Sorry for the lack of a blog last night. The internet was down. And now, the electricity is out… so I’m not
sure when I will be able to post this.
But hopefully by the time I’m done writing, the electric will be
back.
This morning is our last morning in eSwatini. After we pack, we’ll head to the
airport. It’s an odd feeling. I’m excited to go home to see my daughter and
I miss her so much…and my husband. But a
part of me never wants to leave. I was
glancing down in the shower this morning and saw the water coming off my body
was a deep red-brown. Yesterday we
walked all over the mountain delivering solar panels to child-headed homes and
I was wearing flip flops since I had given all of my shoes away. With each step, the shoes must have flipped a
tiny bit of the beautiful soil onto my legs. I didn’t notice. This morning, as it is washing down the
drain, as crazy as it sounds, I am sad to see it go.
Yesterday we woke up and drove to the refugee camp. The camp
has 205 children – a number of them unaccompanied minors. They literally have nothing. And the country struggles so much to support
their own people, they are unable to truly help the refugees. They offer breakfast and lunch (but no dinner)
to the children. They don’t offer any preschool support (preschool is $10/mo),
the high school fees are very expensive - $500-900 a year. They only offer adult refugees food
(breakfast and lunch) for the first 3 months.
Then, somehow, they are expected to fend for themselves. Life is hard everywhere in eSwatini…
especially the refugee camp. We delivered
materials for the children: teaching supplies, sanitary pads, reusable sanitary
pads (thanks Kristen), soap, stuffed animals, soccer balls, books, games, and medical
supplies.
Afterward, we went to deliver two more solar panels with
Mphilo’s help. (and now you’re back to
the beginning of the story with the dirty legs and the sadness in the shower…) Good
news is, the electricity is back on so I can post this…bad news is, it’s time
to head to the airport so I must go and
cut the blog short.
Our next team doesn’t return until December, so there won’t
be any new posts until then. Siyabonga
kakhulu (thanks so much) for all of your support! We couldn’t do any of this without you. www.ifightpoverty.org/donate.html
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