Well now that I am back in California, I cannot stop thinking about the wonderful experience I had in Swaziland. It was absolutely life changing! I will always remember the experience I had in Africa. I'm so happy I finally got to go to Africa! It was so sad, to see how little they had but, for having so little, they had a great ammount of faith, more faith than any of us have ever had. I have learned not to take things for granted!

We made it back to San Diego safely. Madison is doing fine.
I will post over the next few days some reflections, and more
photos of the trip

We are in Dakar refueling. There is a little girl in our group that is very sick.
I think her name is Madison
PLEASE PRAY FOR HER.....

Going Home

We just Landed in Dakar to refuel. Many more hours to D.C.
Can't wait to get home.

On The Bus Heading Back To South Africa

Celebrating Litsemba

The Litsemba celebration was held today at Somholo National Stadium

in Swaziland. Litsemba means hope. Litsemba was a wonderful event

for Orphans and vulnerable children to get to know God more.

We were given the duty of ushers at the south end of the stadium.

When we got there the children were already lining up, they came in

busses and even in the backs of utility vehicles and some walked long

distances alone. Before long the stadium was filled with about 12000

kids. They had all received beanis, blankets, bibles, orange juice and

snacks. The music and the speakers were great. Sky met a little girl

who spent the day with us, she evidently had walked there by herself.

She spent the day with sky until we found someone who could get her

safely home.

Skys New Friend

I met a 13 year old girl named Carol, she was beautiful and sweet with

a very pretty smile. She would bring her friends to meet me while I

was working the gate. She brought me her candy, then later brought

me her apple and her chips, I knew this was such a big deal, who

knows when she would get food like that again, but she unselfishly

gave it to me. At home it isn't a big deal to offer such things, do it all

the time at lunch, but I also know I can go to the cabinet or the fridge

and get some more. What a sacrifice for her to make, it was unbelievable!

When my work was complete, she came and spent some time with me in

the stands. She told me she knew God in her heart and she gave me her

ring and asked me to take it. I was brought to tears and stunned, all I

had to offer her was my heart for africa nametag and the sunglasses I

was wearing. She seemed very happy, I told her I wanted her to be able

to keep the sun out os her eyes. I can't express how touched I was by

Carol and all the other children that played with my hair, clung to me

and just wanted to be loved and hugged. It was a Legit day, that will

forever be in my heart. :)

My New Friend, Carol At Somholo Stadium
She gave us the only candy she had.

Stage At Somholo Stadium. Great Band Is Warming Up

My Friends At Somholo Stadium

People Lining Up To Get In To Somholo Stadium

People In The Stands At Somholo Stadium

Mom and Her New Friends

Last Day Helping Our Community

Well today was the last day helping our community. We went to the church, it
didn't take long for the children to start showing up......early. I didn't count
how many, but there were a lot. We handed the Children their gifts of clothing
and underwear. They were so appreciative and sweet. Later we gathered in the
church that looked like it was made from twigs, we did vacation bible school. I
heard Sio, John and some of the local kids did a great job acting out the story of
Zacheus. We had split up in two groups and I got to go with Uncle Tom for one
last journey down the bumpy roads in the back of the pickup truck. It was a
wonderful day visiting homesteads and bringing them gifts of clothes, oranges
and soap. You seriously can't even imagine how gratefull and excited they were
to receive theses gifts. It just made my heart melt. The people of Swaziland are
so beautiful, they are people of such amazing faith.

Waiting For Gifts

The GoGos and Me In Their Church

I fell in love with a little girl in a green shirt, she tugged at my skirt, held my
hand and I just picked her up and held her. At that point she tugged at my
heart, and I really just wanted to take her home. I will so miss the sweet
people of this community, especially the kids.

Ian McGraw provided the comedic part of the day when we stopped to provide
gifts to a woman who was leading a burro. We gave her gifts and she offered to
let Ian ride her Burro......that was the FUNNIEST thing I've ever seen!! He got
on and all was well, took about 6 steps and the poor Burro just collapsed
underneath Ian!! OMgosh, seriously, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen.
Once we realized that the Burro was ok, and Ian too....we laughed so hard. Best
thing is, it was all caught on tape and hopefully appearing on some future
episode of Swazi's funniest home videos.

Ian, Me, Kailey, and Jet Waitng For Our Truck

Me, Pastor Rainy, and Mom

Our Group Leader Tom McGraw

He suffers from a terrible addiction,

Surfing

Well tomorow is LITSEMBA a celebration of hope that HFA started last year

and the King has now made it a National holiday. It wll take place in the

stadium,15000 kids are expected and we will give them each a pair of

shoes, blanket, warm beanie and lunch, most of the items have been

donated by people all over the world. There will be music, dance and

the king will be there. Only problem is I have to wear a skirt, its required

in the presence of the king. Ill post all about it tomorrow.

Back to sleep. I have to get up in an hour

Goodnight.

Back To School

Well as Sio would say, today was a WOW day! Part of our team finished
the garden with the help of a couple of youg men and women from the
community, which looked great.

The rest of our team went out into the comunity with pastor Rainy.
We stopped at a school that had 82 kids of all ages. The school was
in an old abandoned church, with broken windows, dirt floors and
only 2 tables and maybe 20 chairs. It was so sad. We decided very
quickly that this is the place for the school supplies we brought.

We handed out a t-shirt to each child. They were donated by Heart
For Africa, Michael Crews and Kroc kids , yes they were wearing
Michael Crews shorts in Swaziland. They were so appreciative
and polite, 80% of these kids were double orphans. We left there
in the back of the pickup and went to vist a family where both of
the parents have Aids. Sio, Ian, Cisco and Annie went to speak
with them, but they weren't home.

Driving Brothers Home

We loaded up the truck to visit with a widow with 4 children,
they lived way up a mountain. I was shocked at how they lived,

I mean it was sadder than anything I had ever seen. They had

a thatched hut that a had absolutey nothing but a dug hole that

was dug in the middle to light a fire, like a fire pit. They had

nothing to sleep on but the ground. We brought them some

clothes and asked if we could share our lunch with them. We

sat on rock hard dirt which felt harder than the truck bed.

Ian said a beautiful prayer with the widow and read a Bible

verse. She was a non believer, she listened quietly. As we were

saying goodbye, I asked my Mom if I could give the widow my pink

Bible, before giving it to her, I asked to read my favorite bible verse

from Jeremiah. The pastor then asked me to sign my bible for her, it
was a very used Bible with plenty of pen and highlighter marks, but

I didn't think she'd care. She seemed to appreciate it, I could tell by

her eyes it made her heart smile, which I don't think happens often.

We said goodbye and left some clothes for her children that the

Taiwaneese people donated.

We loaded up the truck with the preacher lady and moved on up the

long, bumpy dirt road. We drove by the school that we visited on Monday

with (271) kids. When they saw us they started screaming and clapping

and they were singing the somg "litsemba" that we had taught them.

Litsemba means hope. Rainy (the preacher lady) said we could get out

and visit. They ran to the gate and we greeted them. Sio then gave a

quick bible story of Zacheus. I taught them the song "Pharoah Pharoah",

we had a blast! I love those kids, all 271 of them, I must say that there

were a few that were special in my heart. Preacher Rainy said it was

time to go, and so we loaded in the truck bed and went off down the

bumpy dirt road again.

Our day was done,

or so we thought.

Sio's Zacheus Out Of the Blue Story

We went to meet the rest of our team to head back to the hotel (2 1/2 hours).

Along the way we met a gogo who had come to help plant the seedlings.

She was old and spoke no english. A gogo is a grandmother. One of our

team, Tom told us that she had made them sweet potatoes to share for

lunch. Those potatoes were probably all she had and she shared her

meal with them. When we were leaving she was sitting infront of her

hut, it was getting cold and looked like rain. My Mom took off her purple

fleece jacket and gave it to her. She was so happy, she rubbed her face

in the fabric and wept. It wasn't fancy and, probably a litlle dirty from

riding down the dirt road, but to her it was a treasure.




.....like Sio said....A WOW day




McKenna

GoGo With New Fleece