Sometimes the Chicken Doesn't Make it Across the Road

People often ask about what we will eat while in Swaziland. We will eat a plethora of vegetables, a passel of corn and corn by-products, rice, and a whole lotta chicken. Raising chickens has become a very successful income generating enterprise at New Life Homes. Live chickens are sold at markets in the capital city, Mbabane.

Tommy and a few of the farmhands loading up the birds early in the morning.

The chickens raised for meat also are harvested to support the many growing bodies on the farm. Every few weeks the farm is covered in feathers as a number of women from the community help with the harvesting and cleaning of the birds.

Another way chickens are utilized (in a bit less gruesome fashion) is through the large free-range egg production enterprise. The eggs are gathered, cleaned, and packaged on the farm and are sold in grocery stores throughout Swaziland under the much sought after “Likhaya Lemphilo Lensha” or “New Life Homes” label. 

The value of chickens cannot be understated in Swaziland. Whenever you and your family sit down before a heaping plate of BBQ chicken, think about us--it is almost guaranteed that we are having chicken for dinner too. I probably just had to work a little bit harder for my meal!
 

Welcome to the Farm

With only four childrens' homes on the farm, each new addition is something to celebrate. Last week, we received news that six children have been joyously welcomed to the farm in the past month. 

The photos below show baby Busiwe being welcomed to the farm by the children and Tommy in 2006.

Two of the children are HIV-positive and have never received medical care. Two of the children, siblings, come from a background of serious neglect. One of the girls is an albino that has been rejected and abandoned by her family. Albinism is a serious cause for concern in Swaziland, where albino children have been targeted because of a belief by witch doctors that the blood and body parts of albinos can bring good luck and fortune when used in potions (an interesting, but somewhat graphic article is below).

Please pray for these new arrivals--that they adapt to their new surroundings, their new families, their new school, and their new way of life. Change can be hard, even when it's a change for the better. Please pray for strength for the children battling HIV/AIDS and that the doctors would have the wisdom to provide the care they require. Pray that the children and staff at New Life Homes would be sensitive to each child's unique needs and know how meet them in a practical and loving way. 

http://www.irinnews.org/Report/90281/SWAZILAND-Trade-in-albino-body-parts-moving-south

When...exactly?

I (Tommy) was taking a look back at some old journal entries from the first time I was in Swaziland in 2006. My entries were filled with amusing stories--and almost all were overly dramatic. 

I get pretty excited about spending a significant amount of time interacting with the children "on the farm.” Unlike last time we were there, many of the kids are now entering their teen years. Previously, one of the boys that had just turned 13 began to ask me some challenging questions, such as “When are boys old enough to start having babies?” My initial reaction was to respond with a “well… never,” but I assumed he knew which gender actually delivers babies. 

I stopped, took a deep breath, and began to wander into the weeds...talking about marriage and God’s plan. As I began to think that I was in the clear, he came back at me with a, “when…exactly?” 

Oh boy. Sometimes silence is good. This challenging conversation reminds me how the young men of Swaziland need positive male influences in their life-- and that is one statement in my journal that is not overly dramatized in the least.

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.

The Preachin' Man

In one of the videos we often share, the children living at New Life Homes share what they want to be when they grow up.

Siboniso wants to be a judge or maybe a scientist.

Zweli wants to be a DJ.

Mkhuleko wants to be "the pastor... the preachin' man."

This video, shot by Aaron Kopp (son of Peter and Mary Jean, who we'll be serving alongside), features Mkhuleko in his element.

In a country that claims the lowest life expectancy in the world, with an average of only 31.88 years, planning for the future does not always come easily for young people. However, the children at New Life Homes are encouraged to dream and hope for a future that employs their many passions, gifts, and talents.

Northern California Exposure

Nobody makes you feel more at home than the people who live in Humboldt County. Those folks are passionate about a whole host of causes--even if some might make you scratch your head. One cause that gets them fired up is supporting their own. As many of you know, Mandi was born and raised in Humboldt and has maintained many friendships over the years. With the help of Mandi’s awesome parents, Elvis and Linda, and some very generous volunteers, we held a benefit barbeque last weekend at Christ Lutheran Church in Fortuna. We even had a country gospel band, lead by Pastor Paul Demant!

Elvis and Linda served a wonderful meal that received rave reviews--especially Elvis’ chicken! We enjoyed reconnecting with old friends, and meeting some new friends as well. George and Elna Demant (pictured below) have been strong supporters of New Life Homes since we served there in 2007. Elna was so moved by New Life Homes' ministry, she has been sponsoring a child living "on the farm" for the past five years! She also regularly sends care packages to the children there. We are so encouraged by George and Elna's commitment to caring for Swazi orphans!

On Sunday we attended services both at Christ Lutheran Church as well as Hydesville Community Church--where Mandi attended youth group as a high school student. After each service we were able to visit with people who wanted to learn more about how God is moving in Swaziland. We hung out in Hydesville for their second tailgate party of this year (we were also at the first!) and ate some delicious food including tri-tip wrapped in a pancake with bbq and chili sauce.

Yeah, it was pretty delicious. Humboldt Countians, thank you all for your hospitality and most of all for your prayers and support!

A Lesson on Treasure

The Bottoms' hit a major milestone this weekend--our first yard sale! And boy, was it entertaining. Not only did we love mixing and mingling with our bargain-hunting visitors, but we unloaded some serious stuff. We also unloaded our neighbors unwanted belongings (with their consent) which they cheerfully donated to support
New Life Homes.

The funny thing is, we haven't missed a thing. Okay, maybe one thing--our wall clock. Yes, we're realizing the clock was worth much more than the $5 we received from it.
At least we have a new excuse for being late!

On the second day, we did some serious mark downs. A young man could not resist an ornate wine stopper that had been $9 on Saturday, but was marked down to $0.50 on Sunday. That's 95% off. Talk about a deal! Here is a picture of us among our serious shoppers:

This was another necessary step in preparing to leave for Swaziland at the end of the year. We have decided not to rent a storage unit, and will be relying on the generosity of friends and family who have agreed to store, borrow, or buy all of our earthly possessions. We're finding this to be a healthy, yet somewhat uncomfortable lesson on how much we value our stuff. Isn't amazing how much we accumulate and how tightly we hold on to it?

As Jesus so aptly put it, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

We celebrated the completion of a successful yard sale with dinner at our favorite (and only) bike-themed pizza place.
We had a lot to celebrate. 

Housing update: Thank you for your prayers! We officially confirmed our housing arrangement though the fall today, with only a couple weeks to spare.