annie in swaziland

Day 6: Malindza

This morning we drove 2 hours to our partnering community Malindza Village and went to church with our 3 sponsored Malindza/Mpaka High girls: Nomalungelo, Nothando, and Sharon.  The service by Pastor Maseko (our village liaison and New Hope School director) was perfect.  He was encouraging the Swazi people to give.  He emphasized that even if they have no money in their pockets and no food on their table, they can still give themselves, their smile, or their love to others who may not even have that.  As I glanced around the congregation which is entirely orphaned children besides about 5 female adult volunteers (who walk the children to and from church along the busy highway), I was reminded again of my endless blessings.  Maseko said, “You don’t even begin to live until you start sharing your lives with other people.” Who could possibly believe we were put here to bathe in our blessings? Or to take more than we give?  For these children to share is admirable.  For us to share is compulsory. 

After church we played “Play, Ha” with the kids, which is quite similar to duck-duck-goose.  We soon realized we were even more recognizable as the white girls when we had an obvious endless drip (river) of sweat down our backs.  Winter here in Swaziland is fierce…but fierce hot rather than fierce cold like my Chicago winter.  The kids here are in winter coats while we are in short sleeved shirts and skirts and look like we just got out of a swimming pool.  

Then we took our three girls, and Nothando’s adorable under-bite baby Luyanda, to the major city of Manzini.  They never get to leave their village so this is always a big treat.  We took them to Clicks (basically Walgreens) where they each bought deodorant, sanitary pads, soap, toothpaste, and shoe polish (for their school shoes).  Then we went to PEP to buy new school socks and underwear (the excitement over new underwear is intense!!).  And afterward they voted on chicken and French fries at KFC. (Yes, they have those here and apparently (although I’ve been vegetarian for 17 years) I hear that it is “finger lickin’ good”).   

As I think about the $21 we spent at Clicks so that these girls don’t have to use dried corn cobs during their period, I am reminded that often the kids will ask for necessary things that are easy and cheap.  Njabuliso got a job as a waiter at the George Hotel in Manzini but he needed a white button-down shirt ($5.99 USD at PEP).  Our Malindza New Hope School needed a padlock for their water tap since neighbors were stealing it ($1.19 at PEP).  Celimphilo needed a new school uniform since she grew too tall for her last one ($8.99…now she’s bigger than me at only 15 years old!!).  Thank you all for your time, warm thoughts, and donations.  Right now we are asking for cell phones (for our children to use in case of emergencies) and backpacks/luggage (even if they are used/broken).  Please spread the word – it would be so useful here in Swaziland for the children.  Siyabonga, thank you, from Swaziland!!