I spent Tuesday afternoon and this morning at the Hope House, a home for the dying in Manzini. Tuesday, I spent hours holding the hand of an ancient, ailing Gogo (grandmother) named Ana. Her skin was soft and oily, wrinkles covered her face that not even a macro lens could lend justice to. She sat out facing the sun, squinting her eyes in the wind in her silk, polka dotted night gown. She wears a Van Gogh-esque sunflower head wrap to cover her grey curls, and hot pink crocs to cover her gnarled and curving toes. Her eyes are yellowed with cloudy blue and brown pupils. She is the picture of...

Do you know how amazing my God is?!? As we were worshiping the other day I realized that I still had many walls up that prevented me from giving my all. I had no idea what the walls were but I prayed that God would wreck my world, break my heart and allow me to be open to hear his voice. He is such a faithful and loving God!!! We went to a care point, where children come to be fed after school and taken care of by the Gogo’s (grandmas). The first day we were there everything hit me like a ton of bricks. Processing everything that happened that day was hard for me! Looking into those...

Dear Swazi Child-   I sat with you in my arms today at the carepoint. You slept, you cried, you looked into my eyes with bewilderment. You probably have no idea where I am from and honestly I only have a glimpse of your life. You have no idea that my refrigerator is full at home and I still say there is nothing to eat; yet you never know when or how much you will get to eat. You have no idea that I have running water at home and sometimes I let the water run too long and that overuse could be enough to satisfy your thirsty for days. You have no idea that I have never felt true hunger...

      I want to tell you a little about the children of Swaziland that we have met!  There is so much joy in these children’s smiles and laughter.  One little boy I met found a toothbrush outside and began brushing my hair with it, singing to me while he brushed.  ((I hope it was sanitary 🙂 ))  When we play Frisbee, or blow bubbles, or just hold the children they light up with laughter and excitement, and love when you compliment their English, or their voices.  They loved when I took their picture, or let the girls play with my...

I live in a hut in Africa, with a thatched roof and all it’s glory. I played with preschool children today but didn’t have a conversation with them because we don’t speak the same language. I came home to a cow being butchered on the ground by our outdoor showers, the cow died while in child birth. The smell of the butchered dead cow is ripe and still lingering in the evening air. I cleaned the outhouse today with bleach water and a broom hoping to eliminate some of the stench, but we all know it won’t be long until the heat of the day brings back the ripe smell of poop. I...