I Am Alive!

Last week we
were leading a team of people at AIM’s ministry center in Nsoko — one of the most
impoverished areas of Swaziland.  One
thing we did was begin building a small storage building at one of the care
points called Mahangeni.  They had only a
stick building with no door which provided no security to store things like
food, water, and firewood.

The morning
we started building our little project there were two members of the community
council who wanted to offer their thanks for our contribution to developing their
community.  Now this seemed a little over
the top to me since what we were building was little more than a shed for your
back yard.  Hardly worth the attention of
two community officials!

After
beginning the building, one of the officials, a man named Sabelo, needed a ride
with me back to the main ministry center. 
Sabelo is the development officer for the local chief in the area.  As we pulled away from the care point he
began telling me how much it meant to his community for someone to come and
contribute.  I was touched.

Then pretty
soon he asked if our organization offered cash donations.  I was kind of expecting some kind of ask, but
he was so friendly and unassuming I took his request as an honest desire for
support in his role as a community development officer.  I explained we did not do cash donations but
rather focused on providing food to needy children at the care points as well
as building projects such as the one we began that morning.

He
understood and we went on in silence for a while until I couldn’t resist and asked
what they needed cash donations for.   Since
the man asking was the community development officer, I thought it would be for
some type of community development.  His
answer surprised me.  He simply said, “We
need coffins.”  I was taken back and
humbled by his request.  After a simple
probing question he explained. 

“Our people are
dying and we have no money for coffins. 
Usually people are wrapped in a blanket and set into the ground.  The families are able to pay for simple
funeral catering (the funerals are at their homes and the dead are buried there
as well) but coffins are expensive.” 

“How much is
a coffin?” 

“Usually
around $150.” 

I was
humbled by this conversation.  I was
broken talking to a man in charge of developing a community whose main
challenge was burying the dead. 

Later in the
week after the group had gone home we were back in Manzini and someone close to
me took me aside asking in whispered tones for some help.  You see, someone had died in their community
and — you guessed it — there was no money for a coffin.  The funeral was in two days and I did not
have $150. Also I was not sure it was the right thing to do — setting a precedence
like paying for one person’s coffin. 
There is no way to pay for everyone’s coffin who is dying here.

This morning
we went to church with our friend Pastor Bheki and Josiah and Meredith.  Bheki was tired since he was up all night —
for the night vigil part of the funeral for someone in his church.  A young boy around 7 years old had died in
some kind of accident. Josiah preached so Bheki would not have to.

We can’t
seem to do much to stop the death from happening. But we are trying to bring
hope and relief to the living.  Little
Andile (see Marcia’s blog) lays in the hospital fighting for life. 
Every day is a challenge to survive. 

At the Children’s
Bible School at the care point last week the group asked the kids what they
were thankful for.  With typical
exuberance and without hesitation a 4 year old boy shouted, “I am thankful to
be alive.”  Have you ever heard a little
child thankful for something as mundane as life?  A toy, a puppy, a piece of cake, and mommy
and daddy — but life itself?  Things are
different for most everyone here in Swaziland. 

Please keep
praying for us and the people of Swaziland — every day brings a new challenge.