Keeping Warm This Winter?

Winter is certainly upon us here in Swaziland. We are weathering the very cool nights, windy afternoons and dusty days. While most of you are enjoying the warm spring and soon to be summer breeze of the Northern Hemisphere, much to our surprise and dismay, it does get quite cold here in the Lubumbo Mountain Range.










But we truly have nothing to complain about, short of intermittently having cold hands and noses. The vast majority of our patients do not have it so good. Most of their homesteads are made of stick, stone, mud and thatched roofs. Additionally, since so many families are no longer intact there isn't anyone to maintain their homesteads. Frequently we encounter crumbling walls and thatched roofs that no longer keep the wind and rain out. To say that it can get smoky in one of these little huts is an understatement. During the winter months, often the Swazis will cook inside their huts in order to benefit from heat generated from cooking. One has to part the smoke in order to find our patients and be able to tend to their needs.







It can be very challenging to make a home visit and have to leave knowing that your patients are going to have a long cold night ahead of them with no heat. Blankets are a luxury for many and more often than not the whole family sleeps in the same space (usually on a grass mat placed on the floor) in order to keep warm. No need to worry about hearing the baby crying from down the hall, or falling out of their crib when you are sleeping next to each other on the floor. There are benefits to leading a very simple life but being cold is not one of them.









Fortunately, members of the Mission Team from Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas took it upon themselves to donate blankets. Over the last week we have distributed them to our Home Based Care patients. It has been very gratifying to hand out the blankets over the last week since everyone was so pleased to receive them. Nothing like being a good will ambassador from America and in turn being the recipient of so much gratitude and good will.







I want to personally thank all of you who donated the money for the blankets. Our patients were very touched and incredibly happy to have a new warm blanket during this cold and windy season. Your generosity is acknowledged and appreciated. The attached photos show some the people who received the blankets but it does not fully capture how grateful they were. Be assured that the blankets are in the hands of those in need. Attached are photos of some the people who received the blankets, I hope that you enjoy being able to put a face to those you are helping.












The three children pictured here are siblings. Both of their parents are very ill, hopefully they will not be orphans soon but that is unlikely.

















Siphesihle, always with a great smile. Her birthday is July 25th, she will be turning 7 years old.

















This young patient was more concerned with getting his sweetie than having his photo taken.
















Pictured is a Gogo with her mentally disabled granddaughter along side her. Another grandchild, who is our patient is on her back. Gogo is the sole caregiver for the family.

















A young woman photographed with her new blanket and food parcels from Clay Pots.























Thabiso keeping warm and with a big grin. He was on his way to his homestead from school when he received his blanket.


















Make Maphosa with one of our patients, he is able to wheel himself up and down the hill behind him with just one functioning arm. He is incredibly strong for having such limited use of his arms and legs.















This is a young man, from a community called Magugu, which is very close to Good Shepherd Hospital. He is a double orphan and patient of ours. He raises vegetables in his garden and then he sells in town to support himself. Only 14 years old and already such a hard worker and quite the gentleman.











This old Gogo is wearing a black piece of cloth tied around her neck. This generally denotes the death of a child or family member, usually within the last six months. Most likely the fabric is marking the death of a daughter. If she were all in black it would represent her husband and the loss of a son would be signified by a black shirt as well.













This woman make quick use of her new blanket to secure her child to her back. In Swaziland, children are carried on the backs of their mothers or caregivers.










Peace,
Scott