photo links

Here are 2 links that will lead you to photo albums that I have created of Swaziland.

Here and there.

Swaziland

Tuesday, May 1st

4:45 AM. My cell phone alarm goes off as is does every morning. But, wait. This is no ordinary morning. This is the morning that I leave for Africa. Suddenly, I’m not so groggy. I’m not wishing I could have slept longer. Suddenly, I am wide awake and ready to pack up the car and drive an hour and a half to the Indianapolis Airport with my team.

*Picture of the team sitting the airport playing cards

Satan started attacking our team from the get go. The school van finally pulled up to the drop off point when Tama, realized that she had left her purse along with her passport in her car, in Marion. This was not supposed to be happening. But, from the uncertainty of the campus police breaking into Tama’s car, and finding someone to drive her passport down to Indy, God was at work. For you see, after our flight from Indianapolis to Dulles, Washington, DC; we would have a 6 hour layover. God made just enough time for Tama to get a later flight and meet us before we boarded our flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Did I mention it was a 14 hour flight?

Wednesday, May 2^nd

Sometime in the early morning, my hatred of planes set in half way to Africa. I could not sleep. The guy in front of me had his seat all the way back. My neck had a considerably large crick in it. The bathrooms had ran out of soap forever ago and were now starting to have a remarkably similar smell to that of a barn. And my ankles had swollen way past normal. I looked with jealousy at the people around me that had, by some small miracle, found a position to sleep in. But then, a glimmer of hope began to shine through. I just needed something to lull me asleep. I was reminded of a friend at school that had the remarkable abilty to fall asleep during any movie she watched. Perhaps, it would work for me to. I looked through the list of movies provided on the personal screen ahead of me. I needed something calm and mind numbing. ‘Charlotte’s Web.’ A childhood classic that was sure to put any 20 year old asleep within 5 minutes of the starting time. Sure enough, after a short pleading prayer to God above begging for some sort of substantial sleep, I was conked out for the next 2 hours.

I don’t remember much from the remainder of our trip. Nothing that is of real importance, that is. I remember being picked up in Manzini, Swaziland and discovering that 7 pieces of our teams luggage was now missing. I remember driving to Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College and arriving at the Cox’s home. I remember greeting the Bethany Bible College team with some dread to be talking to people that were so awake and peppy. I can’t take peppy when I am over tired. Needless to say, I dropped into bed and fell fast asleep. My first night in Africa.

Thursday, May 3^rd

5:30 AM. Yes, there does seem to be a trend with me and waking up early in the morning. This was not by my choice. Acctually, looking back at it, I think this was one of those moments when God woke me up so he could talk to me. My favorite time of the day is morning. If you can get me out of bed that is. But with the rooster crowing at the top of his lungs, there was no way I would sleep anymore this day. So I walked out onto the porch, and my breath was taken away by the sight in front of me. A beautiful hillside spotted with homes, fields, trees, and lined by a road weaving its way along the country side. Wow. For the next hour, I sat in silence, listening to the birds, watching them fly to find a morning snack. But most importantly, talking with God. I can’t form words too well that early. So it was nice just to listen to God; finally be still and hear his voice.

Later that morning, a group of 16 piled into 2 Toyota Condors (SUVs) and a Toyota Corolla to drive 10 minutes to Mage Delamini’s preschool. There we met the most amazing woman. Mage (or Mrs.) Delamini had started this school for the children in her area. After a while, God started to tug on this woman’s heart to allow the orphans to come and attend school for free. Currently out of the 62 children that attend her school, 29 of them are orphans and more come every year. We painted the playground, the slide, the fence, and the school. The boys used machetes to cut the grass. They were a little sore the next day.

* Picture- this is what I woke up to every morning.

Friday, May 4^th

We returned once more to Mage Delamini’s school to finish what we started the day before. I worked beside Babe Delamini as he put in a few new post for the fence. He built one of the school houses several years ago. What an amazing man of God. We talked about his son that died of AIDS and how he and Mage were now taking care of his son, Sonnilisso. He told me that when Mage was debating whether or not to let the orphans come to her school, that he was the one that urged her to follow God’s call. He showed me how to be a true servant of God. He never complained about money. He never criticized the guys on the team not knowing how to dig a hole for a post. (Babe could do 2 while they did 1.) I will never forget him. Somehow, this man showed me how to be a proud, yet humble servant of God. Yes, this sounds like an oxy moron, but this was Babe and that is the only way I can describe him to you.

*the team painting the playground

Saturday, May 5^th

By this day, I was feeling very drained. Even though I knew we had done a great service to the Delamini’s, it felt as though I hadn’t made a difference to anyone yet. The team was informed that we would be running the Kids Club program that day. This was a weekly event that the students at Emmanuel Bible College did. Instead it was our turn. You could just tell that the atmosphere of the team changed when we started planning Bible stories, songs and verses for the kids to learn. Joel and I were put in charge of the youth group that was also head during the same time. I couldn’t wait to meet the teens and talk to them. Joel and I prepared a short lesson about trusting God. There were 5 girls and 7 guys that attended. Ignacious, a student at the college, is there regular leader. He was there to support us with his great big smile. After the lesson, we all headed down to the gym and played volleyball. While the guys kicked the volleyball around like a soccer ball, I talked with the girls. They laughed as I tried to learn their names. Siswati has a lot of clicking sounds in it, and mastering multiple ones is difficult. Philsiwe, Zinhle, Lindiwe, and Celiwe are 4 of the most incredible girls. Would you believe it if I told you that they watch American soap operas? That’s how they new how to pronounce my name, is because one of the characters’ name is Kaitlin. I asked them questions about school, family, friends, and life. They all had large families and were shocked when I told them that I was an only child. They said they wished they were because they could get more from their parents.

Sunday, May 6^th

My first church service in Africa. Needless to say, I was a bit excited. The church that we were going to attend was out in the bush. A community called Jemba. That next week we were going to be home visits and vacation Bible school there. We left for church around 9 o’clock that morning. After picking up the Delamini’s and Mage Jayle, we arrived at the homestead around 10. They don’t have a church building. They have a concrete hut no bigger than my room. Once we got there, we stood outside, trying to get some of the boys in the homestead to come and sing with us. You didn’t see many young girls hanging around because they were expected to help their mothers take care of the even younger siblings. The boys shyly avoided us but watched our every move. We began singing songs. Before our team left, we learned a song in Siswati. As we started to sing that, more and more little kids appeared. We saw them, but no one asked them to come over. So I motioned for them to come over. So soon I had about 5 or 6 little ones right around my skirt. Everyone began chuckling at the fact that they were all around me.

Church didn’t start until around 11. One thing I love about the Swazi people is that time means nothing to them. They are so laid back. Their lives are not constrained by a schedule and hurry is not part of their vocabulary. We did a lot of singing in church that morning. Even though we knew almost none of the songs, you could feel the presence of the Lord. As I stood their watching the people of Jemba worship, my eyes fell on a little boy. He was singing to Jesus with his whole heart, body, mind and soul. Tears began well up in my eyes because I was so moved by his passion. How many times as a teenager and young adult have I truly worshiped like that? And yet this boy, no older than 9, knew what it meant to worship to the God of the Universe.

I could go on forever about this day. It was amazing. The prayer, the message, the songs, everything. Many people came to Christ that day. We didn’t get back to the Cox’s until 4 in afternoon.

*picture of the hut where we held church

Monday, May 7^th

The safari. Yes, I went on an African safari. It was one of the coolest moments of my life. Mikhai game park is home to many animals including zebras, giraffes, kudu, impala, elephants, warthogs, and rhinoceroses. It is actually the rhinos that make Mikahi so popular. They don’t tell people how many rhinos live there. Our team piled in this big truck thing with 5 rows of seats and off we started. We actually were able to get out of the truck and walk around near some rhinos. No, they did not attack us. We kept our distance and were very quite. Animals do not just attack people like you see on television or movies. They are really quite docile. I mean, would you just randomly punch someone if they looked at you? No, you’d only fight them if they went too far. Think of those animals like that. One time, we were no more that 15 feet away from a huge bull elephant. Pretty cool. We spent the whole day riding around looking for animals. It wasn’t till the last half hour that we were finally able to see a giraffe really close up.

Tuesday, May 8^th

Home to home visitations. Everyone was a little apprehensive about this part of our trip. We were all feeling a little nervous about our ability to speak in front of others, especially myself. I tend to be more of a one on one person when it comes to talking about Christ. God gave us all a very big gift that morning. IWU sent our team with a daily devotional to do. The night before we were going to back to Jemba to start the visitations, this was the scripture we were given:

Jeremiah 1: 4-8 “ The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and way whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and I will rescue you,” declares the Lord.”

What a promise!

We got to Jemba. We all started out at our meeting spot; a huge field that the children of Jemba used for a soccer field. We split up into 4 groups and went our separate ways. My group visited 9 homesteads that morning. My favorite part was when the Gogo, that is their word for grandmother, of the homestead we had church at on Sunday came with us to the field. We piled into the car and this 80 or 90 year old woman climbed in right behind Elizabeth and I in the back. Her joy was contagious. She kept clappling her hands and saying, “Nami jabulile, nami jabulile, jabulile, jabulile!” Babe Delamini was our groups translator and he asked her if she had ever been in a car before. This was her very first time in a car!

Wednesday, May 9^th

One of the most physically and emotionally grueling days for me was this day. I will never forget this day in my whole life. Today the teams got a little bit more split up and we only had 3 groups. My group it seemed had a very different plan that the rest. Today Mage Jelele was our leader and Guascele, the Delamini’s 16 year old daughter, was our translator and Mr. Cox, came with us. We walked, and walked and walked and walked. After about 20 minutes, I wondered if we would ever find homes. I kept thinking that Mage Jelele would turn around and try and look for another path. Nope. We went deep into the bush, across a creek, and up a very large hill. I think it was at least and hour and half before we came to our first homestead.

But it was at the second homestead that I felt truly challenged. As we came closer to the homestead, a blind man was sitting outside listening to a radio. The man wasn’t entirely blind, but he was heading that direction. We sat under a tree waiting for his wife and sons to join us. He began to tell us that he couldn’t work because he was blind. And that other white people had started to help them and then told them that they couldn’t help them anymore. The boys had very few clothes and the mage told us that they had very little food. Suddenly I remembered the 2 small apples in my bag. As I handed them to the mage, her eyes were full of joy and thankfulness. Even though in the bottom of my stomach, I felt completely hopeless. I silently questioned God.

“ Why?! I don’t understand! How can I be so blessed, while these people are so poor and yet they trust you to provide for them?”

I battled back tears as we approached the final homestead of the day. These women asked us for food. But we had none. It was all I could do was to keep the tears back. I begged God to give me strength. I couldn’t cry now, please, not now. The boys from the previous homestead, guided us back down the hill. Come to find out if we had just walked about 20 feet from our original starting point, we would have found a wonderful path that only takes 10 minutes to get to the top of that hill.

We got back to the field and I was handed my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I tried to eat it, but I couldn’t. I walked away from our group and sat in the shade between 2 of the cars. I put my head on my knees and wept. I don’t know how long I cried. Others thought I was sick. Yes, I was sick, but not physically. Just when I thought the tears would stop, they would come again, full force.

Mrs. Cox, came over and sat with me and had wonderful words of encouragement. Truly an amazing woman of God. I don’t even really remember what she said but, I do remember that after she prayed for me, I felt peace, or at least, as much peace as I was going to get that day.

Justine sat with me after that. She didn’t ask what was wrong, she just sat and let me cry. I remember the boys playing soccer, and I could see some of the field where I was sitting.

“Listen to them, playing soccer. Thank God for soccer. For those few hours while they play, they forget their troubles and just play. Kids need that.”

I said something like that to Justine while I sat there. But then, the boy I will never forget came over. While we sat there, I noticed a little boy standing close, looking at me. I motioned for him to come over. He asked me why I was crying. Slowly, one tear slid down my cheek. Bendulu reached up and wiped away my tear.

I sit here now, and I can hear the boys in the background playing soccer. I feel the grass beneath me and the breeze blowing gently against me. Time stands still in that moment for me. God wiped my tears through that little boy. It is a moment I will never forget.

Thursday, May 10^th

Delgoso. As he approached me I knew that God had put him in my path on purpose. Delgoso is my age. He asked me why if God, was so loving, why were people starving and dieing of AIDS. I told him that I ask God that too sometimes but with faith there must come a trust in God. That he is all knowing and he sees the whole picture and we only see one small part. This seemed to help him a little bit. I asked him to stay for the service and to return the next day. Little did I know how much this guy would impact my faith.

That night I went home and started searching for things to help him with. But, I ended up finding answers for myself. I came across Job towards the end of book where God is questioning Job in chapters 38 and 39. I felt those questions hitting my own heart and how much I question God. I prayed that night not only for Delgoso but for my own faith to be strengthened and held steadfast in the Almighty.

Friday, May 11^th

This was a bittersweet day. It was the last day we would spend at Jemba. At this point in the week, I was going crazy. I had spent three days on the sidelines watching the boys play soccer. My skin was itching to play. A game hadn’t been organized yet so some of the boys were in a circle juggling. I asked Mage Delamini if it would be culturally ok for a girl to play soccer. She just laughed and said, “Yes! Go play!” I cannot describe to you the joy that filled every inch of my body. I walked over to the circle and was immediately greeted with laughs from the Swazis. The boys intentionally started to kick the ball in my direction. At first I was nervous and my movements were ridged. Eventually, I remembered how to play. I trapped the ball with my leg, tapped it up with my foot and passed it on to the next kid. Huge smiles and lots of thumbs ups were thrown my way. Finally, I played soccer with the boys.

Saturday, May 12^th

I could sleep in this day. I have to admit, it was really nice. In the morning, the team walked down to an orphanage. I ended up having a little boy read to me for two hours. And I loved every minute of it.

I returned back to Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College’s campus for youth group
at two o’clock. I was so overjoyed to see the girls back again this week. This time a few more boys had turned up. Travis Croft, a cousin of the Cox’s and classmate of mine from IWU, had come for the summer to run the youth group. He and I taught the teens how to play capture the flag. They absolutely loved it. I was able to connect with the boys a lot more this time. It was terribly hard to say goodbye to them.

Sunday, May 13^th

Goodbyes are things I am really starting to hate. We returned to Jemba for church on Sunday. We sat underneath the familiar bamboo trees and listened to Mr. Cox give a message. I held a little boy on my lap the whole time. He held my hands and felt my skin. Flies kept bothering him and I would wave them away. As I sat there, I began to pray for this little one. That God would protect and bless him. Babe Delamini had the team stand in front of everyone and then everyone came and shook our hand. I loved and hated it all at the same time. I could barely hold back the tears. My heart was breaking with every man, woman and child that passed. How could I say hello and goodbye so
quickly?

Later that afternoon, we packed up the Condors and drove to Milwane Game Park. Beautiful. Some of us went on a bike ride after we got there. We got to see hippos and a croc pretty close up. Several times on the bike, my mind would suddenly kick into gear that I was biking in Africa! What?! Yeah, that happened a lot. Later that night after Jenna and I had snuggled into our cabin, we were talking about some of the events of the week when we suddenly heard this loud grunting outside our window. Apparently, a resident warthog wanted us to pay us a midnight visit. What a way to end the day.

Monday, May 14^th

Watches were not a widely packed item on this trip.
\ Jenna and I woke up and neither of us knew what time it was. Apparently Kim didn’t either. She knocked on our door to see if we knew what time it was. It was just a funny way to wake up.

After a quick breakfast, the team headed out for a hike up what is known as Execution Point. We walked for I don’t know how long. There was a time when I thought my lungs were going to implode in on themselves. But once I finally reached the top, my eyes could not believe the sight; miles and miles of beautiful Swaziland. I was truly in awe of God’s beauty and master work.

Around noon we headed off for the market. Oh, what an experience. At first, I was really timid, and I felt sorry for the people that were running their shops. Soon, I became this haggler that was making deals right and left. I was pretty happy with my purchases and couldn’t wait to show them to the people back home.

Tuesday, May 15^th

The kids from Bethany were going to leave today. Before they left, we went to Mage Delamini’spreschool. We acted out a Bible story for them and then two of the girls from Bethany that are Christian Education majors gave a short lesson about big and small. It was quite amusing to watch. We had to say goodbye to the Bethany people at the school and also the Cox’s. They were taking them to Johannesburg. I hugged people that I had become so close to in a such a short period of time. I loved every minute with them, and learned so much by watching their faith in action.

We returned to the Cox’s home and watched a movie while we ate lunch. I conked out on the couch for the afternoon. I have to admit, it was nice. We ate an amazing home cooked dinner that Mage Toga prepared for us and spent the evening playing cards.

Wednesday, May 16^th- Thursday, May 17^th

The trip home. Nothing out of the ordinary. We said goodbye to Tim and Trevor and headed for the Manzini airport. Thrusday morning, I had to do some hustling to catch my connecting flight from D.C. to Philly but I made it. Home safe and changed forever.

I will soon post my journal. Please be patient. It will be up as soon as possible. Thank you!