Today we went back to Thulwane care point. What rush of emotions stole my heart. The children were not there, but just to see it brought great joy.
I was taken back to see gardens everywhere. Last time I came to Swazi we planted the first garden there. The ground had been tilled and we plant by plant set out the first of what would one day be enough food to feed the children at the care point. My eyes filled with joyous tears today to see stalks where corn had been. Withered and drying up plants where potatoes and squash had been. There were even signs of fresh plants growing and the very field we had started with two years ago were freshly turned for the next crop.
Oh how my heart swelled, but it was nothing compared to the joy I felt when I saw Mnomsa the gogo walking down the dusty road to meet us. We greeted her with huge hugs and words of joy and appreciation for all she had done to make the care point live. She quickly hollered at the children from her homestead to come. They turned out quickly. All 12 to 16 of them. As well as the children from Love’s house just up the road. So many familiar smiles and beautiful growing up children. We were over joyed! They greeted us with hugs and of course wanting to hold our hands and be right next to us. Ruth even held one of the little ones for the duration of our visit. It is easy to fall in love with this bunch!
Mnomsa proudly showed off the new gardens, the new cooking structure, the greatly used preschool building, and she was most proud of the corn they had harvested and dried from the garden. She explained that green leafy vegetables were coming shortly to redo the original garden for the coming season. She bragged on the sweet potatoes they are now able to grow year around thanks to the new plots of garden. We were so blown away! Then her proudest moment of all came when she displayed the two big trophies the children at Thulwane had won in the competition between the care points for music, poetry and art.
She posed for several pictures, so when I get home get ready! There will be many! Westwood family, you would be so proud of how your investments have paid off in a HUGE way! I am so proud of what God is multiplying through your efforts over the last several years. Only heaven will really reveal the dividends your investments have made.
As always the children gave us a precious gift of a song before we left. I have it on video, and yes you can expect to see it when I return. My greatest joy was knowing that the same heavenly Father that has cared for me and my family over the last few years is the same one who holds these special souls in His hand. He is so faithful and it is evident in the smiles on the faces of the children and adults. It is so evident in their physical health and the fact that none of them look hungry anymore. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to those who have invested and loved these children even from afar.
God is doing a great work! Keep praying.