It's all about extremes, isn't it.

It seems as if its been a long time since I have sat and written about life here in Swaziland. I know that it's an old cliche but I really do not know where all the time goes. In many ways our life here is much less complicated and busy than it was in NYC. Many of the things that occupied our time are not accessible here; no movies, no theater, no gym, none of our usual friends to hang out with and share a meal and good conversation with but the time still escapes me just the same. I certainly spend more time reading, reflecting and trying to make sense out of what we are seeing and experiencing here, time has not allowed for anymore answers, just more questions.
With all of these question marks I am made to feel more uncomfortable about the way the world should work, what my role in it should be and generally how to act. Will my actions just create more problems? Is it the right thing to be here or are we just interfering with a culture and lives that should be taken care of by their own people and government? Are we helping to create a 'dependent culture' that will never be able to care for itself or are we here to help those less fortunate than us, doing the work that the nuns at Catholic school told us we should do, treating others as we would want to be treated.
At times, the demands seem endless. Around every isle in the grocery store, or every new homestead we visit, or while watching a soccer game, there is great need expressed and no one is shy about asking for help. The challenge has become how to respond in a caring manner, with respect and dignity and still be able to say no much more often than you can say yes. No I cannot pay your school fees, no I cannot get the ARV's you need to stay alive, no I cannot get you into to see the doctor any quicker, no I cannot give you the food you need to feed your family, no no no. Fortunately, there have been numerous times when we can say Yes, thanks to the support from family and friends back home and for that we are very grateful. Your contributions of late have provided for many visits to the doctor, food for starving children, bus fare to the hospital and clinic and so forth. Time and again we hear, Thanks God for America, and no that is not a typo, it's Thanks God, not Thank God. Wow, it's no wonder that I am waking up at 4:00 am !
Anyways, here are some photos and captions to try to give a glimpse into what the past couple of weeks have been like. There is no chronological order, just various images and thoughts to go along with them. On a higher note, our dear friend Karen Wong arrived a couple of weeks ago and it has been wonder to have her here, sharing our new life and all that make it what it is. She has fit right in, especially with her nursing background and her extremely caring nature. She is certainly one of the most generous and caring people that I have ever met and the locals have taken to her immediately.



Karen being surrounded by children at a primary school just outside of Siteki. We were making a visit with Home Based Care to a couple of orphans at the school who are on ARV's. I do not think that any of the children had seen a Chinese woman before. It was great fun to watch the scene unfold, most of the children just wanted to touch her, it was very endearing to see such curiosity in motion.





Children from various homesteads receiving clothing that was donated. Everyone loves getting something new even if it is handed down and over and across the ocean.




















A favorite view of mine, so peaceful. Captured while making home visits.















Children enjoying their new Comfort Dolls. The young boy, third from the left is one of our patients.












Breast feeding is encouraged for all new borns regardless of their HIV status of their mothers. This young woman is a patient of ours and he child has tested HIV negative so far, she will be required to be tested two more times in the next year or so.














A chicken that has seen better days. Now I know where those skinny little chickens in the grocery store come from.















The World Food Program provides Sdinono, which is a complete food source for every patient receiving ARV's, each patient gets 6kg per month when they pick up their medications. The sign on the door reads that 'we have run out of Sdinono', we were left without any supplies of the food supplement for about two weeks.








Marula is a local fruit that grows in abundance here in Swaziland and South Africa. During the harvest season the locals make their own fermented Marula drink and yes there are many a person who is drunk from the local nectar. Each family is supposed to give an offering of their own Marula to the King. This woman is a HBC patient who stated that she was 'doing fine today' as she processed the marula.












David and I visiting two of the orphans that we support. Nosipho and Mancoba are always anxious to show us their school work, they are both in third grade and are such sweet kids. We often comment that 'we have two kids that are very sweet and two that are the wild ones'.









A young new mother who is a patient of the Home Based Care team. She and her newborn will both be followed by HBC.















The Wild Ones; Thabiso and Senzo, both of which find it very difficult to make it to school more days than not. Often we find one or both of them in town or running around along the roadside on the way to the hospital, we then try and escort them to school, not always successfully. It is amazing how an eleven year old can make you believe just about anything. Thabiso's mother died two weeks ago today and he is expected to move on like nothing has happened. Thabiso is eleven, his father died many years ago and now he is a double orphan. Since his mother's death two weeks ago he has lost not only her but his home and his little brother that has gone to live with another relative. Thabiso is living with an 'auntie' now and his walk to school is now a good half hour longer than before as well as being 20 minutes away by foot from his best buddy Senzo.






A beautiful young woman who is seen by the HBC Team. She has beat the odds up to this point with the help of a very attentive mother and extended family.










How amazing the human body is, what it can survive and how easy a microscopic organism can bring it down.


















David and I posing with Thabiso, he really brings a lot of joy to our lives, even with all of his sorrows and struggles. His personality is contagious and he is a very bright and intelligent boy.





Much Love,
Scott