The Swaziland Experience

Sanibonani,

I have now surpassed the halfway point of my time in Swaziland. I continue to do well, and I continue to learn daily. I look forward to my return to the States, but I also treasure my remaining time in Swaziland.

Things have been going well. I have made a new friend named Johane who you can read about below.

I have some new pictures and videos online. I have several pictures from homesteads.
Pictures (if this link doesn’t work at first, please try again later):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13692&l=7cde6&id=591774512

YouTube Videos:
A woman taken care of by home-based care (see video details below) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7syKJ0nW2Bc
Singing in church -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4AWyQsqS3Y
Nhlangano markets and bus rank (Eduard the farmhand selling milk) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYiMqLfkKQY
Driving around town (bad quality, but gives a feel for Nhlangano) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwnjsODetuY

1. Video Details
The first video linked above at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7syKJ0nW2Bc was recorded during the visit from Saddleback Church in December. In the video, we are visiting an elderly woman who suffers from AIDS, diabetes, ulcers, loss of hearing, poor sight, headaches, and pain throughout her body. This woman happens to speak very clear English. A lady from Saddleback is asking questions about how the home-based care members have helped her. I have typed out her responses:

“She came here and wash it for me, this lady, and bathes me, this lady, and gives me some tablets. If she finds my dirty clothes, she washes them. … And she gave me some tablets [pain killers] if she do have. … I ought to go to the clinic today but I was moneyless. I ought to go to the clinic. My tablets [ARV's] are now finished. … I’m using the ARV’s, and I’m a sugar diabetic. I inject myself. And I’ve got some ulcers. Oh, they’re troubling me. … As my head is too painful, I don’t hear very loud.”

This video segment demonstrates several things. First, it shows the incredible servant’s heart of Nonhlanhla, who takes care of the woman by cleaning her home, washing her body, giving pain medication if available, offering encouragement, and serving in any other way that she can. Second, it demonstrates the extreme sickness that many people in Swaziland are facing. The AIDS epidemic often attacks a younger generation (20’s and 30’s), but this elderly lady is suffering from AIDS as well as several other conditions. Third, it shows that even when people successfully start ARV’s that the small amount of money for transportation prevents them from continually obtaining their refills (ARV’s are free in Swaziland). Her transportation costs are about $1.50 US round-trip, but this is often too much for a family that is starving.

2. I Love the Word
I’ve been reading Luke with Lwazi and Lihle. Sharing the Gospel makes me fall in love with the life of Christ all over again. I love the parables. I love the healings. I love that Jesus ate with sinners. I love the way that Jesus did things that he knew would ruffle people’s feathers. I love that I can live freely because of this guy who said and did unexpected things.
Donald Miller writes in Searching for God Knows What, “I think the best thing a person can do is to read through the Gospels in the Bible and really look at Jesus, because if a person does this, they will realize that the Jesus they learned about in Sunday school or the Jesus they hear jokes about or the skinny, Gandhi Jesus that exists in their imaginations isn’t anything like the real Jesus at all.” For some reason, sharing the Word really gives me such a refreshing and exciting view of the Gospels. If you haven’t read the Gospel in a while, then I recommend the book of Luke.

3. Car
Perhaps you remember that early on I was trying to decide whether to buy a car here in Swaziland. I did not end up purchasing a car. Now, as I need a car to work with the Lavumisa church plant, the McCubbins have agreed to let me barrow a car when I need it on Sundays. This is exciting, as I see that the Lord is providing just what I need.
I feel like the decision not to buy a car was the right decision, but sometimes I still struggle with it. When I visit people in the rural areas who are unable to walk to the kombi route and have no way of getting to the clinic, then I wish that I could help them with a car.
A few weeks ago, Arnau and I were talking about the car decision. He said something to the effect that even if I did still buy one for the Lavumisa church (which we now know that I won’t), that he’s still glad that I didn’t have one for the first months. In fact, he said that in some ways he’s even jealous that I have been able to have a whole set of experiences that he’s never had because he has always had a car in Swaziland.
When I came to Swaziland, I knew that I would learn a lot. Public transportation has been one significant source of learning, but it’s not always glamorous. And I must admit that sometimes I feel uncomfortable waiting for a kombi to pick me up at the side of the road. Sometimes, it makes me feel like a (for lack of better word) poser. Here I am taking public transportation to learn about the Swazi life. However, every other person on the kombi would gladly purchase a car if they only had the funds. I realize that I will never really be able to see life from their perspective.

4. Water Projects
I have been involved with some small water projects. We are planning to convert surface spring water to clean, drinkable water. This has been fun for me to be involved in.
I’ve always said that there are so many things that I’d love to do that if I had 50 different lives I’d choose 50 different jobs. Maybe in one of these 50 lives I’d specialize in water projects in developing countries.

5. Lavumisa Church Plant
I have mentioned a potential Lavumisa church plant in several of my updates. We have met each of the last two Sundays in a round hut on the homestead of the Member of Parliament who invited us to start a church in his area.
We are interested in a new type of church plant, and we really want to build up a core who can in turn reach the community. Please continue to pray for the Lavumisa church and where God will take it. Please especially pray that the men would become strong leaders in their families for Jesus.
For more about the first service, read here: http://missionissues.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/planting-a-new-church/

6. My New Friend Johane
Let me tell you about my new friend, Johane. To get to Johane’s homestead, I take a 40 minute kombi ride and 15 minute walk into the very rural areas along with home-based care volunteers. Johane is about 65, but he tells me that he would have to check some papers to remember his exact birth year. His wife has passed away, and he lives alone. Two of his children live far away, the third lives nearby and visits on a rare occasion. His extended family largely ignores him. In fact, one of them told a home-based care volunteer to let them know when we find him dead. Otherwise, it could take months for anyone to know. Johane has a large wound on his lower-right leg. He requires crutches to get around, so it’s very difficult to ever leave his homestead. His last time going to town was over a year ago. Once a month he hitches a ride along the road to pick up his entire income, R80 of pension money ($12). He has a nice garden with many types of fruit and vegetables, but as a whole he doesn’t eat very much. About 30 meters from his house, he long ago dug a hole of about 4 meters deep for water. He throws down a bucket, pulls it up with a rope, and has himself some filthy, green water. This is his only water source. His home is constructed of concrete block, but it is in extremely bad condition and falling apart.
Johane’s leg wound is about 2.5 inches in diameter. He first wounded his leg around 1993, or as he said, one year before South African freedom. I don’t really understand how it happened, although he mentioned something about a large piece of wood puncturing his leg. Over the past 15 years he has a few medical treatments, including surgery to amputate his toes. Through this time, though, the wound has never fully healed, and he has now not seen a doctor in years. He has no means to access medical treatment. Actually, I don’t think that he had even cleaned his wound well in years. He didn’t even have soap when I first visited him. As you can imagine, the wound was filthy and oozing.
On my first trip to visit Johane, I took a closely zoomed-in picture of the wound. I took this picture to the local pharmacist to discuss treatment that I could take to Johane. The pharmacist gave me antibiotics, aspirin (blood thinner), antiseptic, and bandages at approximately cost. I then purchased soap, washcloths, and towels.
I returned to Johane’s homestead with the home-based care supporters in his area. Suited up with rubber gloves, I began to wash his wound. I knew that this would be unpleasant, but I was not prepared for the smell. As large chunks of dead skin, dirt, and ooze fell off, the odor was very bad. I continued to wash until a large patch of red flesh was exposed. I also took this chance to also wash Johane’s feet. This was my first time ever washing someone’s feet, and I was excited that I had an opportunity in which it was very much needed. To state matters mildly, his feet were dirty.
Thus far, Johane has followed directions in taking his pills. His bandages have been replaced daily. After two days, his wound looked like it was beginning to heal, and I was very excited. I returned again four days later, and was disappointed that reverse progress had been made. Please pray for Johane and for his leg to heal. I might soon try to arrange transport to get him to a doctor. In particular, a diabetes test might be in order.
Through my time with Johane, we have developed a really special friendship.

7. Rafting Trip
A couple weekends ago, I went with Doctors Without Borders friends on a rafting trip on the Usutu River in Swaziland. This was great fun. I must admit that I did fall out once, but it was not a dangerous situation.
Rafting through rural Africa presented such an odd clash of cultures. Naked children ran out to the river to watch us raft by their homes. A topless Swazi woman was washing her clothes by the river (after writing in my last update that I had never seen a topless Swazi woman). A separate group of white South African doctors were also on our rafting trip. As we rafted by, I thought about how much we had spent on the trip and how hungry many of the onlookers were. I wondered what they were thinking and how it felt to be on their end. I felt odd as a tourist in Swaziland.

8. Upcoming Visitors
This month, I have two sets of visitors. My girlfriend Callie from Milwaukee and her sister Cora will be here March 8th-15th. We will spend three days in Swaziland and three days in Kruger National Park to see the animals. Kruger National Park is approximately the size of Israel and is one of the most famous protected areas in Africa.
I will also have friends visiting from Milwaukee on the 23rd-29th. Our agenda is not yet set, but we will spend some time in Durban, South Africa. We are also hoping to find a nice place to hike for a day or two.
I am really looking forward to seeing friends and having a chance to do some sight-seeing.

9. Thobile is on ARV’s
Thobile is on ARV’s. Her CD4 count was 149, and she began ARV’s about two weeks ago. So far, she has not experienced the common harsh side effects.

10. Prayer Requests
- Johane’s leg to heal, Johane’s faith, and praise for our friendship
- Lavumisa church, especially for strong family leaders
- Time with visitors this month
- Continued joy in my remaining time in Swaziland
- ARV treatment for Fansile and Thobile
- Lwazi, Sifiso, Lihle, and Fansile