Here are just a few of my favourite pictures.

The first day we were there we attended a little neighborhood church that has maybe 80 regular attendees. It was a sight to see as all 141 of us descend on this little church, but they were outside welcoming us before we even made it in the building. Being Mormon, we're very quiet worshippers. Here they were the opposite. As you can see they have a band, back up singers, and dancing in the isles. It was really fun, and the messages they gave were exactly what we teach -- the importance of families, respecting each other, and giving of yourself. Swaziland is a Christian nation and the people that we had contact with truly love the Lord and know that everything they have is from him.


And speaking of... Callie and Charmaine (the couple who run El Shaddai) are always saying that everything they have at the home is "a gift from God." They lived in a tiny camp trailor with their two kids for three years so they could take care of the orphans first. Now they have dorms for the kids, volunteer dorms, a baby house for the kids under 5, a church, a high school and elementary school, a kitchen, orchards, gardens, pigs and cows, and here is the latest gift from God -- a medical clinic for the whole community to use that will have a real doctor to see and treat them. It was our privelege to paint it inside and out while we were there. You can see it there in the background.
I caught this one day as we were making our way down the mountain -- two ladies doing their laundry in the creek. Seeing how others live truly humbles me and helps me to appreciate what I have -- like doing the laundry in a washer and dryer. I will never complain about that again.


And I love this picture even though it's out of focus because it shows how happy she is. The kids are SO happy! They love you even if they just met you. Most of them will not even know your name, but will smile and wave at you -- and then come and hold your hand or sit on your lap. The first day we were there I went into the baby house for a little bit and as soon as I sat down three of them immediately came over and sat on my lap. You feel loved every minute you're there, even though you're there to love them.

And this is one of the preschoolers that I got to be with on the last day there. We walked them down to the end of the hill (where they walk home by themselves), and as we were headed back up to the school, she ran back to have her picture taken.



Even though you know what you're going to see before you get there, it's different actually being there. In orientation they told us that EVERY kid you come in contact with has probably been raped. EVERY kid there probably nursed their parents while they were sick and then watched them die. EVERY kid probably had to raise a younger sibling while this was going on. In spite of this, they are SO happy and loving. And this is what kind of shocked me -- in a good way. I will never have to go through what they already have in their short lives, yet I find plenty to complain about -- none of which matters that much.

A saying comes to my mind -- "to whom much is given, much is required." This is the biggest thing I take away from the experience. I will strive to help more -- not just in Africa, but everywhere that I am.

Although, I do plan to return to Swaziland in 2011 with the boys (so expect to hear of many fundraisers until then). Whoever wants to come with me is more than welcome to :)