Just a few minutes here to give an brief update from Swaziland.

 

Marcia and I have been leading a group of men these past few days and it has been an great experience.  To see 12 men giving of themselves in this country is rare.  Among these men are three NFL players who are very large - bigger humans than the Swazi's have ever seen.  The response is amazing.  The players have hearts of gold and we are having a good time together.  Wish there was time for a picture or two!

 

Today was not an easy day.  We started at a care point that serves 261 children.  These kids come from very rough backgrounds a live across the street from the city dump.   The teacher told me that when a garbage truck comes to the dump the kids leave the care point to run across the street to pick through the new trash.  One little one around 4 years old was chewing on a chicken wing and the teacher said he got if from the dump.

 

Then we went to visit the homestead where a mother of 5 died last week.  She left behind 2 children in grade school and two teenage/20 year old daughters who each have their own babies - one only 3 weeks old.  They live in two mud houses and have nothing.  7 more orphans in Swaziland now.  The guys prayed and shared and we stood in a circle to surround the women to pray over them - a group of men protecting Swazi women and standing in the gap for them.  We saw the crops around their house were failing from drought and prayed for rain.  It started raining  just a few minutes ago - now 7 hours later.

 

The we went to the homestead of an 8 year old girl who drowned yesterday in a pond.  We sat and prayed and cried with the grandmother and father and some other family members.  Very sad and tragic.

 

In each place we bring some food.  In the first home one daughter who is 19 has 2 years of high school left.  She has no money to pay the school fees.  The guys dug into their pockets and paid the year school fees - $250.  Amazing.

 

We have seen highs and lows in our first week here - and more often than not the internet has not worked to even try to update you all!  Please pray for us as we travel tomorrow to Nsoko - the hardest hit area of Swaziland.  We have another group coming in so the logistics and overall work will double for Marcia and I.  We are already a little tired - although as I type this Marcia is visiting at the hospital.  I don't know how she has the emotional or physical energy to do it.

 

Well gotta run.  Pray for us please - 

 

Scott