Musings from Graceland

OUR MONDAY IN SWAZILAND, Part I

This is the continuation of my series of posts detailing our trip to Swaziland, Africa, with Children's HopeChest in January of 2008:

Monday, 1/28/08

We headed out to visit more carepoints after eating a breakfast at the Tum's George Hotel. Breakfast included a bowl of mealie meal porridge cooked especially for me by the head cook (I believe she was from Zambia or Malawi? Maybe Kenya?) when she found out that I used to live in Swaziland and liked that dish.

We drove down to the Big Bend area
[SE of Manzini near the South African border]. We visited Moriah Centre run by Diane Hampson, a British African. Their carepoint is in a building leased by a church. They have feeding there for the children...
...as well as food to give the children [for school lunches, etc.], a "kids' church", purity group for the teen girls, preschool classes, and they make crafts to sell to support the ministry.It was there that I bought the piggy banks, angels, diary, and embroidered Swazi bag.

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Di (as most call her) shared the needs they have. They are providing a home at the centre for a few orphans. But the buildings are in very bad need of repair --- roof & ceiling need to be fixed, wiring updated, etc. The inner rooms were dark from lack of electricity. The fridge had no power but just served as a cupboard. Some of the residential rooms were damaged when lightning hit. There are none of the sort of skilled laborers in the area needed to do this work. All of them are working for the sugar cane company.

Below is their garden.

And here is the play area and the only play equipment they have...an old swing.

Di says that they are also in great need for MEN ---GODLY ones---to come and work with the boys and teenage young men. They need a man who is living a life of virtue to lead a purity group for teenager boys and teach them the Biblical model for manhood and how to be a good husband & father.

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Here are other photos taken at Moriah Centre:

The children often say "shoot me, shoot me" which is their way of saying they want their photo taken.

And then, of course, they want to see themselves on the back of the camera.

"A" who has a skateboard got a kick out of this boy's shirt.

Christi Bowman shared her sunglasses with this cutie. Christi & her husband Kevin are presently preparing to return to Swaziland and minister to orphans full-time.

I was sunburned and very, very hot but loving every minute of it. There is just nothing in the world like Swazi children.

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Daughter "B" loved playing with and holding the children...

....and often making them laugh.

And like babies everywhere, when it's time for a nap, it's time for a nap. And these babies are certainly are not picky about where that nap occurs.

After visiting the centre, we ate lunch at Di's home. Her husband Mike works for the sugar company. We ate grilled sandwiches from a local carry-out. Her house is lovely, surrounded by fruit trees.

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We enjoyed her wonderful hospitality and just goofing off & relaxing. Here I am with Musa and Zwakele, two members of the team that disciples the kids at some of the carepoints.

B, A, & some of the others had fun messing about with a cricket bat.Our group relaxing on Di's veranda. Di is in purple. Note the burglar bars on the windows that can be opened up. Helps keep out unwanted people AND animals!

Kevin & Christi Bowman with Di. What a fabulous trio...passionate about Jesus and passionate about caring for orphans.

To find out how you can be a part of Kevin & Christi's journey back to Swaziland, visit Kevin's blog at:

http://kblog.kevinjbowman.com/blog.cfm

If you would like more information about Moriah Centre and possibly get involved through prayer support or even giving financially, go to their website:

http://buildingchildrenofpromise.org/

The rest of Monday's events will be posted tomorrow.