The kiddies and I spent the afternoon at Mvutjini CarePoint... what a beautiful Thursday. Tons of sunshine and mild temps -- hopefully signs that we're coming into spring. We're all ready for a warm-up!
While we were at the CarePoint today, a new "Feed My Starving Children" food container was received today, so Steph and a bunch of other staff and helpers were involved with unloading the boxes. Every eight weeks, we receive Feed My Starving Children shipped from the States, and about 5,000 children are nourished every day because of these shipments. It's pretty amazing. And so, Steph wasn't with us for the Mvutjini visit, but I snapped this picture for him. The boy in the green is Bonkuhle (bohn-goo-thlay), and he and Steph have really connected. Just an awesome kid with an incredible smile. It's so fun to form relationships with these little ones and really get to know them. They're little people, just like you and me, and because of God moving through Children's Cup, Mission of Mercy, Feed My Starving Children, and many other organizations, they have bright futures ahead of them.
There was a new face at the Mvutjini CarePoint today (pictured below with Avery). Her sister Kholiwe, a Mission of Mercy sponsored child, wasn't able to get to the CarePoint as frequently as she should have been. The facilitators did a home visit and found out that Kholiwe was responsible for taking care of her two-year-old sister at home, but our great CarePoint staff invited Kholiwe to bring her along. Now Kholiwe is attending regularly, and little sisi (see-see) is getting loved on endlessly, too. What a win-win!
Below is Kholiwe, her little sister, and our three kiddies.
The bomake (bo-mah-gay) at the CarePoint were so proud to have us "shoot" them, as they say. This was taken two hours before dishing time -- check out that Feed My Starving Children and the awesome utensil they're using!
Yesterday at Mbekelweni, over 400 youth (ages 12-18) from ten CarePoints gathered for an all-day volleyball, netball and soccer tournament. Our Mvutjini youth brought home the GOLD in volleyball. Here is the winning team -- we're so very proud of them!
Below are Christina and Lindiwe, our two facilitators, updating the feeding register and handing out incentives to the sponsored children. If the children attend the CarePoint just twelve times per month, they are rewarded with toiletries -- and they're thrilled to have them! Today, they received some much needed vaseline. Because the children walk through the bush and dirt paths to get to the CarePoints, their skin on their legs becomes scraped and very dry, and at times infected, especially in the winter. These little toiletries go a very long way, and also encourage the CarePoint kids to keep their attendance regular.
Avery taught the facilitators and some of the CarePoint kids how to "Uno" today. :)
As we climbed the mountain to head home after our visit, I had Ave quickly snap a picture of the shadows of the clouds on the hills -- one of my most favorite parts of living here. I never get tired of seeing the scenery... it's breathtaking. As big as the mountains are, the shadows always remind me that there is someone bigger. He moves the clouds and moves mountains, too -- God is moving in Swaziland.
