It has been a week since I left the familiarity of the United States to set out with 33 other individuals on this adventure of a lifetime to Swaziland. I have already experienced so much and somehow there is still so much further to go! Each and every day there is something that makes me stop and say “Wow. I’m in Africa!” because the enormity of my current reality still hasn’t fully set in.
I am blessed to be living with 10 beautiful, crazy, insightful and loving women at this adorable homestead, complete with a rooster that never fails to start crowing at 4:30 in the morning. (Hearing Gogo sing as she goes about morning chores more than makes up for it though!) Despite the abnormality of very open roadside port-a-potties and bucket showers, these things aren’t what made me realize I’m in Africa.
Instead it hit me as my team ran to catch the public transportation bus. I made my way to the back of the bus to sit next to a young mother who balanced her two-year old son and a gift for a friend on her lap. To my surprise and amusement the gift was a chicken in a garbage sack!
It hit me last night as I sat in a pile of children. Many were happy just to hold my hand, write their names on my arm with a pen, talk up who was the best at soccer, or braid my extremely knotted hair. Each of them soaking up every ounce of love I could offer, and in turn giving me goosebumps from how much love I received from them.
It hit me as I tried to learn their names and brave the language. Each child had a name even more unique than mine, and even more difficult to pronounce, especially the ones with clicks… Uff da!
It hit me when I watched the moon rise over a beautiful Swazi landscape. The moon was full and bright and cut through the haze of smoke like Mr. Roodles in the morning. It lit up the blooming aloe plants and all I could think of was how grandly God has made Swaziland!
