Today the reality of the situation has hit. We visited four carepoints and drove past several others. What struck me most today was two tings: watching the kids walk up the trails toward the carepoints where food cooking had just begun, and young girls and boys caring for their toddler and baby siblings.
The four carepoints are Thembini, Bevini, Ludlati(rural), and Mpholi(inside city).
Thembini is close to the same level of development as Balekane. Bevini has only land and a kitchen and serves about 100 kids. Ludlati is down the road only a couple miles, but only has a tree on the land. This carepoint is newly started and serves 90-100 kids two meals a day. This carepoint is in need of community connection to get development moving forward. Mpholi recently received land from a chief, but is currently run by a Go-go from her own place. There are too many kids for her place, but the plan is to get a kitchen started on the new land.
I want to write more, and plan to do so when I have more time. In summary, today’s carepoint visits revealed more about the desperate situations here in Swaziland. It hit many of the team members in the heart and guts. The great news is the large difference a developed carepoint (i.e. Balekane, Thembini) makes in children’s lives where more hope is given and received.
This is Little Guy’s sister (getting the real names is difficult because of language and the number of kids)...she became an attachment.
Whenever I tried to put her down, she would pull her feet up. It’s becoming the norm now to peel the kids off Don and drag him away from the carepoints. Here we are playing patty-cake. Photo by Ron Elmore
Might be hard to see, but here is one picture of two hands traced onto paper at the Mpholi carepoint. I have a bunch more in my notebook journal…gets a smile from each child.
This is what we call here in Swaziland a Camera Huddle. This particular huddle occured at Mpholi. Photo by Hannah Leman
Tomorrow we drive much farther to a couple carepoints with more severe conditions. I believe these carepoints serve up to 150 kids. There are other carepoints we might visit where they serve 300 kids.
The kids walking up to the gathering tree…I don’t even have words.
Don,
Praying for your physical strength as you don’t seem to be getting much sleep.
Jen
Thanks Don…seriously, waiting on the computer for this info! Hearts are stirring…looking forward to the opportunities!!! May the Lord truly give you a quickening in your spirit.
There is a lot of beauty here in the country side and it is a blast playing with the kids. There have been some sad moments too. But the dark side of Swaziland starts to show in the children with the hurt faces that never present a smile or are skeptical to let it show. There is a lot of abuse that is acceptable here. At the same time, I think I am catching the vision and hope that Swaziland will be significantly impacted by the continued growth of existing and new carepoints (or connect communities) for orphans and at risk children.
Based on what Jen shared with us about Ethiopia, there the poverty is more harsh and out in the open. Swaziland cities are more developed so the face of poverty is less shocking, until you learn the harsh details from the workers who have been in the field. The poverty spectrum does approach the shocking conditions in more rural locations that we won’t be able to visit on this trip.
After I return we can start into development of a location for orphans. I also look forward to having a team of people in return in six to twelve months for project work and relationship building. We will need to start planning the next trip soon after I return with information and a selected community for us to connect with.
The Lord reminded me the words you speak over them WILL change their lives.-
I don’t have anything of myself of value to say.
Love you, praying “hard.”
Cut and paste this text into your blog or website to share this button and link to help spread the word.
Ludlati Carepoint Support Level 54 Kids Funded; 29 Kids To Go
About - KnownToMe
We have begun to ask ourselves...What would we do if our neighbor was starving right before our eyes? Would we not help? Today, their plight is not hidden from us. It is known. We believe there is a clear mandate that we must care for societies most vulnerable members, the widow, the orphan, those in extreme poverty. If you are stirred to a similar belief, if you know there is more that you must do, Known To Me will make you aware of specific needs and opportunities to help.
