I have been a youth worker for a few years now, specifically in Youth Ministry with a team of other young people. This sent me to Swaziland with many fears, how would I see God in the suffering of children, how could God allow a country to be so underprivelaged? I tell you, I hoped and prayed that I would find fulfilling answers to these questions.
When we arrived there I was, straight away, plunged into an unfamiliar culture! NO HOT WATER, infact, no water at all. After almost 24hours of travelling, all I wanted was a nice hot shower and a good nights sleep. God was definately not on my side that day! The water in this specific part of Manzini (Swaziland's largest urban centre) had been off for 3 days, welcome to the laid back and relaxed attitudes of the majority of the population over there. It shames me to admit this but I actually cried, I CRIED because I couldnt take a shower, later in the trip I cried because i'd cried.
Anyway, once I had gotten over the lack of water and settled in a little it was down to business. We had raised and taken over money with the aim of refurbishing one of the worst orphanages in Manzini. Don't get me wrong, Manzini Youth Care, the charity we worked with, takes great care of the children they find parentless or on the streets; but the places these poor children lived left so much to be desired. We chose an orphanage called McCorkindale's to be the base for our work.
The place was right out in the middle of nowhere and it, straight away, scared me to think how far children as young as 3 were walking to get to school. Then I thanked God that these children even went to school. They were aged between about 3 and 21 and there was 34 of them in total spread out between 10 rooms, if you could call them that. The young people of the orphanage were prodominantly AIDS orphans, with many of them suffering from HIV themselves. Now, the showers that the boys used were disgusting, i've seen and smelt nothing like it before in my life, so this was our main priority.
I shall admit, tiling and grouting is not my forte so we set about painting all of the rooms, a nice magenta on the bottom and cream on the top. We made new curtains and bought pillows for each of the children.
I know, it's all so lovely and selfless.
I'm so very proud of the fantastic work we did over there but seriously, that is one country in need of a serious over turn. One day, a boy called Tony, who lived at McCorkindale's came out wearing a t-shirt that actually brought me to tears. Tony was 19, same age I was when I was out there, his t-shirt read 'DON'T GIVE HIV A PLACE TO HIDE - CIRCUMCISE.'
The reason I cried? How can it be that I read that t-shirt and am totally and deeply apalled by its message and yet this boy, the same age as myself, believes that by wearing it he is spreading some strong, founded and reliable knowledge???
I mean, seriously, so much work has gone into giving out condoms in places like Swaziland but why are we giving out condoms!? They think that condoms give them worms, so they don't use them! They believe that through cirumcision they are safe from HIV. Why is money and time not being spent in educating these people on reality!
Now, i'm ranting and I know I am, but on a serious note, the work and money that is done in third world countries is amazing and I admire the missionaries and volunteers and doctors etc etc. However, there are basics that NEED to be dealt with.
I am not claiming to know everything but this is my experience of people my own age in a third world country. I think people hide behind the fact that, yes i'll give £1 a month to CAFOD or another charity and then who cares what happens, i've done my bit. Harsh, but ultimately true.
I say all this and yet, I don't have the answer. How do you educate a whole country? Especially seen as it is run by a King who has something like 14 wives, many of whom are underage. It seems like such an impossible task and yet I can't help but feel a need to be a part of attempting that impossible task.
Just quickly, let me end on a lighter note, I did not, in the whole time I was out there, find a child or adult who was wallowing in there situation, an example to be had by all. The happiness that I saw in the faces of the children who sleep, sometimes, 4 to a bed, is something I thank God for. God must be in their lives, what else do they have to smile about!?
They gave me something to smile about, they were such a inspiration! Here's me, a materialistic 19 year old, crying because I can't have a shower and here's 34 children who just thank God for each day they have with each other.
One final question, I promise this is the last thing, how can God allow this to be how the world is? It still rattles me and my faith. How can this all loving and all knowing being in whom I have an enormous amount of faith allow me to live the way I do and watch those poor children live the way they do?
