Week 1 : Bulembu

A Storm is Brewing!

The last few days in Bulembu have been rainy and cloudy, but I will take the rain over the heat any day! The rain has brought some much needed relief. Although, I am told that it rains a lot in the summers in Bulembu. I say bring the rain!

Bulembu really is an amazing community unlike any other I have experienced. It is a very small village where everyone knows one another, and everyone works together. It is interesting to compare the type of lifestyle exemplified here in Bulembu to what I am used to back home, where I hardly know my neighbors. I think there is something to learn from this type of true community living. Being good to one another seems to come so natural in a small village such as this.

Despite the rain, life has moved on. So much seems to happen in just a day here. Last week was spent mostly being introduced to Bulembu and to the many people who help to make Bulembu function. I have spent a lot of time with the students in the schools. The elementary, middle, and secondary schools are all right next to each other. This is incredibly helpful in a very hilly, mountainous village. I have really enjoyed getting acquainted with the children of the village. They are very sweet and humble, but they also have no problem heckling my cultural idiosyncrasies. All in good fun, of course.

As many of you may know, the be:good foundation is sponsoring twelve of the orphans here in Bulembu that are currently staying in what is called the Bulembu Houses. Each house has a house mom and an auntie to look after the children. On Saturday, we were introduced to each of these women; we were then allowed to spend some time with the orphans be:good is sponsoring. It was very exciting to finally connect the faces and pictures.

Many of the children are in one house, but not all. We were at the house that held nine of our children, most of which are older boys. We got to spend about two hours with them, most of which was spent just talking and watching WWF on the television. They don’t get many channels here in Bulembu, but regardless, the teenage boys absolutely love WWF wrestling. Kind of funny! The boys have promised to do a choreographed dance for us; they are so extremely excited about this as they know it will be filmed, and they are very confident in their dancing skills! We are also going to play soccer with them on Sunday. I have seen the boys twice since Saturday, and they are very excited for our next rendezvous, as am I.

As I sat there talking to each of the kids, I was overwhelmed with the thought that without people being willing to sponsor these kids, they would be completely and totally alone on the world. They would have no place to live, no schooling, no food, and most importantly no one to love and care for them as the house moms and aunties do. It was so relieving to look at each boy and know he was going to school, living in a comfortable and healthy house, and he had someone looking after him. The reality of what this sponsorship means became very evident as I wondered where each boy would be without it. The thought is very daunting.

As I mentioned in the last blog, the be:good foundation is also helping to rebuild one of the run down houses and rebuild it into an orphanage. I have had the opportunity to see both the old houses, and the revamped housing. The difference is amazing, especially considering that just $9,000 US dollars can completely rebuild these houses to hold six orphans and give each a tremendous boost in his or her quality of life. The difference could really be that of life and death. Upon our return we will have video footage and pictures of the difference that $9,000 dollars can make in this housing situation. I think you will be very impressed. As more and more orphans are being sent to Bulembu as a place of safety, more and more housing is needed. I cannot imagine having the housing available to care for every orphan in Swaziland, but having to turn them away because the housing is completely unlivable. We cannot let this happen.

I could go on and on, but I must stop somewhere. All of that and it has only been one week. There is much more to come. Stay posted…