Posted in Stories by Christine Chenoweth on 1/23/2010
There is a girl here who has been close to my heart for the
whole time I've been here. She is 13 years old and she's very bright. I met her
by "accident" one day. I know with God,
there are no accidents, just divine appointments and she was a divine appointment.
She came by my gate one day last Oct. with her sister and friend looking for
someone else. No one was there but me, so I asked them their names. Then they
told me they had walked far to come see this person, so I invited them in for
some juice and biscuits. I could see these girls were from a rough area and had
probably not eaten that day. The one girl had very good English and we were
able to communicate ok, the other 2 looked to her for translation and help with
English, and I was trying out my SiSwati as best I could to make the communication
easier. We played a little soccer, and then I sent them home because it was
becoming dark and it's unsafe for girls to be out after dark. I had mango trees
in my yard and so each girl was given a bag and I told them pick as many
mangoes as you want to take back to your families. I knew some would be eaten
on the way. This began a beautiful friendship.
The girls came by about 2-3 times a week after that to see
me, the other person they had come to see moved back to the USA.
After a while I was told I shouldn't have kids come to my house, because they
might go back and tell others and it would make my home a target for theft. So
one day I had to tell them they couldn't come to see me anymore. I started
visiting them at their homes and so our friendship was able to continue. I
found out that this girl's sister and friend had both been sponsored to go to
school, but no one was able to sponsor her. It was too late by the time I
learned about this to register her at any school. So this year I have decided
to be the one to send her to school. This past week, I took her to pick up her
first school uniform ever, new shoes, a notebook, and a pencil set. I got to
her home and she was beaming, as she jumped into my car, she was shouting back
to her friends that she was getting all her school stuff. She had so much pride on her face, I
wanted to cry. She has never been to an official school; many of the kids where
she comes from are not able to go to school because of the school fees. I feel
so blessed to be able to help her out.
Sometimes there are million words to describe what God is
doing and how He is working and other times I am in awe of Him, yet I can't put
my thoughts and feelings into words. For some of you, you are probably thinking
that I am never out of words, but it does happen on rare occasion :)
As the New Year is beginning I am coming into my final 6
months here in Swaziland,
it's been a tough time but also rewarding. Just the other day I was speaking
with the head teacher at the school I work in and she wants me to add an
additional 2 classes for me to teach Bible stories and lessons. I was shocked
and very excited at the same time. I knew she was happy with my work overall,
but many times I asked for special permission to do stuff with the children
that might disrupt the regular school schedule, she always obliged but I wondered
if it was too much. It turns out she was happy to make these concessions for me
as long as the children were getting God's Word. I am in a position to
influence an additional 45 students and I can't begin to describe how thrilled
I am. But, I am also sad to know that I will only be with these children for
half of their school year, so while I have more kids to teach it will only be
for half the time I was able to give to the previous students. Please be in
prayer as I begin this new year of teaching that the children's hearts and
minds will be open to the wonderful love of Christ.
Posted in Pictures by Christine Chenoweth on 11/15/2009
Zimba
Boots
My New House
Jane and ITraditional WearJane, Walter, Ruby Trad. Dancing
These Pictures are from our Christmas/80th Birthday party for Grandma (gogo) Ruby. The women who all sew for Timbali Crafts (make cool handbags and table runners) came together for the occasion.
Some of the Children from the Care-point where we had the party
It's been a long time since I have last updated you, three months in fact. I'm sorry it's been so long. I have many excuses that I won't bore you with. Instead I'll just give you the Cliff notes on the last three months of my life.
In July, I had the pleasure of serving in Bulembu with the students from CHS (Christian Heritage School) and was surprised to have at least 6 people that I knew involved with the team. What a blessing it was to see folks from home and hear news from home. To hear our unique accent and have people know what I was talking about when I mentioned the parkway, Penny's Diner or the circle in Fairfield. I spent a week in Bulembu serving alongside this team, helping with preschool children at the "Valley of Hope" school. I was able to reconnect with some of the children I first met in the summer of 2007 and see how they've grown.
At the End of July, I was able to take some time away and visit my friend Marieka in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I spent 9 days taking in the sights and sounds and having the pleasure of being near the ocean again (not that CT has real ocean) I saw killer whales swimming in their natural habitat and for those who know me well, you know I love animals and so to see one for the first time in the ocean, that's pretty exciting. I also was able to see some dolphins swimming one day. I tasted new foods and even learned a word or two in Africaans.
Upon returning to Swaziland I was given news that I must be moved out of my house, so that began the craziness of finding a place to live in a safe neighborhood, and having that house be within my budget. It took another couple here 10 months to find a place to stay and so I was feeling very discouraged and figured I would have to move somewhere unsafe just to be out of my place on time. God had much better plans and in hearing my situation, a woman approached me and gave me the number of another woman, she said there are no guarantees, but call her and see if she has anything available. To my surprise and delight, she did know of a house in a safe neighborhood with an affordable rent. My house was so safe in fact, that I was able to bless another missionary with my guard dog (his has just died)
In the school, I have been enjoying teaching my grade 2's more stories about Jesus, we went over the Christmas story this week, so they'll be ready for exams in a few weeks. (Yes, grade 2 takes exams). My 7th graders have been working on memory verses, something I wasn't going to push on them because it's a classroom and my lessons were biblical based but not "religious." Anyways after quoting a Scripture one week, some of the girls asked if they could begin to memorize verses and of course I said yes. I am so excited to see them wanting to know the Word of God.
At the carepoint, my girls are also working on Scripture memorization, this has been much more challenging there. the first 2 months nobody memorized the verse, even with prizes for those who did. Finally a few weeks ago there was a breakthrough and 6 girls came with the verse memorized. They received their prize (chocolate) and in the last weeks more girls are trying. My next challenge for them is to learn to apply these words to their lives. It seems to be a tough concept for them to get.
Please pray for all the children I work with, that God will be real to them and they will want to know Him more.
Pray for safety for me as I travel farther now to my ministry points each day. Also I am traveling this weekend to pick up a fellow missionary at the airport (5 hour drive into South Africa)
Pray that my faith will increase and that I will continue on even when I don't see the fruit. that I will perservere despite the challenges.
Thank you all, as always, for your prayers and support!
Posted in Stories by Christine Chenoweth on 7/12/2009
I attend a woman's Bible study every Wednesday, we have been doing a study on hearing the voice of God. A few weeks ago while we were going over the homework someone challenged the group to not just hear God's voice but to do what He says and to do it immediately. A lot of times we know God wants something from us and we intend to get to it eventually. A lot of times eventually never comes around and that thing that God has called us to is forgotten completely. We miss out on becoming more intimate with God as a result and whatever other blessings that God may have had in mind based on our obedience to His voice.
All that being said, I went home that day, encouraged and excited. What was God asking me to do? How would I know it was God? Would it be something that I would willingly respond to in His time and not my own? That night as I was trying to go to sleep, I started having all these great ideas of how I could bless the people of Swaziland. I spent at least 3 hours lying there and planning out all this stuff I could do for people. I knew of a church that has been raising money FOREVER, just for some new chairs, I could easily give to them. I knew of a girl that was trying to get into university and had spent all her resources just on transportation to get the right paperwork in, leaving no money left even for a meal. I see children all the time in rags, others that can't be in school because of school fees, mom's that need formula for their babies. And the list goes on.
Then I thought of the children in Nsoko, those sweet sweet children that don't have shoes, the ones that wear rags that are shredded in many areas, the ones that eat only if the carepoint has food that week. The children that are raising their siblings because one or both parents in dead and many times the other had abandoned them. The ones who come to play at the Center in Nsoko because they know they won't be turned away no matter what. These same children sometimes sleep on the porch of the center because there is no one to go home to. These are the children that God has called me to do a clothing drive for. It seemed like so little for their so many needs, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was telling me to do it and to do it immediately.
I started calling around to a few missionary families in the area that I knew had children and asked if they wanted to donate, I then went through my own stuff and pulled out the clothing that I won't get back into no matter how I watch what I eat, I grabbed shoes that I never wear. Then I asked a team that was leaving if they wanted to donate anything for this clothing drive. There was a family on the team and so more kids clothes, but adult sizes. I then ran out to a store to purchase girls and boys underwear. As I was about to drive the 90 min. drive to surprise the pastor and the children, I passed by a truck on the side of the road, a man was selling oranges in bags of 30. I bought 4 bags and was finally on my way.
When I got to the carepoint, I told the pastor my intention and he was thrilled, him and his wife were so thankful, they do what they can, sometimes giving children food and leaving theirs with none for a night. We organzied the kids by age, youngest to oldest and washed all their hands and feet and faces, then we redressed them in the new clothes and gave them all an orange. We got to the adults and were able to bless them with new things as well and gave them all an orange.
God is so amazing and I am so thankful that I listened to His voice, because I was blessed beyond anything I could imagine that day. One little boy got a new pair of sneakers and socks. He started strutting around and the older children kept calling out to him what nice shoes they were. I never saw a boy so proud to wear used shoes. At the end of the day everbody was dressed in clothing the right size and there was about one black bag left of clothing we hadn't used. Nobody went home without something new. About 90 people in all.
Posted in Pictures by Christine Chenoweth on 6/24/2009
One of the girls at Bhekelanga Carepoint
Teacher Brenda's 2nd grade class at Khanyisile Primary School
The ocean in St. Lucia, South Africa ( I went for a day trip and it was the first time I've been to the Indian Ocean, it was well worth my $3 parking fee to drive through the safari to get here)
Teacher Holmes 2nd Grade class at Khanyisile Primary School
The kids playing soccer from Timbutini carepoint
Julie and I after hiking a mountain in Mbabane The rural area
Rural area and some kids running home at the end of the day Jacci and I after the hike in Mbabane, she knows the name of the "rock"/mountain
"NEW LIFE" is the theme for our women's camp coming up June 12-14 for the women who cook at our care points and sew for Timbali Crafts. In a place with so much death, we're getting really excited about God is going to do during our weekend focused on LIFE...true life found in Jesus. The camp will hopefully have close to 80 women in attendance, including the 40+ women from Nsoko who just started sewing for Timbali last fall. This will be the first time all of the women have been together and they are excited for the opportunity.
Here are some stories and pics from Julie Anderson's blog, (http://julieanderson.myadventures.org) who works with these women and heads up Timbali Crafts...
NOMSA
A while ago my friend Nomsa told me I needed to come to visit her home so she could show me what she has done with money she's earned through Timbali Crafts. Nomsa is a precious woman, who works hard, never complains and has a beautiful smile. Yesterday afternoon Ellie and I, and a few other friends, were able to visit the home of Nomsa and her family.
Nomsa and her husband, their 6 children, 3 other children they care for, and her husband's mother all live on the same homestead. Nomsa's house is small, only one room made from stick and mud, with a very leaky roof that was threatening to cave in during heavy rains. There were several other similar stick and mud homes/rooms shared by the family members and also a concrete block home (one room) for the grandmother. What Nomsa was so excited to show us was the nearly finished concrete block house/room that they have been able to build using money she had earned through the purses she sews. We captured some great pictures during our visit, but I wish you all could have seen Nomsa in person yesterday-she was BEAMING with the excitement of visitors to her home and showing off what the Lord has provided. It was such a good time of rejoicing with my friend. There was one less chicken running around their yard yesterday afternoon, as Nomsa had also prepared a meal for us! I hope it encourages you as it did me to see the good things the Lord is providing for these precious women!
THOKO
I met as usual yesterday with the Timbali women to cut fabric. Afterwards about 17 of us piled into the van to go and visit Thoko. I heard on Sunday that Thoko's daughter, had passed away over the weekend. About 9 months ago I blogged about a couple of trips I'd made to a local HIV/AIDS clinic with Thoko's daughter Lindiwe. At only 24 she had been too weak to walk, barely able to speak, and had to be pushed in a wheel barrowdown a small path to the road where I could pick them up. Lindiwe had been doing pretty well for a while, but in the last couple weeks grew weak again, and finally passed away on Friday. This is the third child Thoko has lost in the last few years, and her husband is also very sick.
We drove as far as we could in the van, then walked across a small valley to Thoko's homestead. As we got close one of the women started singing a song and the others joined in. Everyone took their shoes off at the door and crowded into the small 7'x7' stick and mud hut. We sat on the floor and sang, prayed and shared scripture with Thoko. It's hard to imagine the heaviness of Thoko's grief.
During the afternoon Psalm 62:8 kept coming to mind, and I shared it with the women while we were sitting in Thoko's house: "Trust in the Lord at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." I pray that Thoko will know that they can pour out their hearts to the Lord, that they can trust Him and that they can find refuge in Him.
Nomsa and Thoko are just some of the women that will be attending the "NEW LIFE" camp. These times away can be great times of encouragement, refreshment and healing. Please consider helping to make it happen!
Posted in Stories by Christine Chenoweth on 4/28/2009
Today was a great day. I decided that since we are in a
school break that I wanted to give the girls at the care point a game day. I
have no idea what Swazi teenage girls like to do so I brought with me some card
games. I grew up in a family of nine children and my dad always seemed to pick
the house at the edge of town where no one my age lived or we lived on a busy
street and therefore it wasn't safe to play in the road. So we played a lot of
board games and card games in my home.
I taught the girls
Skip Bo, Phase Ten, and a good old fashion game of war. I had candy bar prizes
for the winners. Not a single one of them ever played any of these game before
and trying explain without a translator for 2 of the three games was difficult,
eventually I was able to go around to each group and teach the game. My
translator got stuck on the first game and decided not to even figure out the
other two.
We also put together little gift bags with fruit and candy
inside.
I painted all the girls nails for a special treat, they are
not allowed to wear nail polish in school, but during break it's no problem.
They have 3 weeks for it to wear off :)
I brought my laptop
After all the games and prizes we watched the movie Princess
Diary. Swaziland
is a monarchy and so even though it was in English they got a lot of it. They
really enjoy the main character's klutziness too.
During the movie they got to snack on cheese puffs (Jax) and
I brought along some orange juice to drink.
All in all I had fun, the girls loved it! Today was the
first day after more than 8 months that some of the girls spoke to me. Thank
you God for the breakthroughs :)
Posted in Stories by Christine Chenoweth on 4/28/2009
Today was a great day. I decided that since we are in a
school break that I wanted to give the girls at the care point a game day. I
have no idea what Swazi teenage girls like to do so I brought with me some card
games. I grew up in a family of nine children and my dad always seemed to pick
the house at the edge of town where no one my age lived or we lived on a bust
street and therefore it wasn't safe to play in the road. So we played a lot of
board games and card games in my home.
I taught the girl
Skip Bo, Phase Ten, and a good old fashion game of war. I had candy bar prizes
for the winners. Not a single one of them ever played any of these game before
and trying explain without a translator for 2 of the three games was difficult,
eventually I was able to go around to each group and teach the game. My
translator got stuck on the first game and decided not to even figure out the
other two.
We put together little gift bags also with fruit and candy
inside.
I painted all the girls nails for a special treat, they are
not allowed to wear nail polish in school, but during break it's no problem.
They have 3 weeks for it to wear off :)
I brought my laptop
After all the games and prizes we watched the movie Princess
Diary. Swaziland
is a monarchy and so even though it was in English they got a lot of it. They
really enjoy the main character's klutziness too.
During the movie they got to snack on cheese puffs (Jax) and
I brought along some orange juice to drink.
All in all I had fun, the girls loved it! Today was the
first day after more than 8 months that some of the girls spoke to me. Thank
you God for the breakthroughs :)
Aside from teaching Bible at the primary school and discipling
teenage girls in the rural area, I have been taking trips twice a month to the
poorest part of Swaziland.
A place called Nsoko. By far this is the most difficult thing I do, physically
and mentally. Physically the drive is long and it's very hot. Nsoko is a barren
place where the rain falls sparsely. There has been an official drought there
for at least the last 4 years. When I go there, I am there to take pictures and
update AIM's supporters on what's happening there with 8 care points, a community
center, a clinic, and how the Pastor is doing. Mentally it is hard because the
desperation is so great there and I want to help them all, but can only help a
few. Prayer is needed for people to rise up and serve here in a full time
capacity.
The people in Nsoko are very kind and warm. As I drive up to
the community center they greet me with huge grins and a few have even come to
recognize and trust me enough to hug me hello (something that is rare here). I
have driven to all of the care points at one time or another and have visited
multiple homesteads. The conditions are heartbreaking, people are wasting away,
and most don't have the strength to get up from where they are sitting. The
children run around half naked without adult supervision. The Center provides
meals 6 days a week for the children and a safe place to play. Recently a
playground was constructed on site for the children with room for 50 kids to
play safely at a time. A field has been cleared for soccer games and nets have
been put up for netball games.
Most of the children are too poor to go to school and so
they have hours and hours to waste in the day, many end up falling into
dangerous activities and groups. This Center provides a place for safe
activities and even the women can come and learn sewing.
I added these pictures so you can pray for the people of
Nsoko, to put a face on these beautiful people ho have all but been forgotten by
their own. As of right now we don't have any full time staff living in the
area.
Pictured here is Pastor Gift, his wife Philile and his three children Nothando, Nduduzo and Okuhle,
He is a wonderful Swazi man who has a huge heart
for the people, he has moved his family down to this desolate area giving up
many comforts, just to be close to the people.
Zimba
Boots
My New House
Jane and I
Traditional Wear
Jane, Walter, Ruby
Trad. Dancing
Julie and I after hiking a mountain in Mbabane
The rural area
Rural area and some kids running home at the end of the day
Jacci and I after the hike in Mbabane, she knows the name of the "rock"/mountain
I brought my laptop
