annie in swaziland

Day 7: Goodbyes are the worst… even the clouds were crying tonight. 

Today was our last full day in Swaziland.  When we wake up tomorrow we will go to church to hear Sizo (our sweet GHFP songbird) sing to us at church, drop all of our clothing we’ve worn this week at the HIV orphanage in Mbabane, and leave Swaziland with only a book-bag of souvenirs as we start our 30 hour trek back to America.   I HATE to leave the children.  But that’s SO selfish of me.  If I didn’t return to the States to fundraise, then we wouldn’t be able to provide anything to these amazing & resilient orphaned children.  BUT I’d get to experience their sweet hugs daily…

We took the kids to a movie (Smurf 2) and to eat pizza today (our goodbye ritual). As I hugged the kids to leave, a storm rolled in.  By the time we got home, the rain was coming down with such force that our power was flickering.  Indicative of our gloomy mood.  This week has been so action packed and rewarding that going home is always tough.  How do you describe such an unexplainable experience to inquisitive friends?  How do you articulate the pride you have for the most worthy children who have been born into a life with less than anyone I have ever met but study hard and aspire to be doctors, teachers, scientists, accountants, and nurses?  How do you illustrate the happiness in your heart when shy Mazwi (our youngest HIV positive orphan) laughs and smiles as he sits on my lap to “drive” for the first time down the rural eLangeni roads?  Impossible.  The only way to describe it is to bring the people to Swaziland and show them – you’re all invited!! Future dates on our website: http://www.ifightpoverty.org/take-action.html

We have accomplished so much in only 7 days:

FOODOM Feeding Program: Our Primary school said that they would not be able to feed the children until the end of the school year without a rice and bean donation.  We were able to fulfill that wish in addition to delivering meal packages (peanut butter, rice, beans, cooking oil, canned fish, brown sugar, salt, soap, and toiletries) to all of our child-headed homes.

Malindza Primary School: We’ve completed building classrooms 1 & 2 and will soon be done with classroom #3.  We also have purchased furniture and will soon be building a rain catchment system to irrigate our vegetable garden…we now need classrooms 4-7!

eLangeni Pre-school: We’ve purchased materials to make a stage at the pre-school, chalkboards, play equipment, pin boards, and a canvas alphabet wall… we now need a canvas painted number wall!

Goodbye until December 29^th when I return to Swaziland to celebrate the “crossover” with our amazing orphans with Stephanie, Makenzie, Kailey, and Amber.  If you want to keep in touch before then, check out our website: www.ifightpoverty.org, email me: anniefightspoverty@gmail.com, or donate toward our remaining GHFP sponsored orphans in need of educational fees: http://www.ifightpoverty.org/orphan-education-sponsorship.html

GHFP participants Tyler and Angie with GHFP orphans Miriam, Nosipho and Mazwi...movie night at the Gables.

  GHFP orphan Siphesihle and I perusing GHFP sponsored orphans' report cards for the 2013 school year...