Can you even imagine?

Picture by Ken Roosenberg

This is a picture of the second Care Point that we visited on the first day, near the Mancini area. On the flight over, one of my concerns is how we would deal with the language barrier and how well would I connect with the little children. I think I am a pretty great grandfather to my grandchildren, but would the little children of Swaziland feel that way too?

Well both worries were dealt with quickly and at the same time. It is amazing how quickly the barriers come down and what a hero you are when you show up with a couple of brand new soccer balls. We could hardly get them pumped up fast enough. This Care Point is one of the most developed ones in the Mancini area. It is amazing the difference between a Care Point that is not sponsored by a church and one that has been sponsored by a church for several years. (more on that in a future writing)

Look closely at the picture above. The children are fortunate enough that the church that is sponsoring this Care Point has come to Swaziland with a team that not only built them an awesome playground, but also built and installed soccer goals and nets. In the picture above they had been running hard and one of the kids made a shot on goal and missed so that is why they are looking behind the net at their teammate that is retrieving the ball.

These kids are unbelievably good at soccer. They run hard and play hard. They run at lightening speed, but look closer and you will see that they are all barefoot. That is especially amazing and mind-boggling when you look at the actual surface of the soccer field. I took notice of the surface of the field as I was taking my last soccer picture. I just had to capture a closeup of the field. Are you ready? Are you sure? Remeber they are running hard and playing hard. Here goes!

Picture by Ken Roosenberg

Even with my calloused feet I could never handle this! I would be crying like a baby. About an hour later I had a little boy sitting on my lap. He just wanted someone to love him and hold him and hug him. I sat with him for a while and after a short period of time we had connected so well that I decided to tickle his foot to get him to laugh. Wow! It was like tickling hardened asphalt. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever have pictured a foot so hard and calloused, and this was a boy that was just over 4 years old. It seemed like it would have taken a life time to get that hard.

Once I got home, one of my biggest concerns and something that I pray about regularly is that I do not want to lose this feeling I have for the Swazi children. I do not want my emotions to soften, or worse yet, deaden after time passes. I know after losing our last dog after 14 years of fun times, that initially I was an emotional mess, as we are were, but after time passes the pain eases, and after a year or so  you still have the memories, but the pain has gone and is nearly forgotten. Dear God, please God, do not let that happen to me with these Swazi children. I already long to go back to Swaziland. I have so many images burnt into my mind. I am feeling a strong call to help anyway and every way that I can. I pray daily dear Lord, that you show me what you are calling me to do. Am I to help out here in the U.S. doing everything possible to raise awareness, to raise funds, and to collect materials for future containers? Am I to travel in some manner addressing other groups and churches to raise awareness? Am I actually being called to be a hands on person on the ground in Swaziland to help the people,to help the children, to help the Swazi Discipleship teams in a three month at a time mission trip? Am I being called to even longer mission trips, possibly two years at a time? Janine is interested in helping the children of Swaziland too. What is your call for us as a couple? How does all of this fit into my work life? I love my job, it's the best job I have ever had, but with the work load that has been put upon me in the last two years since we cut staff more than 60%, I do not know how to even begin to make this work. I need some clarity from you. Help me give up control to you and quit trying to solve all of this by myself. Help me put me faith and trust in you, Lord. Please dear Lord, show me your direction in my life. You have blessed me and my family so richly and I feel like I need to start giving back more than I already am doing.

Dear Lord, as you know I tend to be a take charge person and I am also the type of person that wants to identify a problem and then solve it and then move on to the next issue. In Swaziland that is not possible! The problems, which are many, have no easy solutions, and they will take  many, many years of hard work to even turn the things in the right direction and get them heading towards sustainability. As I sat quietly this morning, praying and meditating, I heard the voice that you put inside my head today. I actually heard the words, "Be still and know that I am God!" Thank you Lord. To often even when I think I am being quiet and meditating, I still have so many thoughts or back ground noises going on that I really could not hear you when you try to reach me. Help me know how to shut up and listen, and to free my mind 100% as I quietly wait for your answers.