Squattin' Rights

Too many people in Swaziland are homeless.

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!  

This little girl pictured on the left is on our sponsor list, but she was not allowed to meet with us.  Her parents are both deceased, and the relative she stays with is quite jealous of the care she receives through her sponsorship.  But thankfully, one of the women from the church was able to finally get the family to agree to letting us go directly to her homestead so we could get her photo and give her the gifts we had for her.  She was overcome with joy that she got to see us.


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.  

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.  

Sweetening the Deal

We awakened early on Wednesday morning, eager to finally take the girls to meet the children in the village of Bhunya.  As we drove 45 minutes to reach this church nestled into the side of a mountain, we gave our team some background information that would help them understand the situations of the families we would encounter.

Bhunya was once a successful community, thanks to the sugar mill that employed hundreds of workers.  Sugar cane grows well in this African climate.  We loved seeing children chewing on it, both in the cities and in the villages.  The unrefined state provides a natural energy source for these kids who do so much walking.

But there is a market for refined sugar, as well.  As is always the case, one large employer affects many other businesses in a community; when the workers are paid, they are able to spend their money in other area businesses, keeping yet more people employed.  But the sugar mill closed down a few years ago, and it didn’t take long for other businesses to close shop, as well.  The plant stands almost empty now—as empty as the bellies of the children who have no working parents.

Sangro Sugar Mill.  Please pray for it to reopen.

We told the girls a little bit about Pastor Jan Dvuba and his wife Mumci, who teaches at a preschool.  They have a vision for a community center where villagers can learn basic English, job skills or trades, simple math so other can’t take advantage of them when making change, etc.  Both work tirelessly to serve the people God has entrusted to them.  

Pastor Jan, Mumci, and their four children

We picked up Pastor Jan and headed into the village.  Our first stop was at a preschool where two teachers manage to instruct 70 little ones.  The mass of children filed out of a tiny trailer and lined up for a short program outside. We were impressed with the many songs, Bible verses, and poems they shared.  Even more astounding was the way these two women kept that many young children on task!

We made sure each child received an apple and a few pieces of candy, which brings great big smiles from the kids.

Often when little children notice that we’re white Americans driving by, they chase our car with outstretched arms and open hands, calling after us, “Sweet?  Sweet?”  They’ve learned that we usually have big bags of candy to share, and it’s real treat for them.  These preschool children were no different, and even older children who were out of school pressed near in hopes of a taste.  We didn’t disappoint them.

The classroom space is cramped, and the supplies are few, but the women caring for the children are true educators making the best out of their limited resources.

From town, we made our way up the steep slopes to the rural church where Pastor Jan Dvuba had 17 children and their families waiting for us.  Their stories were similar, but we felt the urgency of each one . . . fathers laid off at the sugar mill, parents unable to find employment, families relying on the church for food, sickness and death leaving children without caregivers.   The few who are able to work as street vendors bring in only about $30 a month.  

Many single mothers and grandmothers are caring for large groups of children
with little or no support.

And the most gut-wrenching tales were those of abandonment, where mothers or fathers have walked away from their families to pursue a life with someone else. 

Xoliswa's heart cry is for her mother to return home.  Yet she sings with joy to the Lord!

Xoliswa is one of these broken children who told us with tears about her mother “dumping” Xoliswa so she could go live with another man where Xoliswa is not allowed to visit.  Her grandmother cares for her, and the church provides some food.  Her greatest heart’s desire is for her mother to return home.  But meanwhile Xoliswa keeps pressing on.  She hopes to become a lawyer someday so she can help provide for her family.  She loves to worship the Lord, and she quickly learned a new song from Sara.  This precious young lady is leading others in worship and participating in church services.  She finds joy in the midst of trouble as she clings to the Lord and His plans for her life.

Xoliswa with Sara after learning a new song of praise.

And how little Sabelo captured our hearts with his crooked smile!  His father died and his mother deserted him when he was four years old.  His grandmother took him in, though she is unable to work to provide for him.  It’s a struggle to put food on the table on a daily basis, so the church helps as much as they can.  Yet this little guy has big dreams of becoming a police officer someday.   He enjoys simple pleasures like playing soccer with his friends.  And in his words, “To the future sponsor: I would try with my best . . . to work hard at school . . . .”

Sweet Sabelo

We heard the same thing repeated from all of these children—promises to work hard so they can obtain jobs someday in order to help their families and the village.  “If I can get the sponsorship, this can be a huge difference in my life.”  “If I am sponsored, my future will be bright.”  “I could be in the position to help the other children.”  “I promise you I will do my best.”  

And from Mnguni, “In the coming future, I will be someone, not something and [it will] give me power to thank God because He is the one who provided you to me.”

Mnguni is not invisible to us.

Such sweetness from these tender ones who could claim a right to bitterness.  They were thankful for our coming—even before they have sponsors—just because we listened to their stories and cared.

But we won’t stop there.  It’s why Grand Staff Ministries exists.  We bring their stories home to you so the Lord can move on His people to answer the cries of the hearts of these children.  Sponsorship covers tuition, a school uniform, and some food.  It truly changes the futures of these vulnerable children.

You’d think it would be impossible to put a price tag on hope.  But I can.  It’s $25 a month for an elementary student in Swaziland, and $50 a month for a high schooler.

Have you ever purchased a car or large appliance and had the sales person throw in something extra just to make the expenditure that much sweeter?  You were already getting a product you wanted and needed, and you were satisfied with the choice and price.  It would have been just fine to leave it at that.  But it was made just a little bit more enjoyable because you got a bonus of some sort—maybe cash back or zero percent interest or perhaps a toaster or DVD player thrown in for good measure.

It’s no different when we get a “bonus” from the Lord.  He has given us so much: salvation, deliverance, peace, joy, love . . . the list goes on forever.  Even if He never gave us anything else, the gift of His life brought us all this and more blessings than we could ever contain.

But how sweet it is to discover that there is something we can do for Him that will actually make our joy more complete.  We can give something to Him that really pleases Him.  What is this amazing thing?  It is giving our lives back to the One Who gave His life for us.

How do we do this?  With pure, undefiled religion.  Helping widows and orphans.  (James 1:27) Helping anyone we can help, if it’s in our power to do so.  (James 2:14-17)  Feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, and clothing the naked.  (Mathew 25:35 – 40)

Jesus went so far as to say that when we help others in need, we’re actually helping Him.

During this current economic crisis, helping others is a sacrifice for many of us.  God knows that.  But it’s still what we need to do.  So He sweetens the deal.  Throws in something extra.

He actually promises that He considers our ministry to the poor a loan we make to Him.  One He will repay.  Proverbs 19:17 reads, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.”

Our motivation to give isn’t so we can get.  It’s to obey Him and know we’re pleasing Him.  It’s to walk in true love and compassion.  But having the right motive doesn’t change what He promises He will do.

We’ve all heard it said that “you can’t take it with you,” regarding money and possessions.  So true.  But when we obey Him from true hearts, we can send it on ahead by investing in His Kingdom work.  Talk about a win-win retirement plan!

The Old Testament patterns sacrifices placed on the altar with fire, making a sweet smelling savor for the Lord.

We see this in the New Testament, as well.  Philippians 4:18 says that an offering Paul received from God’s people had the odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to the Lord.
And it’s true for us today as we imitate Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:2 tells us to walk in love, even as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering and sacrifice that smelled good to the Lord.

Before we took this trip, four of these children had sponsors.   Since our return home, two more children from Bhunya have been sponsored.  Twelve more are ready and praying for someone to help them.  And many others in the village are hoping for the opportunity to be placed on the waiting list.

Perhaps you sense the Lord tugging on your heart to consider one of these little ones from Bhunya.  So many of them are older children who are sometimes hard to find sponsors for.  But they are waiting in eager anticipation and great willingness to apply themselves to learning.

Please don’t delay.  You can contact me with an email, call me on the phone, or check out our website for pictures and biographies of children who are waiting.  becky@grandstaffministries.com or (620) 543-6518

www.grandstaffministries.com/childsponsorship.php

You’ll find great satisfaction in changing the future—and even eternity—in the life of a child God wants to love through you.

It doesn’t get any sweeter than that.