After a moment to ponder... goodbye until May 18th.

Things always become more clear after a moment to ponder... but clearer is not always easier.  The moment I stepped back on American soil, I was already receiving pleas from our Swazi partners for more lancets (for HIV testing) and medical supplies, for money to build a kitchen to feed the orphans, for money to provide electrical wiring at the New Hope Primary School, for more students to enter our scholarship network, for desks and chairs for our pre-school, for a meat delivery at our elementary school, for transportation for our Malindza high schoolers, for sanitation at our eLangeni elementary school, and for a computer lab.  And that was only day one!  Every day the needs grow and are equally as important.  At the end of the day, besides generous donors like you - it falls only on myself and Kait to try to provide all of these things. The overwhelming sense of inadequacy is unavoidable but then you take a step back to recollect on all that has been accomplished in the last 2 weeks:

1.  Our Malindza New Hope Primary School is no longer a dream, rather a reality for orphaned children who would otherwise never have the opportunity to earn an education.

2. Teaching canvases were installed at our eLangeni Pre-school to enable students to learn #s 1-30.

3. Food was delivered to our school partners as well as our child-headed homes

4. Dishes and cook pots were purchased for our New Hope Primary School to offer a school lunch - which is likely the only meal these children will receive in a given day.

5. Desks and chairs were purchased for eLangeni Primary so orphaned students will no longer have to share chairs and sit at broken desks.

But together we can always do more!! At Baylor, Dr Rachel explained that they are struggling to maintain a consistent supply of drugs and medical supplies.  That children as young as 7 years old are bringing in their 4 year old siblings for treatment that may or may not be available. With your help we can make the lives of these orphans easier - we can donate to the clinics, empower the child-headed households, and build more schools.  If you'd like to reach me: anniefightspoverty@gmail.com  Or visit our website: www.ifightpoverty.org

And please pray for Mazwi.  He gets his CD4 (immune levels) checked on Friday.  If his levels are high then his horrible facial rash is only an allergic reaction to something he encountered.  If his levels are low then he is rejecting his ARVs (HIV medication) and will have to start on the second (and last available option in Swaziland) line of treatment.

Thank you for all of your continued support and I will be writing again May 19th on our next service-learning trip!! annie