Today was action packed running from one thing to the next…
but it started out with delivering food to the child-headed homesteads in
eLangeni. Our friend Baby T (Sthembiso)
and our village facilitator Bheki helped.
Thank goodness we had them guide us through the unmarked “roads” to find
the homes (imagine dirt paths on a treacherous mountain side that only the most
fearless travelers would trek across…on foot. Not wide enough for a car, per
say, but we shall forge onward and upward regardless…sorry AVIS).
We are so excited to add 3 new orphans to receive our
scholarships. It is $450 a year to
attend eLangeni High School and I got to meet the three new children
today. One was actually Baby T’s little
brother who is so sweet and great. He
has been out of school due to the lack of fees for a couple of years and is
anxious to get back into the classroom.
He was also homeless so we found a place for him to stay temporarily
with a teacher at the school until we can find a room somewhere to rent for
him. Then there is another girl Tegise
and a boy Bonginkhosi. They, and all of
our other sponsored orphans, are all excited to attend school this January!! We
are SO grateful to our donors for enabling us to give the students the one
thing they want most…an education.
One of our boys Mlondi who has been sponsored for some time
was excited to see us again. His home
was on such a sketchy path that we parked our car down the mountain and walked
by foot carrying 12.5kg bags of rice, beans, mealies, brown sugar, etc to his
home. When he saw us coming he came
running! He lives alone with his brother
as his parents died some time ago but you couldn’t tell from the way they keep
their house – immaculate! They even did
odd jobs for neighbors since school closed and spent the money to repaint the
exterior of their home. Very hardworking
boys…
We picked up Lungelo – our college student – and went to
town. We ate at Moonlite which serves
traditional Swazi cuisine comprised of boiled chicken stew over a bed of rice
with cole slaw (they call it cabbage salad), lettuce salad, and fresh sliced
tomatoes. Baby T asked for his stew to
contain chicken feet and we were all a bit grossed out (sorry to those of you
who like that!!). Baby T made the
chicken legs dance all over the dinner table and licked the chicken toes prior to
consuming it for our viewing pleasure (blaaaaah!). Then we went to purchase toiletries for the
children. Lungelo asked for only a bath
towel, soap, and deodorant from the store.
These kids are so respectful of the donor funds and never ask for things
that aren’t necessities…
Heading to bed now.
Tomorrow we will deliver food to child-headed homes in Malindza so they
will be able to have feasts on New Year’s Day.
Then, as the ritual has been for the last countless number of years, we
will shoot off fireworks at Nomfundo’s house with the orphans. New Year’s is as
special to me as it is the orphans.
Every NYE at midnight, I gaze at our children, hesitating over each
precious face, praying in my mind for God to keep them safe, successful, and
happy for another year and thanking Him for the pleasure of having these
amazing children in my life.
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