As most of you know, we leave next week for two weeks of ministry in Swaziland, a nation with nearly 25% of its population comprised of children who have lost one or both of their parents, most likely to AIDS.
The kids that our carepoint ministers to are living in extreme poverty. The majority of them only own one or two sets of clothing and often those are in very, very poor shape.
We are giving each child a new pair of shoes and want to give each of them a new shirt and a skirt or pair of shorts. Because of their cultural traditions, the girls in that area only wear dresses or skirts.
We are collecting new and like-new shorts and skirts for kids of all ages...preschoolers up thru the teenage years (some of the teenagers can wear adult clothing).
If you are like me and most Americans, you buy stuff that you end up not ever wearing or maybe wear once and then it sits in the closet or a drawer. Those items can make SUCH a difference in the life of a Swazi child.
Could you look thru your things this weekend and if you have shorts or skirts that are new or like new, get them to me ASAP? We leave next Saturday.
If you don't have items to donate but you'd be willing to give some money toward their purchase, I'll be glad to go shopping for you!
Or, if you want to go shopping this week and hit those end-of-the-summer sales, that would be awesome! I know I was able to get girls' nice skirts at Belk's for less than $5 a piece. And places like Old Navy runs great sales this time of year as they are trying to make room for cold weather clothing.
Thanks in advance,
Elysa
P.S. If you live on the Gulf Coast, my mom will be driving up this week and you could send stuff via her. Thanks!!!!
Photo is courtesy of AIM missionary to Swaziland, Matt Slawson. To read about his life in Africa, visit his blog: http://mattslawson.com/
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