Day 3: “Will you give me happy?”
Today (like everyday) was busy busy busy! We woke early to drive to rural Malindza to
meet with one of our village coordinators – Nomfundo. She took us to our free GHFP Primary School
school site to see the progress. It has
been raining (pouring) for 48 hours straight and the already treacherous “roads”
(rather dirt “paths”, but worse) were basically impassable. But I passed them – in our Honda CR-V (sorry
Hertz Rental). As we got to a rather
deep rainwater lake in the middle of the road on the way to our school site, I
so desperately wished that I was playing The Oregon Trail because I definitely
would have caulked our wagon and floated across… but it was real life…so I had
to drive through. Terrified and
pleasantly surprised that we reached safety, at the other side I told the girls
it was now time to get out and walk. It
was pouring down rain and we had at least a mile to go. The girls were troopers and when we finally
reached the school site, sopping wet, they were amazed. The first grade classroom is entirely done
and painted a beautiful bright green.
The second grade classroom only needs plaster, paint, and windows and
the third grade classroom is under construction with many bricks laid. It is so fun coming back often to see the constant
progress – I remember when it was a forest full of trees, thorny bushes, and
cow pies!!
On our drive to the homestead of the Malindza orphaned girls
we sponsor, we found a boy along the side of the road that shouted, “Will you
give me happy??” As I looked at his
tattered clothes and rotten toothed smile, I wondered what happiness meant to
him. As I contemplated this matter,
Nomfundo laughed and said that he only wished to have a New Year’s
present. No such luck kid… I only have a
wet shirt and a muddy pair of pants – that I have to wear home.
As we continued the drive Nomfundo shared stories of the
children she teaches in a far distant community. Nomfundo basically participates in the
equivalent of “Teach for America” but in rural Swaziland. She will teach for 3 years at a very rural
school filled with orphans (making only $320/month) and will pay half of that
salary to the university where she will earn her teaching certificate. She said that when her orphaned first graders
arrive to her classroom having walked for miles hungry and without shoes, her
heart forces her to buy them shoes, food, and necessities. This leaves her with less than $100/mo USD
after paying tuition and buying her children necessary items for her own food
and wellbeing. It makes me realize that
I can live on much less than I do. Yes,
Dad, I am unemployed (sorry) but I still have more than these children will
have in their entire lifetime and I feel as though I need to give more than I
already do…
We then took the Malindza girls shopping for school shoes,
uniforms, and supplies. Nothando just
had a baby in June, Luyanda, and she is as cute as ever!! Once we reached
Manzini (shopping town), I reached for Luyanda and I never let go. She is the happiest baby in the whole wide
world. I carried her around, held her up
in the air to make her fly and cuddled her until I almost squeezed her head
off. The girls purchased their school
supplies and toiletries. We had dinner
at a traditional Swazi restaurant (boiled beef and pap/mealies) and then with a
heavy heart, we took the girls home. I
asked them to work hard and promised we’d see them again in March. I am so proud of Nomalungelo and Nothando for
going back to school. They are 19 and
will only be in 8th and 9th grade because their mother
died many years ago and they have since had to drop out due to the lack of
school fees.
When I asked what Nothando
thought of the approaching school year (2014 year starts January 21st)
she said that she could not be more excited.
Neither could I! Goodnight from
Swaziland. Thank you for your thoughts,
donations, and help spreading the word!! annie
Me and baby Luyanda
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