Reaching Out in Swaziland

We all piled into the bus excited to start our new adventure. Outtatown was on its way to Swaziland; the third country in Africa we were visiting. After the easiest border crossing ever we preceded to Manzini where we would be staying for the next five days. Our partner there was the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), so we knew we were in good hands.

While there we visited a mock traditional tribal village. They told us about their culture and we got to go inside a few of their huts. We learned that by the age of six, the kids move out of their parent's huts and into their own girls and boys kid's huts, where they would live separate lives together in the hut until they get married. We also learned that when entering a hut the women would stay to the left and the men to the right. The Swazi culture held separation of the genders to a high esteem and this was simply another way of demonstrating that.

By far the most meaningful part of my week were the orphanages that we visited. We spent time at four different ones in the rural Swaziland areas. On our first visit we spent the day painting for a woman who had liquidated all her assets in order to start up an orphanage and HIV/AIDS clinic. We saw the heart of this woman and were stoked to support her in any way we could. The next three orphanages we went to consisted of us entertaining kids; we played games, sang them songs, made paper airplanes for them, and just held these kids who, I think, blessed us more than we blessed them. Even though they don't come from the best situations they were still excited to laugh and to play, and be tickled to no end. Their circumstances didn't seem to faze them. They still live others and are willing to learn and be thankful for the blessings they do have. This was the love of God in action. I loved investing in these children's lives and putting a smile on their faces.

Another thing that was cool was seeing a couple of the children wearing Toms. Toms shoes is a brand that will donate a pair of shoes to a child who needs them for every pair that the consumer buys. For us it was super exciting to see the receiving end of something we do. Some of us already wear Toms, so to see a child who has been blessed by us supporting the brand was really encouraging. I know that we want to support it even more when we get home.

My week in Swazi proved to be uplifting and fulfilling. From bartering in the markets for our loved ones' souvenirs, to learning about yet another new culture, to spending time with God's most precious children I've continued to be stretched in my abilities, points of view, and most importantly, faith.

-Laura Bernier