traday update – 3.10.08
Here is another update from Traday. The photos and captions were emailed to us over the weekend. You can click on each photo to view a larger version of that picture. Enjoy!
Some kids and I at the G-42 care-point in Nsoko.
These are the 3 sisters of little Mcolisi, our baby that we took care of.
This is some of the World Racers about to load back up on the kombi. The guy in the orange shirt is the assistant to the driver who opens/closes the doors for people getting on/off, who recruits people to ride their bus instead of another and this guy and the driver were our person drivers when we were down in Nsoko.
This is me coming out of what they call the Bee Hive down in Nsoko. This is located at Nisela Safiris. Yes, you actually have to bend all the way down to get in and out of these things. On the inside of the one we stayed in there were 4 twin size beds, a latern, and a little fire pit. It was pretty cool, but it was hot like all get out inside. There was absolutely no ventilation, but we survived throughout the night with all kinds of bites on us because we left the door open hoping to get some cooler air.
This is what the whole Bee Hive looks like on the outside. The picture with me in it was at night. And this particular one’s door is way shorter than the one I was in. Everyone in my room (2 other girls) could bend down to get in, but in the others, you actually had to get on your hands and knees to crawl inside it. Awesome!!!
This is a pic of a little girl who is carrying her brother. the women who have children here carry them on their backs with a towel or some form of long cloth wrapped around them to hold the child. this tiny little girl is no older than 4 or 5 years old and is already having to be a mother to her little brother. her brother is no older than 2 years old. this was in Nsoko at the G-42 care-point.
These are some kids at a different care-point down in Nsoko. I don’t know what the names of some of these care-points are called…but they are the ones that we ministered in on a day to day basis for about 3 weeks.
Alexis Black and I were in charge of getting an icebreaker together for the business seminar that we put on for the women of the care-points. I’ve only seen this game on the screen that plays the same thing over and over and over as I sat and waited to see the doctor back in october…but I got the idea of what was going on. so the women and teams together were split into two groups. I made two mazes out of the tables and chairs that were at this place and we handed them each a balloon. The object of the game was to walk in a train like way keeping the balloon in the middle of them and not letting them fall to the ground. They had so much fun. For the Americans who were intermingled with these African ladies, it was somewhat awkward at first, but it was all fun.
I included this picture because some of us noticed that throughout this day, these women held on to their balloons like they were treasures. All throughout the seminar they held on to their balloons. If someone dropped it to the floor their attention would be broken in order to pick the balloon back up. I thought to myself…wow!! Balloons are nothing…and yet these women are holding on to them like this.
This is the team house that I’m staying in. The top window on the right is the room I was staying in. the view from the balcony is awesome!!! The city and mountains are in the distance and you can also watch the sun set behind the mountains…it’s amazing the beauty that God has created. But this is the house here in Manzini.
This little boy was among students numbering somewhere between 120-150 primary school children who were dismissed from school to go and find fire wood. They walked on the side of the main highway for a good 1.5 miles where the bush and thorns are. Some of these kids didn’t have shoes, some had sandals, some actually had shoes. on this highway all kinds of traffic passes by very fast…semi trucks, cars, pick ups, vans, kombis…all kinds. They barely get over to give the kids room…but this is life for them. The guy with his hand on his head is Pastor Gift. He and I were walking from the G-42 construction site back to the G-42 care-point, which is about a mile or so.
This guy is laying bricks at the G-42 construction site. It’s amazing how they do things with out much machinery involved. When they need a big hole dug, they break out the shovels and pick axes…which was the case here. They did have a machine to mix the cement though.
The G-42 construction site…..these are the guys who are shoveling the sand for the cement, digging the trenches for the walls and foundation, and laying the bricks. This day was plenty hot. Notice what their wearing. Some of these guys have on toboggans. A lot of the Swazi people wear thick long sleeves, coats, and toboggans like it’s cold or the winter time here. I can’t see how they do it!! I understand that sleeves will keep you from being burned, but why must they be so thick and fleece-like…I’ll never understand this. hahaha!!!
