New Life HOME

I made it to the farm and New Life Homes. Originally I was going to be staying in the old preschool house which has two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. After some changes in circumstances, I found out last week that I will be staying in one of the houses with the kids for the time I am here (house #2 if you have ever been here.) I get a small single room to myself but the ceiling is open to ceiling like the other bedrooms on the on the second floor. It is a more traditional Swazi house with a thatch style roof. I think I’ll like it better than being by myself in the other place though the plus and minus is that there are kids around all the time here. J It does feel like home here which is nice and makes my time easier.

After the drive from Manzini which is mostly on dirt, washboard roads and takes about an hour, we pulled into the dark farm with kids plastered to windows (it’s a little past their bedtimes) and waving at us. They couldn’t see inside the truck but word has been spreading that I am coming. It is good to be welcome. The house I am staying in is fairly full of kids and I remember most of them. The ones I didn’t recognize from my trip 4 years ago moved here since then so I feel better about that. They had all stayed up to see me arrive. Some of the older boys helped me with my bags then helped me make my bed after a quick trip the Kopps house to pick up sheets and such.

I laughed because the first questions were the same as last time. I am pretty sure my mom called ahead again. J They wanted to know if I had any kids, then if I had a wife. Of course that was followed up by “Why not?” I’ve decided to respond with “Do you have one?” Then when they say no, I asked them “Why not?” We have all had a good laugh about it. It usually changes to questions about my job, if I have a house and if I go to Chapel Hill. The kids love the folks from Chapel Hill and remember the people that came and spent time with them.

At dinner in Manzini (at Nandos, a chicken place just down the street from KFC which is everywhere here) Peter, Mary Jean and I talked a little bit about some ideas for my time here. Things are always changing here in Africa and I like the adventure of it. I am going to help Peter at the end of October with one of his Money Matters classes on basic money management trying to combat poverty. It turns out the bishop of a church for the whole continent of Africa is having a meeting of 29 country leaders (from all parts of Africa) in Jo’burg a few days before I am scheduled to fly home. They have asked for some training on agriculture and battling poverty and Peter has been asked to come teach his Money Matters course. The hope would be to build momentum with these leaders so they want to take back to their individual countries and churches. This would need to be followed up with more teaching of teachers. It could be an exciting opportunity but also a HUGE undertaking. The good news: nothing is too HUGE for God to handle if it is His plan. I will continue (and please join me) to pray for God’s clarity in this possibility for Peter and all those involved.

It is going to be an exciting time and God is already opening new doors since I left a few days ago!