The Swaziland Experience

Well, the unexpected happened to me. With the holidays and a busy time in the fields for the Swazis, my life slowed down a bit. As a result, it has been a little while since I wrote. I enjoyed Christmas in Swaziland very much, but of course I did miss being home. I had a couple weeks with only scattered activity, so I did a lot of relaxing and a lot of reading. I’m ready to return to a more regular schedule of visiting homesteads.

The last few weeks have been highlighted by a visit from Saddleback Church to see the ministry here. I was also able to go with Fansile to pick up her CD4 report, which showed that she easily qualifies for ARV’s. I have also spent some time teaching sports and computers to the children on the farm.

I have quite a few pictures and videos available at the links below. Again, most of the pictures are of the children on the farm. I was recently able to take a few good pictures and videos at homesteads, but they will not be available on the Internet for a month or two.
Pictures:
  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10193&l=9fd27&id=591774512
YouTube Videos:
  Singing at a meeting for leaders of the home-based care groups (this is in my church building) -
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEPwjPCViY8
  Children on the farm (the little girl singing is Image) -
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KayRbc0g4yQ
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMGO2NU310
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08JxHvD3Tr0
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_nsOBI6pLs
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uObJvXgRc4c
  Orphans who are fed by the Dwaleni church -
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpwmbtEIdQE

+++++++++++ For the curious: +++++++++++

1. Kombi Half Full, Kombi Half Empty
2. Fansile Update
3. Thobile’s Finances
4. Holidays
5. Saddleback Church HIV Ministries
6. I’m a Gym Teacher
7. A Few Thoughts on Living in the Fullness of Christ
8. Prayer Requests

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1. Kombi Half Full, Kombi Half Empty
When I first started taking public transportation in Swaziland, I was shocked at how many people squeeze into the kombis. I remember my first kombi trip to Manzini when I was sitting five people wide and a speaker was located where my head was supposed to go. But, this situation has become very natural now. In fact, on the few occasions that I have been standing alongside the road and a kombi has passed me by because it is too full, I have thought to myself, “I could have easily fit onto that kombi.” Is the kombi half full, or is the kombi half empty? I guess it’s all a matter of perspective.

2. Fansile Update
I went with Fansile to pick up her CD4 test results. As you might remember, she would be eligible for ARV’s with a CD4 count below 200. Not surprisingly, her count was at 50, showing very advanced stages of AIDS progression. I am hopeful that she will be able to begin ARV’s this month.

3. Thobile’s Finances
Recently I stopped by Thobile’s work to give her a candy bar and some spinach for Christmas. She happened to share her finances with me. She makes just under $150 per month. This is actually a pretty good salary here because she has computer skills and uses Microsoft Excel at the local tire repair shop. Workers in a nearby clothing factory and workers on the farm that I live on earn about $120/month. My friend Thumsani, who works an average of 72 hours/week as a security guard at a gas station in town, makes a little bit less than Thobile.
  In any case, Thobile makes $150/month. With this money, she takes care of her disabled grandma, her 13 month old daughter, and herself. Her top priority is transportation to and from work, which costs $35/month. Then, she purchases formula for her baby (she does not breastfeed because she is HIV+) for about $30/month. She takes a multi-vitamin for about $5/month. This leaves $80 to feed her grandma and herself and to cover all other expenses. It simply isn’t enough.
  Thobile lives on her father’s homestead. When Thobile was very young, her mother died. Since then, her father has remarried, and the new wife wants nothing to do with Thobile. She has also managed to keep Thobile’s father away from Thobile. Thobile’s baby’s father lives in South Africa. He also makes very little money. Thobile says that he is still nice to her, but he is not able to help her much financially. So Thobile very much has to fight for the survival of her baby, her grandma, and herself.
  I’ve been thinking a lot about Thobile’s difficult financial situation. I can’t get over the fact that Thobile is one of the best paid Swazis who I’ve met, she only has two other people to feed, and she still struggles just to live. So many other people in Swaziland make much less (if anything) and have many more mouths to feed. AIDS dramatically worsens the situation here because it affects people in their prime working years. It is no wonder that the extended family support system in Swaziland has broken down. At some point, there is not enough food for everyone. In fact, about two thirds of Swazis live on less than fifty US cents per day.

4. Holidays
I spent Christmas on the farm. With a little assistance from a friend from UIUC, I bought each kid on the farm a small gift plus an incredibly delicious chocolate bar and five pictures in a new photo book. Swazis typically don’t have many pictures, so I traveled to the nation’s capital city in order to print off some digital pictures for the kids. I made sure to have at least one of each child alone. They loved these pictures! I spent much of Christmas and the 26th assembling the Lego kits that I gave to each of the boys.
  Between Christmas and New Years, I stayed for a few days with Arnau’s family in Piet Retief. We had a really nice and relaxed time. We watched a lot of movies, went swimming in a local pool, read a lot, and ate wonderful meals. I also had a seemingly endless supply of fresh fruit including lychees and mangos… mmmm! Arnau’s wife even bought a turkey for a late Thanksgiving dinner!
  I spent New Years with the Doctors Without Borders folks. I like this group a lot. We had a nice time around a campfire. I have been spending a some time with these people on the weekends too. I am so blessed to have friends my own age! I especially enjoy Isaac the Kenyan.

5. Saddleback Church HIV Ministries
You might be familiar with Saddleback Church from the Purpose Driven books. Kay Warren, the wife of Pastor Rick Warren, is very active in HIV/AIDS ministries. On December 27th, the director of HIV ministries at Saddleback Church came to visit the ministry here. He also brought some of his family members.
  We first met with three home-based care volunteers at the Dwaleni church. The Saddleback crew asked many questions about the state of AIDS in Swaziland, and they focused particularly on the cultural aspects. This was insightful for me to listen and learn.
  We then visited two homesteads that have been dramatically affected by AIDS. I was able to take some pictures and videos that might help you to get a good visual picture of the people here. However, they will not be available on the Internet for another month or so.

6. I’m a Gym Teacher
While the children are on summer break from school, Michelle has asked me to have some sports and computer time with them. So, I have been having fun teaching them skills for several sports, including Frisbee, soccer, table tennis, and baseball. I’ve also found that one wonderful way to get them to run is for me to throw a disc golf disc as far as I can and have them race to bring it back for me to throw again. You might enjoy the fact that our sports time takes place in cow pastures. Since we don’t actually have a gym, I guess that I’d be called a pasture teacher rather than a gym teacher.
  I’ve also been teaching some basic computer skills. Only a couple of the orphans on the farm have ever used a computer. We have two computers set up next to each other, and I rotate the kids so that they can all start to learn.

7. A Few Thoughts on Living in the Fullness of Christ
I don’t want to sound preachy in these updates, but I do want to share a few thoughts on living in the fullness of Christ. Especially during the Christmas season, I had a few people email and express some sort of guilt that they are in the US living comfortably while I’m here in Swaziland. Guilt is not really a perspective that I endorse unless it is in response to sin.. So, I decided to send out some thoughts on this subject…
  I’ve emailed with a few people recently about what it means to live in the fullness of Christ. So often, people associate a higher level of living in the fullness of Christ with activities such as international missions or working with the poor or oppressed. Yes, I agree that God has called certain people to these activities and that they’re a special way to serve Him. But does this mean that working a traditional job in the US is only living a portion of what God has to offer? Sometimes people feel inferior in their relationship with Christ because they are working in a field that is not related to ministry in any way.
  The Good Lord has been talking to me about this a lot during my time here, and I have come away with several thoughts. Here are a few useful questions: Are you living where the Good Lord wants you to live? Are you working where the Good Lord wants you to work? Are you spending your time and money how the Good Lord wants you to spend your time and money? Are you progressing in your relationship with the Good Lord as He desires for you? Is your life displaying the fruit of the spirit?
  These questions are not meant to induce guilt, but rather freedom! If you are living how the Lord wants you to live, then bask in the freedom that he has offered you! If the answers are yes, then smile. This is what living in the fullness of Christ looks like for you right now in your current situation. If you’re not sure what the answers are, then do some praying and talk to someone who can help you sort through these questions. If the answers are no, then it’s time for some adjustments. Don’t act out of guilt or fear, but rather in response to Christ’s calling. One lesson that I’ve learned over and over again is that life is always better in Christ. There’s just no competition.
  When I return to the States in June 2008 and begin working for GE again, then I will confidently say that I’m living in Christ’s fullness (assuming that He doesn’t redirect me by then)… Not because I have “paid my time” for international missions. This actually has no bearing whatsoever, as following Christ is not a points system. Instead, I’ll be living where God wants me, working where God wants me, and doing my all to be living how God wants me to live.
  I hope this makes sense. The main point is that life in Christ comes in many varieties. Embrace what the Good Lord has given to you.

8. Prayer Requests
- Fansile beginning ARV’s: For the side effects to be minimal, for her ability to take the pills as prescribed, and for wonderful results that would heal her skin condition and improve her quality of life.
- For my ministry here. How can I best serve the Lord for the rest of my time here?
- For the general state of Swaziland
- For my learning of siSwati
- For continued understanding of how I can meet people’s physical needs in appropriate, healthy, and godly ways
- Praise: I will have visitors in March!