Meet Mukelo

Teachers aren't supposed to have favorites. However, most teachers can identify a few students that have really left an imprint on their heart. That's Mukelo.

I don't know all the details of Mukelo's story, but I do know he came to the farm as an infant--sick and malnourished. When I met Mukelo in 2007, he was possibly the brightest five year-old I had ever met. Having been raised on the farm since birth, his mastery of English and Siswati (the traditional Swazi language) was remarkable. Mukelo would often serve as a tiny translator, communicating with visiting missionary teams and quickly relaying information to the other children.

Mukelo, in salmon-colored shorts, is proud of his scarecrow!

 Last time I was there, Mukelo declared himself the personal caretaker of my water bottle. It was really an obsession. He would clean it, refill it (only once with diarrhea-inducing rain water), and would always ask "where'd the water go?"  He would also ask me to set it on his head--somehow the dimensions of the bottle wouldn't allow him to do this himself--so he could carry it for me as we worked in the garden.

Mukelo was sometimes too smart for his own good. I can't wait to see this mischievous, delightful, and hope-filled little guy again! 

We just settled into our new (temporary) home. Please be praying for the many preparations, logistics, and loose-ends that need to be tied up in the next 90-days. It is sometimes overwhelming.