Hearing God's Call

My head is working overtime to sort through all I experienced in Bulembu and I confess to feeling a bit sorry for myself because I am now physically separated from such a community of love. One special blessing of the trip was having so many people share their stories and testimonies with us about how they were called by God to be doing what they do in Bulembu. Robyn, the founder of Abandoned Babies for Christ ministries, has heard many calls from God, the most recent being to adopt a baby girl into their family despite being grandparents themselves. Calley, age 18, has volunteered in Lee Ann’s Enduduzeni childcare/preschool center for the past year, hearing her call during a high school mission trip to Bulembu.

Ruth was called to Bulembu Ministries foster homes from her church in the U.K. and her one year original commitment has extended into three. Nicole, a nurse from Vancouver, was called to be a volunteer in the Medical Clinic. With the nearest Doctor over an hour away on a dirt road, she has to dispense medicines and do minor surgery without the help of a physician or the internet. Chris, the one Volunteer in Mission in Swaziland heard a call to come alone to this country in crisis to be the hands of Christ where it is so desperately needed.. Such service carries many risks. As I was writing this I checked her blog only to find out she and two visiting volunteers Gary and Jeri had been robbed while in their car in Nelsprit.

These are just a few of the amazing disciples we met who have committed their lives to serving God 24/7, not just when convenient. I pray I will not only hear God’s calling for me but that I will act upon it with such energy and commitment as the people of Bulembu.
Jane Cross

It was the smiles.......

Since my return, friends and family have asked me what it was like in Bulembu, Swaziland. Now, that's a good question! I can't summarize in a short conversation, but I can say it was all about the smiles. These precious little ones were happy. They were cold, tattered and some were hungry and dirty, but they were happy. They loved holding hands and hugging and seeing their smiling faces on the digital camera. They loved to sing, swing and get special attention. How can these children be so full of smiles? I'm not sure, but I am sure that Christ is living in them and with them in Bulembu. He has been invited in by the town and they are living proof that He is faithful and that He loves them and their caregivers. My lesson is that I don't need much to smile in this "land of plenty" but I do need Christ. I will forever be changed by my experience in Swaziland.
Rosemary Steenhausen

It Takes A Village...

Bulembu is such a beautiful example of community. I felt safe and relaxed there. In my travels, there seems to be a recurring theme: I find myself envious of the slower pace and the healthy priorities of other cultures. We've as much to learn from "them" as they do from us. Having met many wonderful servant caregivers of God's children there, I am now more curious about the care being given to the children in my community. It really does take a village to raise a child. What is my village doing? What am I doing?

-Donna

When one Journey Ends...

...Another Begins.

Love is the only power that can compel us to risk our own lives. And love is the only power that has the potential to heal all the wounds that human beings inflict upon one another.
Todd Outcalt

We've all returned to our respective churches and homes, back to family, friends, routines and creature comforts. And yet something has changed in each of us. We gave and received love in multitude with those in Bulembu and it continues to expand as we share our experiences and love with others.
Jane, Donna, Farida, Mary Jane and Mary D. shared their stories last Sunday at Pacific Grove UMC and received a warm welcome including this wonderful banner. Others have began sharing their stories with families and friends. Even this blog has been a way to share stories of how we have been touched by those affected by HIV/AIDS.
Before leaving Africa, some of us began discussing how we would like to be in ministry with those we encountered in Swaziland through partnerships and future VIM trips.
Lee-Ann McFarlane of Enduduzweni Community Care Centre laid out the return welcome mat for us whenever we choose. We have new friends and loved ones across the ocean and are hearts are turned towards AFRICA!
For me, this new beginnings is the excitement I envisioned when I first thought of leading a VIM trip to Africa. To connect others with the Hope of Bulembu, a town with God's vision is only the start to what God has planned, for us and those in this hurting world, to share the love that is Jesus Christ.
posted by Becky

Prayer for Bulembu and the country of Swaziland

The Swaziland 2009 VIM team is all back safely now. Hallie, Heather and I returned yesterday after the long flight from South Africa via London. We are incredibly thankful to those whom we met, shared their stories and their hearts and touched our lives on this incredible journey.
On our last days together, a team prayer for Bulembu and for the country of Swaziland was organized and compiled by Mary Jane.
This experience will forever burn in our hearts. God has so greatly blessed us and we are thankful.
in Christ, who first loved us,
Becky

Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:14

Prayer for Bulembu and Swaziland

Our prayer for Bulembu is one of faith, hope and love. The awesome power of our Lord and Savior will give Bulembu the ability to achieve their mission.

We ask that the Lord bless and protect the people of Swaziland, especially the Gogos (grandmothers), the mothers and all the children. May they feel the Lord’s presence and give them strength in all they do.

God bless the orphans that they will be loved in their family. God bless the children of the village that He will continue to provide nourishment for their bodies and their souls.

God bless the workers, grant them patience, strength, compassion and grace that they will continue to feel the love of God in their hearts and receive the blessings He has for them.

We pray for the future of these beautiful and resilient children that they feel God’s love and presence every minute of every day and become the role models in this wonderful country in the years to come.

We ask that Bulembu continue to grow and to be a place of healing for all who experience it – resident and visitor alike.We give thanks to God for being blessed with the spirit and hope of those in Bulembu.

We pray for restoration and healing of our brothers and sisters in Swaziland and throughout Africa.

Let us hold tight to and lift up the cold small hands that reach out to us in love, and help us tell their stories in voices as loud as lions and as spirited as the Manyano. (the Methodist Women's Society. Manyano means "unity")

Love flows through us, servant leaders, co-creators, inspiring each other to love more.

We humbly thank you dear God for the experience of being in Bulembu where your love is so clearly being expressed. Our hearts have been deeply touched and we will never be the same. We ask that your blessings of health, happiness and peace be abundant for the people there and all people everywhere.

May the simple sweetness and beautiful smiles of the children continue to deepen our spirits and help us to know that we are all greatly beloved and blessed children of God.

Amen

Rebel With A Cause

While most of the team has returned to the States and are settling into their daily routines, Heather, Hallie and I remain in Swaziland until Sunday. Hallie and I are in Manzini with Chris McLain while Heather remains in Bulembu with Lee-Ann, spending time with the girls at Jacaranda Homes.preschoolers at Lomngeletjane Methodist School

Chris took us to Lomngeletjane Methodist School today, not far from Manzini and yet a world away. Manzini is a bustling city while Lomngeletjane is rural and poor. I am struck by the incredible contrast. Chris has done much to bring a school this small community. There are 5 primary classrooms, an administrative office and toilets recently built. We also visited the preschool housed in a small, primative structure.
More than 25 children were in this little room built of corrugated tin siding and wood boards called offcuts. It was cold and not weather proof. Chris is overseeing the building of a teacher's house and has plans to expand the school to include secondary grade classrooms.
Tomorrow Chris will take us to a Methodist care point about an hour from here in the Lowveld. We will be taking sandwiches for the children's lunch and uniforms sewed by Thoko, Thini and Thembi of the Manyano of St.Paul's Methodist Church in Manzini.
Chris' passion for the work she is doing is so evident. She has deep compassion for the Swazi people and has a good understanding of the complexities of navigating the "system" here. She calls herself a rebel and she really is a Rebel with a Cause, with Micah 6:8 practiced in all she does. What does the Lord require of you: to seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.
posted by Becky

Rhino Spotting

Greetings! We were very fortunate to see four rhinos on our last drive in Kruger this morning. We have seen all of the big five animals which is very special. We parted ways with Becky, Heather and Hallee this noon. They have headed back to Bulembu for an extra week. Chris left on Friday back to her homebase ministry in Swaziland and the rest of us (8) are having a lovely last night at the Arches Guest House in Nelspruit, South Africa. The owner, Sue, is treating us like family. She made a lovely vegetable pasta for dinner and the rest of the crew is having coffee and dessert with her as I write this.
Becky has done an amazing job for us as the organizer for this trip. The logistics have been very difficult but have gone perfectly smoothly thanks to her advance planning. We are so blessed to have her as a leader.
We ask for your continued prayers as we begin to process all that we have experienced. Some of us will probably need some "half way house" or "detox" kind of quiet time when we get home as so much has touched our hearts during our journey and we are sad to be leaving the children behind.
We start home tomorrow at 9:15 p.m for our long trek home. We look forward to returning to our loved ones and church family. Jane

Leaving Bulembu and Entering the Wild

Well we just left Bulembu this morning, it was a little sad that everyone was leaving and saying goodbye to the children was very sad for all of us. We are in Kruger National Park, which is acutally in South Africa and not Swaziland. It was so amazing to drive in and just this afternoon we saw:
impala male and female
waterbuck
warthogs
hornhill-bird
hornroller-bird
african elephants a baby one too!
many giraffe
water buffalo
zebra
a herd of elephants together
2 hippos
and to top it off right when we were supposed to be heading back to the camps...
we saw 3 male lions and 2 female that walked right next to the car
It was really amazing to see them in their natural environment and know that they are able to roam here... but we still get to see them is awesome.

It was so wonderful to be in Bulembu we learned so much and truly will be changed in our hearts and minds forever. I think everyone is excited for the weekend, but ready for the long trip home too!
Becky with some of the kids she visted last year! They have really grown

Bulembu Babes

Today was our final day of VBS with the Community Center… it was a busy morning (the kids appeared a bit more energized today) but all in all we were able to do some great activities. The hand paintings turned out really well and everyone is excited to share them with our communities back home. We spent the afternoon visiting some of the foster/ community homes. They’ve set them up in different areas of the town to create closeness within the community. It was a great addition to all we’ve been exposed to while visiting and I was grateful to see where so many of the children we’ve spent time with actually sleep at night.
We are already coming close to the end of our time here in Bulembu. So our discussion tonight lead us towards our inner thoughts on what it will be like to bring home the “emotional spirits” we’ve been enchanted by and experiencing. Of course the love we have shared with the children and one another will remain in our hearts forever, but as most things time changes all and the awareness we may feel now is something that can certainly be lost with time. It is a powerful tool to remember we have access to all the love we need and should reminded ourselves daily .These lessons of love and patience travel across all borders and boundaries, but we must actively continue to pursue and seek out the goodness and passion of life in order to fulfill what God has placed on our hearts and minds through the community of Bulembu. Some others were able to write out some stories today so I’m happy to end with that. ~ Thanks for all your prayers and lovely letters ~Hallie Greene
MARY JANE: I am overflowing with gratitude for the amazing opportunity of being here in Bulembu with the mission team. I have been deeply touched by the experiences we have had and the beautiful spirit of the children and adults we have encountered. We will have much to share on our return.
Tonight after evening prayers letters of support from home were passed out. I can’t begin to tell you how much it meant to me to receive letters of support and prayerful encouragement from members of the church, some of which did not even know me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the thoughtfulness and expression of love. The letters meant a lot to all of us, serving as a reminder that the church family is right here with us in spirit and prayers.
This has truly been a transformational experience! I am humbly grateful!!
With appreciation and love,
Mary Jane

BECKY PERRY: What an amazing week. I can’t believe we’re almost ready to end our trip! Your prayers and love from the distance have been felt and appreciated. As much as we have done during the week, my energy level remains high. The team is an awesome group of women and we’ve enjoyed each other’s company. We have seen and experienced the spirit of Bulembu, the lives of the children and those in ministry with them and the hope and vision of lives changed through God’s love.
A quick report, today I had the opportunity to see 3 of the 4 brothers who came to Bulembu seeking shelter when I was here last year: Sambulo, Njbulo, and Mbongeni. One of the photos on the Bulembu board is of the brothers. You may remember that their gogo or grandmother had left them on their own with Sambulo,13 in charge and the the youngest, Banele still in diapers. They since have been moved to a Bulembu Ministry home and are attending Bulembu Christian Academy and have learned English. They are well and happy and remembered me. Youngest brother, Banele is living at ABC and the boys can visit their brother when they want to. It was an inspiring visit to see them and the change in their spirit!
It’s late though and I’ll have more to share when we return. Greetings and love to all, Becky

ROSEMARY: Wow, another wonderful day. Bulembu is an amazing place…..a beautiful town and full of darling children and caregivers. Of course, I’ve never seen anything like it!!! The weather was sunny and I even shed three layers during the “heat” of the afternoon. The VBS on “Noah’s Ark” went very well and the preschoolers loved seeing us each day and getting all the special attention. They wanted to hug and hold hands and be close all the time we were there. I have great pictures and can’t wait to get them uploaded when I get home. This evening Becky had a great surprise for us……letters from our friends and family written before we came here. There were lots of tears reading the notes…………I cried the most I think. Thank you all!!! I miss home and talking to my children and daughters-in-law and friends but it’s been a trip of a lifetime and I do feel I’m where God wants me to be . Oh, I do think I’ve changed since arriving. A very sweet lady(older than me) came up to me after church on Sunday and told me I reminded her so much of her 91 year old aunt!!! I was very gracious and just smiled nicely as any good Christian would do!!! Guess I look more tired than I feel!!!! Thanks for all your encouragement and my next adventure is a face lift I think.
Love, Rosemary
JANE: We feel very close to God when in Bulembu, a village full of his love and disciples. As other have written, Becky surprised us with letters from our church family tonight after our devotions. It was so special to read your notes and know that we continue to be prayed for. We feel it, believe me! We have all fallen in love with the children, they are so loving to us. This journey is a blessed gift to all of us.
Jane

Awakening our Awareness

First of all everyone says hello to their families and loved ones. We’ve not been able to get everyone onto the internet here, but want you all to know they are safe and healthy and having an amazing time. We are reading the comments on the blog so if anyone wants to specifically say a hello or something to any members on the team it would be good to post a comment on the blog comments so I can tell them your greetings.
We went back to the center and enjoyed another day with the Children’s Community. The children were just wonderful and so excited to have us back again. We’ve been able to teach the kids and teachers new things and provide something outside of their daily routine. It really makes such a difference for them to have constant activities going on that it makes it hard not to feel badly when we leave. There are close to 50 children on any given day at the morning program and then the afternoon group. The center is certainly put to great use. It can be very cold here in the mornings as I’m sure you’ve gathered by our pictures… we are all bundled up… so we’ve been trying to find ways to keep the kids warm especially if we’re planning outside activities. It has been really amazing to think that places like the center and the other programs here are non-profit charities… so most of the people here are volunteers and are at the mercy of donations for crafts, games, and books. Basically all the items the kids and most of the adults come from donations.
We continued onto the Christian Academy in Bulembu for the afternoon and broke up into small groups to go to the classrooms. The school was able to host the academy in an old building that was used for cows. They spent a year fixing up the building to work as a new space for the school. It is settled into the hillside across from our house in a beautiful location with three long buildings, a field, and playground. The kids attend all the regular academic studies and also are required to go to singing, dance and theater classes. All the children have uniforms and a smile on their face! The children are so excited for school and enjoyed performing their routines and class assignments even while we were there. The teachers are all from different places and are very passionate about their jobs. It felt really good to give them a bag or two of donations pens and such for the schools use. We were all so impressed.
My favorite part of watching the team is during playground time…. Well maybe the kid’s tooth brushing time too, that’s a whole other story. But when the kids go to play out on the playground some of them go running over to the play structures, but most of them just go running up to one of us grab for our hands or our coats and just want a little love. They are so full of trust and love towards what we would call a stranger it’s amazing to look them in the eye and give them a little hug because that’s all they really want from us.
Coming here on mission may have been a decision some of us were not so sure of. When we started this journey we may have felt moments of guilt or worries of feeling selfish, knowing that others were not able to come along with us. It’s been nice to share those worries and pre-thought with one another and trust in our being here as part of God’s plan. Trusting that our intentions are good and that we come here to share love with the children and learn from that experience to bring out in the world. Having the awareness and awakening as to what is possible in a community for the people and sharing the successes of that is what we will be able to bring to the table when we go home. The big lesson today was: Come to God as you are and be an honest person in your walk with your vision and mission no matter where you are.

Joy

Today was our first day teaching Vacation Bible School with the Enduduzweni Community Care Center! The children are so happy to have us visiting and seem to really love our energy and projects. We broke off into groups and each spent time with the kids doing story time, crafts, games and music. The teachers were able to translate to the children( very helpful) but we all agreed that even when the kids didn’t know exactly what we were saying or asking them to do they were always kindhearted. This kindness and loving spirit has been a thread throughout the community here, but certainly comes through in the children’s hearts. Some of the team members cooked a yummy hot meal for the afternoon crew at the center. Many of the children attending the afternoon session are not always able to get a full meal at home so this program is greatly appreciated and needed.

We continue to be amazed by the way God is calling each and every one of us to be present with ourselves here in Bulembu. This “calling” presence within each of us in many ways is just coming to the surface, and many of our worries, doubts or just concepts as to why we thought we were coming here are surfacing and perhaps changing altogether. The experience of sharing moments with children and the simple act of love, kindness and sharing is a lesson to be reminded of in our calling here. The excitement in a child’s simple actions or just glance most certainly is one of the most beautiful moments created and we should all be so lucky to experience and acknowledge that joy every day.



A little about our experience today: What surprised us…
Donna~ The weather was beautiful today, wonderful for playing games outside in the sun. The children were really attentive during all our projects.
Rosemary~ It’s been pretty cold here, happy to have a fireplace.
Jane: We had the children put animal stickers on Noah’s Ark projects. The fact that they didn’t know what a sticker was heightens the our awareness of the cultural differences.
Heather~ Things that surprised me: How long they were able to pay attention to the storytelling. We had the teachers interpret our questions for the kids. We placed animals up on the felt Noah’s ark board and showed the animals around to the kids. They were so cute during story time! We asked them what kind of animals were on the boat they answered, “animals” We laughed and said “what kind of animals?”
Farida~ The kids were so good I was surprised at how well behaved they were, none of them cried or whined and were so polite to one another and to us. I was surprised at how well they ate and finished all of their food.
Rosemary~ They were really happy kids. It was wonderful see them all smiling, they were so happy to have us there. With so little they were still so excited and happy.
Mary~ I would reach out to them to give them a high five and they would just grab and hold my hand. It just took my heart away.

Bulembu Beauty

Well we've been here for 3 days now and it has truly been an amazing experience so far. The internet connection is limited so we were unable to connect this past weekend.
It feels like we've been here a long time because everyone is so friendly and caring towards us. The little amount of time we've spent here in Bulembu has been so full and been such a blessing for us all. Last night in our prayer time we discussed the children here and how loving and caring they are
to one another, their "missionary parents" and us (visitors). It is really amazing to see how little
they have as far as material things, and yet how grateful they are for everything they have. We've seen such an amazing light in each of these children. The amazing grateful attitude of each and everyone of them is the puzzle piece we can bring back to our communities and churches to share with everyone at home.
Everyone is doing well and so happy to be here. Each day continues to bring such new experiences and all around beautiful awareness of what this place is about and how we are connected to it. Blessings to all those we are with us in spirit and we are in prayer and thinking of you all.

We made it!

Well after a long trip and many hours we've made it to Africa. We are just waiting now for Becky and Chris to come back from the store... they had a little flat tire issue but our friend here, Sue, who housed us last night is going to pick them up so we can make our way out to Bulembu. It was wonderful to get a full nights rest in a bed last night. The plane rides were long and we got some rest but last night was sure a treat. We had a lovely breakfast this morning made by Sue the woman who runs the B and B we stayed in "Arches" in Nelspruit. We are all excited and eager to reach our final destination, everything has truely been a blessing since we've arrived. Everyone is healthy and seem rested for the next leg of our journey. The drive from JoeBerg to Nelspruit was beautiful and we saw some interesting countryside ranging from mountains, streams, orange and lemon trees, prickly pear catus, squatter camps, small towns, to Milly's restaurant where we stopped for lunch. Our drivers have all been lovely and kept us safe... but they sure drive steadily here. Everyone misses home but we are ready for the blessings ahead and truely ready to be of service. Peace and Love

Leaving San Francisco Arrived in London

Hello all!
Just got to London nice flight ... seems everyone is a little tired but here safely and awaiting our next portion of the trip.
Photo- Getting ready to leave SFO

Super Sunday Sendoff at Pacific Grove

Many of us received the blessings of our congregations as we prepared to begin our journey. The five of us going from First United Methodist Church in Pacific Grove felt the power of prayer during our consecration at the Sunday morning service. We will be holding our church family near to our hearts in the days ahead for comfort and security. We are so fortunate to come from a place where God's light shines very brightly and we hope we can carry this light with us to Bulembu.

Jane Cross

City of Hope

People have asked, why go to Africa? Why Swaziland? Here's our compelling reason:
Bulembu: City of Hope
The African country of Swaziland has the highest incidence of AIDS in the world with almost 40% of the population infected. The children have been most affected, losing one or both parents, left in the care of ailing and/or aging grandparents. According to UNICEF there are approximately 60,000 orphans in Swaziland. The United Nations issued a report that stated, with the current AIDS condition, this beautiful country will be extinct by the year 2050. If ever there was a more hopeless, desperate situation, this is it.
But God IS at work in Swaziland, in a place called Bulembu, the City of Hope. Bulembu is a small town on the northern border of Swaziland. It once was a mining town that went bankrupt and was abandoned in 2001. In 2006, it was rebirthed by Bulembu Ministries Swaziland (BMS) and the town is beginning to grow again. Timber harvest and honey production are some of the businesses that have revived the local economy and employment for the 1000 plus residents now inhabiting the town. But the greater purpose and vision of BMS, a non-profit group, is for Bulembu to become a place of refuge, providing hope and healing, to those suffering from AIDs, poverty, abuse and abandonment.
The deepest desire of those who work in Bulembu is to display the compassion of Jesus by being Christ’s hands and feet in ministry; feeding the hungry, rescuing abandoned babies, renovating foster homes for homeless orphans, providing jobs and restoring dignity. BMS’s goal is to nurture healthy individuals and families, to educate and equip leaders within Swaziland, and to create a vibrant, self sustaining community.

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of the Swaziland 2009 Volunteers in Mission team from the California/Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. We will be traveling to Bulembu, Swaziland, Africa from June 30 to July 14, 2009.
We invite you to join us as we follow God's call to be be in connection with the ministries and people of Bulembu. We will lead vacation bible school, be in fellowship with the local Methodist society, support the local ministries, and be in relationship with those directly affected by the AIDS crisis in this part of the world

Front Row: l-r Mary Davis, Donna Brandt, team leader, Becky Perry
Back Row: l-r Hallie Greene, Ruth Matthews, Jane Cross, Heather Bishop, Farida Melia, Christian Knox, Rosemary Steenhausen, and Mary Jane Melvin
(not pictured: Team member, Chris McLain, Swaziland Individual Mission Volunteer)

May you find hope and inspiration as you journey with us in spirit.
Siyakudumisa! Praise the Lord's Holy Name!