Sonibonani (hello to all in Siswati)!
Today was kicked off with an addition by Katelyn, followed by a walk to enjoy God’s beautiful creations surrounding our stay. Our view is gorgeous, and Eswatini is full of hills with little houses tucked into the hills. We are soaking up the views!
You’ll find greenery, flowers, avocado, lemon, and mango trees, and many more plants all around. In the villages, you’ll find different bushes and trees surrounding the red dirt. With views of mountains in the distance, it’s a place like no other.
Today, we headed to a new carepoint called Makholweni! We were greeted by lots of hugs and a handshake called “sharp,” where you rub thumbs and say “sharp” (pronounced shop), meaning “cool,” as soon as we hopped out of our van. The kids love it, and so do we!
We began our day by assisting Ncamiso, the social welfare advocate and wellness coordinator, in prepping medicine for the clinic day tomorrow and for future clinic days at other carepoints. We put tens of thousands of pills into little bags and containers for the kids who will need them tomorrow based on their assessment. We spent a few hours counting pills and ensuring we are ready for 550 kids to visit the carepoint tomorrow.
The men began to work hard in the sun with the other Bobabe (men) at the carepoint by digging holes for new benches and a fence around the garden. The sun was shining brightly today, so we were proud of their hard work, despite the heat, to improve the carepoint.
For those daring enough to help, we made our way to assist the Bomake in preparing chickens for “chicken day” tomorrow at this carepoint. With 550 expected kids, 55 chickens needed to be prepared. Nick, Snappy, and Natalie took on the challenge to butcher a few chickens, embracing the cultural experience in preparation for chicken day. Nick and Snappy then assisted the Bomake in plucking and prepping the chickens. Lots of bellies to fill tomorrow, and we can’t wait!
The ladies on the team then conducted a Bomake appreciation, led by Natalie and assisted by Snappy. We laughed, shared an encouraging message, and sang praises together. The Swazis love their singing, and it’s so beautiful. We then gifted the Bomake and gardener some new items, honoring their faithfulness to the Lord and their hard work each day as they serve at the carepoints.
Next, the team went for a walk to visit a local go-go (grandmother) and her two grandchildren. We were invited into her home, and despite difficult circumstances—including the loss of the children’s mother, the father (her son) being disabled from an illness, and the go-go herself dealing with some sickness—she was the definition of hope. She shared about her prayer life and mindset of staying strong in her faith. It was a beautiful conversation, and we were blessed to hear her story, pray over the family, and leave some items behind to bless them.
We returned to the carepoint to say our goodbyes for the day and then headed to a local shopping area called Swazi candle before dinner. The team enjoyed shopping for local items made by hand including carvings, candles and more. Then, we were joined by Carol and Jack’s friends, a family of missionaries living here in Eswatini. We enjoyed some great laughs and reflections from the day.
After dinner, we returned to our stay to find the storm affecting the power. With no power, we used flashlights to do our devotions. Greg led a moving devotional on the topic of living a humble and faithful life by walking with God and the Holy Spirit. It sparked a dynamic conversation among the team that was truly moving, and, as soon as we finished, the lights came back on—talk about timing!
There was one light that just kept flickering, even when we toggled the light switch off. As we continued to talk, McKenna said a prayer—then bam, the light stopped flickering. It was a wild but cool experience for us all.
We ended the night with a game of Uno and good laughs before heading to bed, ready for another day at the carepoint tomorrow.