Has it been this long since we’ve updated our blog? Sorry friends!
Okay, so right now Swaziland is the place to be! Things are happening here and we are excited about it. God has something up His sleeve!
We are currently helping to get profiles of all the children at the care points. Through these profiles we are seeing how bad the poverty really is in Swaziland and in what hard circumstances the children of Swaziland have to grow up in. I know there are poor, desperate people all over the world; Swaziland is not the exception. But this is what is reality to me now and it is the needs of these people that are touching my heart.
I have been experiencing feelings of compassion and sadness against feelings of frustration these last couple of days. Compassion for the mothers that have to raise their children by themselves. Compassion and respect for the gogo’s (grandmothers) that are raising their children’s children or somebody else’s children; having the worry at their old age to put food on the table.
Frustration towards parents, especially the men, for abandoning their children and not taking responsibility for their actions. Frustration towards this culture where they have no respect for women and where women are no more than baby bearers and water carriers. Frustration towards the government for all the poverty and corruption. Frustration towards their arrogance and unwillingness to help their people.
It feels so unfair. These children never asked to be here. And the sad part is that if we don’t make a difference in these children’s lives, if they are still alive in a few years time and if they didn’t die of HIV/AIDS, they will be the ones repeating the mistakes of their parents.
But in my frustration (and somewhat anger) I also feel that I am not in their situation and that I have no right to judge them. What if it was me? What would I do? What would I do if I was desperate? Desperate to belong? Desperate to be loved? Desperate for respect? Desperate for forgiveness? Desperate for dignity? Desperate for my survival and the survival of my children? What would I do if I had no hope?
What would you do?
