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Children's Cup is an organization actively involved in ministering to the children of Africa. While visiting in Swaziland, I was able to visit two of the carepoints and see the excellent care they are giving to very needy children all in the name of Jesus who loves them so. For forty days, Children's Cup is asking people to set aside extra time to pray for the children they minister to and those involved in this service to "the least of these". Here is today's request and post from the Children's Cup website:
"Lord, our cooks at the CarePoints in Swaziland are such precious ladies. You chose each of them and called them to serve the kids at the CarePoints by providing hot meals for them every day they come to the CarePoints. Please bless them, provide for them, encourage them, and keep them in the center of your eye. use us to keep them before you through our prayers.
Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
A story from Jacci Zuniga, Children’s Cup Missionary, Swaziland:
I’m so incredibly challenged by how our cooks faithfully show up at the CarePoints to cook & feed the children every single day. Let me tell you, it’s incredibly hard work to prepare food for 200+ kids over an open fire in huge kettles …then serving the food and having to clean up day in and day out! And as you know, they don’t get paid for their work - they are community volunteers! I’m not nearly as close to sainthood as they are.
Celiwe walked up to the CarePoint where she volunteers, each step extremely slow and painful.
She had walked a long way to come for our cooks’ devotion time that day. When I was asked her about the pain and how we could help, she told me the doctor said she had cancer (probably cervical). Unfortunately, chemotherapy & radiation have not yet reached Swaziland. One must go regularly to South Africa for that.
She looked at me and asked, “Will I be healed from this?”In that moment my heart dropped to my stomach or came up to my throat, I’m not sure which–maybe both, if that’s possible.
Here’s the thing - there are questions so huge here, so many things that have no easy answers or quick solutions (HIV/AIDS for example) that I must absolutely depend on, trust in, cling to, run to the ONE who has the words of life, who gives hope and comfort and healing that reaches deep into the soul.
And this is what makes everyday seem extraordinary, because my faith is stretched and grows each time I trust in Him, believing Him to lead me and guide me and use me as His vessel to demonstrate His love & compassion in word, action and in wisdom–HIS wisdom.
Would you pray with me for Celiwe and ask God to radically care for her in her illness?
Lord God, would you heal her?"
Below are some photos I took during our trip of both the cooks, some of the carepoint kitchens, and the children who are fed because of their service and commitment.
These two little boys are fed daily at a Children's Cup carepoint in Manzini.
The women in the two pictures below serve at the carepoint where Pastor Walter lives. Adventures in Missions is active with ministering at this one.
These are women at the Bheveni Carepoint, another carepoint that Adventures in Missions works with. I loved meeting these women and especially enjoyed loving on that precious little baby, though I think I liked the experience a whole lot more than the little one did! They are sitting in the kitchen which you can see in more detail below the makes' (siSwati word for mothers) photos.
Pastor Themba's carepoint is located in the Big Bend area. It is an extremely poor area of Swaziland located down in the SE corner. Below you see one of the makes overseeing the children washing up their dishes and below that is the photo of both cooks and their kitchen.
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Visiting these hardworking, loving, and joyful women as they cook under a tree or in a makeshift kitchen really makes me realize I have nothing to complain about where my cooking conditions are concerned. Yes, my kitchen may be small by American standards and it might not look that fancy, but I am so blessed just to have running water, electricity, and a strong roof and walls about me.
Thank you for visiting my blog, taking the time to learn more about these precious servants of the Lord, and praying today. Feel free to leave a comment with a prayer or thought you would like to add. And if you haven’t signed up yet, send Children's Cup an email at pray@childrenscup.org to let them know you’re praying.
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