When we think of a homeless person here in the States, we conjure up images of vets suffering from PSTD . . . mentally ill people unable to hold down a job . . . addicts chained to the next high.
But in Swaziland, the homeless have a much different story. Drought has forced people away from their family homestead farms into the city, where they scrounge for food in dumpsters. AIDS has left thousands of children as orphans, being shuffled from home to home and often driven away because their relatives can't afford to feed them or send them to school. Families are torn apart by the blame game for deaths caused by AIDS.
The need is too great for Swaziland's limited programs and resources, but King Mswati has provided a partial solution for a few people: he has allowed squatters to build structures on land he designated for that purpose.
Before we visited the Squatter's Camp just outside the city of Manzini, we wanted to prepare bags for the children. We had packed toys, school supplies, candy, and personal hygiene items to take to Africa with us, thanks to the generosity of many of our family, friends, and local dentists. Believe it or not, we actually brought some kind of order from this chaos! And anticipating the smiles of the children gave us the energy to keep stuffing those baggies well into the night hours.
Morning arrived quickly, and Tracy helped us load the bags and some food items to share. Sara was pensive; she knew she would probably be able to meet Angel, the little girl she and Danny have sponsored for four years.
When we first drove into the camp, we noticed a little girl walking nearby. She looked a lot like Angel, and Sara made a comment to that effect. I assured her it couldn't be Angel since I was certain she was in school.
This is a typical view of homesteads close to each other in the squatter's camp. The garbage piles are everywhere, even where children walk and play.
We drove further along the dirt roads until we came to Pastor Jacinto Sambo's gate. This is The Faithful Church he pastors. They run a preschool in the church building, too.
His family's living quarters are directly behind the church. They also use the structure pictured to the left. We learned a couple of years ago that some twins on our sponsorship list were homeless again because their grandmother died. Pastor Sambo and his wife Angelina took them in, so they built the additional structure to house them. One of their older daughters stays in that little house with the twins to look after them. We helped them purchase bunk beds and a large cooking pot when they added these children to their growing family.
Here are the twins, 11 years old and both now attending 4th grade because some of you sponsored them.
As soon as we arrived, children swarmed onto the property to greet us. They knew we'd bring sweets, as always. All the team was quickly enamored by these precious little ones.
And guess what--the little girl we saw walking along was Angel, after all! We learned that the teacher's were on strike, so school was out. It was love at first sight--for both of them.
We learned that Angel's mother was back in her life. We aren't certain what her health status is. The father is deceased. Angel has two brothers, including this little one she's snuggling in the picture above, right. It's good to see the family reunited.
The kids couldn't leave Sara's blonde hair alone. She's a stylist, so I guess she didn't mind. Angel's really concentrating on getting the braids just right.
I don't think Angel quit smiling the whole time we were there. At one point she asked Sara, "How did you find me?" Sara explained that we're her parents, and she found Angel's picture in some we had taken in 2008. She and Danny knew when they saw her that she was the child for them to sponsor.
Angel then asked, "How did you love me?" Oh, sweet girl, if you only knew how easy that came! Sara loved her from the moment she saw her photo. Meeting her only increased the godly affection.
You can be sure we spent some time at the mall so Sara could purchase items Angel's family needed, including a book bag, shoes, clothes, pillows, and especially food.
One of the things we did during our visit here was to drive Pastor Sambo about 30 minutes away from the camp to a location where he and his congregation are building a new church. They won't stop having services at the homestead, but they'll add more at the new facility.
Sharing the Good News with as many people as possible is at the heart of Pastor Sambo's work. He's taken a team to visit every home in the camp, giving each one a candle and matches and inviting them to church. That's about 800 homes. They saw 9 people receive Jesus as Savior from that outreach project.
Workers must make their own bricks for the new building.
Much of the day was spent interviewing children. We updated the pictures and information on children who are already sponsored, and we gathered new data on children who are waiting, such as Jeremiah on the top and Temakholo underneath. Jeremiah is Pastor Sambo's son.
While we had time, we also ran Pastor Sambo and Angelica into Manzini so they could take care of some business, which worked well for us. We needed to pick up a few items for the children--things we hadn't been able to bring from the States.
We also visited the home of a single mother whose son was hit by a car. Simpiwe was paralyzed. His medication is quite expensive, so we left funds for his next refill, and we left food for the family.
They surrounded him with great love--one that promises the commitment to care for his needs.
We sang and prayed while we were there, and it was a huge joy to learn that he was improving greatly after our visit. Praise be to God!
Children like her get a message every day that they are unwanted and unloved--that they are a burden to those who care for them. Your sponsorship helps us communicate a very different message. We showed up to let her know that she is loved so greatly by God, He moved on the heart of a sponsor thousands of miles across the ocean. That person is praying and giving faithfully, all because God Himself values her so much. Only He knows how much courage that will give her to keep smiling even in her desperate circumstances.
We were growing quite weary, but we wanted to distribute some dresses a group of women had sent with Sara. Some of the dresses are made from pillow cases and others from fabric. We had just about decided to do that on another day because we were so tired--and hungry. Angelica and a couple of other women had graciously prepared lunch for us, but many hours had passed.
As we discussed leaving, Pastor Sambo approached us to see if we would be willing to stay for the evening church service to sing and share the Word. We felt this was God's leading, so we agreed. Thankfully, we received some coffee and rusks, which is a hard, dry biscuit that is typically dipped into the coffee or tea. This sustained us enough to minister for a few more hours.
We couldn't help but think about our African brothers and sisters who do so much more physically than we do--walking everywhere they go, washing their clothes by hand, carrying water, and more--on much less food than we eat. It's so humbling to remember that we weren't born in the United States by any virtue of our own, but only by the plan of God. It was a reminder to live up to that blessing and calling.
Sara was finally able to put dresses on all these little gals. What joy on their faces!
And the church service was a huge blessing to our hearts--and we trust to theirs.
Days later we learned that the girl pictured below, Ncobile, had been hospitalized. She was having terrible pain in her back. We returned to Manzini another day to take Pastor Sambo with us to visit her at the government hospital.
These pictures tell the story of filth, overcrowding, and substandard care. Many women let us pray with them. I have to admit that the smells, vomit, and filth made me hesitant, yet in the Name of Jesus, I overcame my queasiness and let His love compel me to go beyond myself.
But the condition of the hospital was only one more evidence of how desperate life in Swaziland has become.
I had to ask: how horrid must life be for someone to actually want to head to the camp for squatter's rights? What must they be thinking when they reason, "If I can just get to the outskirts of town to that camp, then . . . what?" Life will be better how? I'm cringing inside.
Many people criticize the king for living in luxury while his people starve. I don't feel qualified to pass judgment. I'm thankful he donated this land. But I can promise you, he would never live there himself. Only men like Pastor Sambo, who lay down their lives in service to the true, eternal King, will move their families into places of such stench and poverty.
Pastor Sambo and his wife Angelica have eight children plus the twins.
One grown daughter is living in Mozambique, so she's not pictured here with them.
One grown daughter is living in Mozambique, so she's not pictured here with them.
I have to believe that one reason they are able to make this sacrifice is the truth that one day they will have a home whose Maker and Builder is God. (Hebrews 11:10) The Scripture is true: whoever leaves houses and lands for His sake and the Gospel will receive much, much more now in this life, as well as in the life to come. Even eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)
Truly, we serve a King who has also set aside a place for His people to live. John 14:2 says, "In my Father's house are many mansions." Some translations say "many rooms." But they all indicate that Jesus is preparing them for us.
He didn't find some land far away from His palace to put us. No, He is making a place right there in His own house. He wants to live with us!
We don't have to fight for squattin' rights. It's not a competition with anyone else. If we have come to the heavenly Father by faith in His Son Jesus, there's a place waiting for us.
And until then, it's sobering to think of the differences between the huts of our African brothers and the homes we live in.
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:
Do I have a house, or does my house have me?
How am I sharing the blessing of my home with others?
Is my home a place of refuge, love, unity, and peace for my family?
When people walk into my home, what is the most noticeable attribute? Is it the decor or the spiritual atmosphere?
Would I be willing to leave my home if the Lord asked me to?
Oh, Lord, change us! I want my home to be a place where others can sense Your wondrous love.
I want to share it with anyone You want to send, not just people like me.
And I want my heart to be a place where You always feel at home. Thank You for staking Your claim there.
Amen.
