I mean the KnownToMe community.  As the leader, I found myself caught up in running errands for the carepoint, and I missed out on most of this part of the day. The Lord used this day and my team to teach me an even deeper meaning and understanding of the importance of being present with Him, and with the Ludlati kids.  I am continually amazed how the Lord uses me and us as flawed humans to accomplish His will and bless and teach us at the same time. While I missed the early part of the day, I arrived at the carepoint in time for the planned lesson of the day.  That Friday was Gospel Bead Bracelet day. The evening before, Sierra accepted an invitation to be the teacher for the Gospel Bead Bracelet activity.  Actually, her classmates at school helped put together the packets for the project; so it was good to see her finish out the effort as the teacher.  She did a great job!  The packet contained five colored beads, a piece of twine string, and a printed paper which described a bead color and scriptures in Siswati associated with each bead.  The gold bead represents the fact that God prepared a place for each of us in Heaven (John 3:16-17).  A black bead represents sin that separated us from God (Romans 3:23).  The red bead stands for Christ’s blood shed for us to pay for the sins of all men for all time. A white bead represents the purity we gain in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior (Isaiah 1:18). The green bead represents our growth in Christ (Psalm 51:12-14).  These kids are smart and capable. They did a great job of putting together the bracelets.  Some of the smallest kids needed help, but the older kids jumped in to help.  The project was done in a much shorter time than we expected!

That evening we split into two groups for the home visits.  This was the evening I visited the household of Mduduzi Dlamini’s homestead and farm.  If you have not read it yet, you can read about this wonderful, godly family, and the answers to prayer and blessings God has given to this family. “Home Visits and Church in Swaziland”

It was also the day we gave a special meal to the Bomake.  Their favorite KFC-  Kentucky Fried Chicken! You can see in the last picture that Jabu is really enjoying hers.These ladies work so hard feeding and mentoring the kids each day, and it is fun to provide them with a meal just for them.

Today we had our last day visit to the carepoint. It was good to sing, dance and play together today and all week. But sadly this year’s visit has come to a close. Goodbye Ludlati kids, Bomake, and community members.  We love you all, and look forward to meeting again next year.  As we drive away, our hearts are torn because we have grown closer in friendship and love.  We will remember you and pray for you all until we can be together again.

Home visits are a really good way to learn and understand the situations and issues facing families and children who attend the carepoint.  Not all the home visits have pictures.  These are typically home visits where it seems inappropriate to take a picture.  Our first home visit was to Bhonke’s Grandmother. Bhonke is a rambunkscious 6 year old being taken care of by his grandmother (a.k.a Go-go) and his sister who is about 12 years old.  Go-go could hardly walk when she first emerged from her home with pain written on her face. I had to help her move around by giving her an arm while she limped toward a mat on the ground. We sat down to talk, and she went straight to asking for prayer for her failed health.  She has had sickness after sickness this past year.  She also described her inability to grow food so they will go hungry, she was ashamed of her home and the leaky roof. She has no money for seeds, no ability to finish putting up a fence around the homestead, and her daughter is away most of the time working for another family to earn school fees. It was a tough home visit.  So we prayed in faith using truth from God’s word.  We told her God loves her and so do we.  We encouraged her with God’s words that say we all need to trust God to provide everything we need. We prayed for God to heal her according to his word and will.  After the prayer was done she thanked us so many times for coming to visit.  She had not had any visitors in months.  We gave her the home visit gift bag.  As we were leaving this Go-go was smiling and happy.  As we left her homestead, it was very difficult to walk away knowing more about this lady’s struggles.  It is part of sharing in compassion and suffering of people God loves.  Even though that was a tough visit, I have some good news to share.  Bhonke’s Go-go was able to come to the carepoint each day after the visit.  She reported to me that she was feeling much better, and getting better each day. She also had a big smile to share whenever we saw her at the carepoint and spoke with her.  We praise God for his healing of this lady’s body.  She is walking so much better, and feeling better too.

Our team member, Liz visited a homestead of a young man about 17 years old who comes to Ludlati Carepoint. He is relatively shy, but is industrious and respectful.  Both his parents are dead, but he lives with his Grand mother.  She has taken him in along with other kids at the homestead.  He is also fighting diabedes.  Liz and the other team members at the visit noticed this woman’s Godliness, and the peace it brings to this family. Liz gave her a blanket from the gift bag by wrapping it around the woman’s shoulders.  The Go-go really appreciated this blanket and loving gesture. This family is struggling, but they still had peace and trust in God and His provision.  The team prayed for provision of the things this family needs. They were very impressed with the love of God that they saw in this woman.

We also visited Babe (bah-bay) Mosumo’s homestead and family.  He is Lenhle’s grandfather, and is the same man who did much work around the kitchen at Ludlati last year.  We and his family were so happy to see each other again, and share some kind words and prayer.  We brought a big gift of clothing for him and his whole family. He commented, “Now I can walk around like a man”.  We also left them a home visit pack.  It was a great reunion. I hope to meet with him again next year.

I don’t have a picture of the next home visit I am going to describe.  Last year we visited this family while they were in the process of mourning the death of an Aunt.  The grand father of this family is a wonderful man. He made very kind comments and expressed much gratitude to God fro the people who support Ludlati Carepoint. This year I was able to visit again, and found him suffering from pain.  He is hardly able to walk and sit. He and I expressed our gladness to see each other again, and this man again was so thankful for the hope brought into the community because of Ludlati Carepoint.  He and his wife asked for prayer for their health issues and need for school fee money.  In the midst of their suffering, they expressed much gratitude and joy.  What a Godly family.  It was great to shake this man’s hand and give him a hug again this year.  I also met his son named Mduduzi.  He is a man of about 28 years old, and really loves God.  He says he only wants to follow Christ and is proud to be a Christian.  He said that God has provided him with the idea to farm the ground around their homestead.  He also said after we met and prayed with his family last year, that God has provided some great things to this family.  They were able to finally purchase a car, and get some more property from the Cheif for farming.  Mduduzi said God’s word says a man must work.  He said a man should not sit around and do nothing. So he got busy farming about 4.5 hectres of Maze and butternut squash.  He is trusting God for an abundant crop. Please agree with us in prayer for Mduduzi’s farm to produce an abundance so that this family’s needs will be met.

This morning the team attended church at Enaleni Weslian Church. This is the closest church to Ludlati carepoint, but it is still too far for any of our Ludlati friends to walk.  Everyone at the church was really friendly, and was excited and surprised that we attended church with them this morning.  They made us feel welcome, and asked us to sit in front.  They also brought us on stage so we could introduce ourselves.  Dennis Brock lead the introductions by sharing about our visit to Ludlati carepoint.  Consistent with the kids from the carepoint, there was so much wonderful singing at the church.  They are excellent at singing and dancing.  Every transition between praises, prayers, offering and teaching time, everyone sings a short praise song while people adjust the stage and microphones and get into position.  I really enjoyed the preaching as well.  The Pastor taught from 2 Timothy 3:1-9.  He preached in Siswati and a woman would translate to English for us.  He talked about how sin is sweet, but in the end it leaves us dead.  He referred to Revelations 2:7 which says to the people of the church:  To him that overcomes, God will give eternal life.  The pastor was encouraged kids to obey parents because this is obeying God.  He encouraged everyone to live a holy life.  We all CAN do everything the bible says when we walk with God.  God was with the Isrealites when they crossed the Red Sea.  God was with Noah when He flooded the earth.  In bad times, we can walk with God, and He will lift us up so we can worship Him.

This church is also a carepoint with Childrens HopeChest.  It is great to see a church body in Swaziland doing the same work with orphans and at-risk children.  The pictures below also show a huge difference in the church buildings on the grounds. The building made of logs was where this congregation was meeting.  The new building was given to this congregation by a church in Cananda.  The Canadian church has a relationship with Enaleni, and often have visitors that show up unannounced. The leaders actually welcomed us as their friends from Canada before they knew we are from America.  It is awesome to meet people who are brothers and sisters in Christ.  This is not just a phrase.  It really felt that way.

We also met a man named Mandla.  He works for an organization called “Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse”. He counsels people who are perptrators and victims of Gender Based Violence.  Most of the abuse is happens within families and their homes, and much of it is sexual abuse.  They work to discover these issues, and give people who need help a way to escape.  Since much of this violence is within the families, these problems have been hidden under cultural and social pressure to not let any problems be known outside the family.  The work Mandla is involved in has given people real help and support.  Tough economic times have decreased and delayed funding for this organization.  Please pray that God will provide the financial support needed to keep this organization working and effective.

FUN DAY!!!  The last full day of our time is a big celebration of spending a week together with the kids. It is great to see the kids smiling and having a great time.  I think you will be able to see what I mean in the pictures below.  After playing all morning and early afternoon, the kids are gathered for some singing and teaching time.  I was able to pull out a guitar today, and play along with several of the songs the kids sing.  They sing so beautifully.  The whole team loves to hear the kids sing, and the songs are really wonderful too.  The kids really enjoyed having a guitar as a rare accompaniment.  At least one of the kids was playing air guitar. Today we were able to work out bringing a special treat of ice cream!  The day was a little overcast and chilly which helped keep the ice cream from melting too fast.  As you can imagine, the kids loved the ice cream.  For the afternoon meal, we shared a meal called “chicken dust”.  It comes in a to-go box, and has a big piece of fried chicken, a side of salad, and some wheat meal that looked like mashed potatoes.  I sat and ate mine with some of the boys.  The food was prepared in town, so the Bomake did not have to work hard cooking a huge feast, and the meal was really great.  We also gave the kids lots of oranges, apples, candy and a special donut.  Everyone had a great time.

It has been another great visit with the Ludlati kids.  We have also enjoyed doing home visits everyday. Like the trips from previous years, some home visits have been tough, and some very enjoyable and encouraging to see Godly families living with joy and peace in the midst of suffering.  Tomorrow I plan to post more home visit details.  It will include requests for prayer we received, and answers to prayer.

At the end of today, God blessed the Bomake through a large gift bag of clothes and shoes.  Thanks again to the KTM members who helped get clothes and package them for this trip.  We let them know we love them for being so committed and faithful to the work of feeding the kids.  We also gave gifts to the D-team staff, and thanked them for all the mentoring, training, bible teaching and love they have and give to the kids.  I and the rest of the team love these kids.  We were sad to see them leave the carepoint for the day, but we look forward to seeing them for a short time on Monday afternoon when we have to say goodbye.

While I was working with my hands at the Carepoint this morning on a couple small tasks, it reminded me of being at home with my family when I am fixing my house or doing a chore.  The kids were running around and playing, and I was moving about working on things.  I would seek the assistance of a nearby child so we could work on the task together, or stop what I was doing to play or interact with some kids for a little while.  I would also pause and enjoy observing the kids which often means taking pictures.  Of course they would also ask for their picture to be taken, and ask to see themselves on the camera mini screen. Today I think I could see a strong sense of security and home within the kids who come to Ludlati. It is even more clear through observation of a child in a situation like Dumsile.  Her homestead, left to her after her mother died a few years ago, is the place where she now shelters and lives alone, but I believe the carepoint feels like a home to her.  It is where she mostly shares time with people who care about her.  A place where physical boundaries and permanent structures provide security.  A place where she plays with other children.  A place where mother and father figures are available to talk, provide wisdom, give a hug, set examples, mentor and even correct behaviors.  With 145 kids at the carepoint today, I think this sense of home is repeated 145 times with each child having a unique story.  Every situation holds unique losses, sufferings, challenges, and personalities.  Ludlati Carepoint is their home away from homestead.  I am thankful for the seven bomake ladies who cook and work, the Disciplers who mentor and teach, and the kids who willingly come, learn and show much joy in the midst of suffering.  I am grateful to be their friend, humbled to share in the joy, and thankful for the blessing it is to be a small part of this community.  I am grateful to all of you who read this story, provide financial support, pray, write letters or come on visits.  No matter how big or small, your role makes you a part of this community as well.  The sum total of everything being put into this community brings true hope and love to the Ludlati kids.  It is great to see it and share it with you.

The happenings of the day included a visit to “Timbali Bags” by the ladies this morning.  Today there was a lot of netball and football gaming going on.  The boys love their new soccer nets they helped install, and the girls love using their netball goals purchased during last years trip.  The smaller kids enjoy jumping ropes, hoola hoops, playing with balls, bubbles, and playing/talking/sitting/interacting with our team members soaking up much desired attention and love. This afternoon Kristin did a fantastic job teaching the children that we are all created and loved the same by God, but we are all uniquely made for His purposes.  It included a demonstration using yellow bandannas.  Each bandanna is the same, but can be used in many unique ways (i.e. head cover, scarf, neck cover, wrist band, etc.).

The kids head home around 4PM to get home before dark.  We left as well for home visits by splitting into two groups of three.  The visits went well for both groups.  Each family has challenges and needs which we prayed about together, and each has orderly and peaceful homesteads.  For each home visit, we leave a gift bag of food and special items for the family.  It was interesting because both families showed great generosity by giving a gift of a homemade mat to a team member.  Like the Apostle Paul wrote about the poor Macedonian Christians, these families are great examples of joyful givers who give even in the face of their own needs. I was one who received a mat.  It was a humbling and wonderful gift to receive from Nikiwe who made the mat herself.

Today’s planned activities were feet washing and building up of the soccer goals. After a little shopping in Swaziland this morning, we picked up some supplies at a few stores for both.  I was in charge of purchasing the towels, and I had a gut feeling that one of the ladies should really be involved in this part, but they weren’t.  Turns out my gut feeling was correct.  I did not purchase enough nor the correct size of towels, but the team did a great job of making what I purchased work.  We counted 145 kids at Ludlati Carepoint today!  Blessings were received by the washers and washees of feet this morning.  The time spent working with the boys on soccer goals was excellent.  Once Xolani and I started on the project the boys eagerly jumped in to help.  It was good to see and share a sense of accomplishment with them.

Today was full of joy, but this day had difficulty mixed in that made the day emotionally conflicted for the team.  The main story came through a girl that holds a special place in our hearts from last year’s trip for her thankyou messages.  Her name is Dumsile.  She is a wonderful light of a young lady and child at Ludlati.  Today we visited her homestead, and learned that she recently has to live there alone.  Her mother died some time ago, and she was able to stay with one of the Bomake for a while, but she had to return to her homestead, or her rights to the property would be lost. Without going into all the details of culture, how and why, our immediate response during the visit was to pray for this young teenage girl that would soon be standing by herself as we had to get back to town before dark.  We gladly prayed for her to have strength, courage, fearlessness, peace, safety and love. After giving her a gift bag, some hugs and goodbyes, we made the difficult walk back to the van knowing we had to let this child stay alone tonight.  As a father, it is inconceivable to think of leaving my child alone for the night.  But this is the difficult situation facing many children in Swaziland these days. Everyone on the team is struggling with the knowledge of her living alone tonight. Even though it hurts, we are humbled and thankful to share in her suffering, and find it interesting that a deep sense of joy accompanies this pain. None of us would trade this joy and pain for our previous state of unaware minds.  Join us in sharing this joy and suffering of our Ludlati Carepoint friend, and pray for this brave girl.