Jeff here. I’m writing this back in Hebron, early in the
morning (well not that, but it is dark at 7 a.m. and the house is still
asleep). Yesterday was our final day in Swaziland as a family and all of us to
a person thought it was one of the best weeks of our life. I’ll catch you up on
a few details and fun pieces.
Monday night we had the chance to go out to a farm
restaurant that served authentic Swazi food. We went with Bongi, Solomon (the
National Director of World Vision), and their spouses. The food was very fresh
and really fun. We tried things like…duck, a bunch of different lamb dishes (my
favorite was the curried lamb stew), a mixture of corn and beans that looks a
bit like refried beans, pickled beats, sour cheese (a dessert delicacy), and
corn meal mush (I can’t remember the name). The girls did really well trying
everything and even going back for more. It was an honor to talk to Solomon and
hear the dreams and hopes for the World Vision office here. Plus we WERE
getting a little tired of our hotel food…
But we weren’t getting tired of our favorite waiter at our
hotel, Vucie. Vucie served us every night at the Summerfield, and our family
grew to love him (in fact, the girls even made him a card on the last night).
Vucie was indicative of all the Swazi people we met; kind, caring, soft-spoken,
and thankful.
We also didn’t get sick of our wonderful guide for the week,
Bongi. Bongi and I have been on a few trips together with World Vision, and he
has even visited SPC in the past year. But while I already knew I liked Bongi,
it was my family who loved him. They loved saying his name and putting it into
songs. They loved giving him a bad time about hitting all the bumps in the road
on our way around the country. They loved watching him dance around the front
of the church as he was leading worship (it will forever be called “the Bongi”).
They loved meeting his wonderful wife, Lindiwe, and his two talented and fun
daughters (who bore striking personality similarities to our own). In the end,
Violet even said, “Bongi is my life!” J
That’s right, the word Bongi now is a simile for all things fun and good. While
I am sure that Bongi went home and took a LONG nap after catering to a bunch of
loud Americans, I hope he knows how wonderful he is and was, and what an
impression he, World Vision, and his country made upon our family.
Our last full day in Swaziland was spent going on a small
game drive (highlights: Zebras, Crocodiles, and a ride in a Land Rover that was
like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland without the rolling boulder), hitting
the Swazi Candle store for some last minute items, jumping in the pool at the
hotel (Dayle. In the middle of winter. In Swaziland), packing up, and
reflecting on our trip together. It was a suitable end.
Yesterday was another long travel day that was more or less
uneventful. Two more plane rides down, another airport traversed successfully
(Johannesburg), one bag lost at the airport (Clara's. It is being delivered
today, they say), one more car rented, one long drive to Hebron. Our GPS went
dead on the way here, and it was nice to know that it was ok because we knew
where we were going. Southern Africa is starting to feel more like home.
Today—we are heading out to Philadelphia Farm and the other
part of Hebron’s ministry, the farmhands living on the land, and to see the
Life Center being built to serve them. Stay tuned.
--Jeff (for the family)
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