Two Days of TOMS

It goes on for as far as you can see: a thin river of children snaking its way down the hill and over a field of balding grass, flowing into a small cinderblock building with only half of a roof to shelter it from the warm African sun. There is a buzz in the air; that much is apparent. Laughter, cries, shouts, and songs can be heard coming from the sea of children standing outside, waiting to be given new shoes by the strangers from abroad. It’s a long wait, but it’s well worth it when your education is on the line.

This weekend, I had the privilege of giving TOMS shoes to children in need. All day Saturday and all day Sunday I was out in two different communities with Heart for Africa’s summer trip teams as they worked to addressed the four major issues here in Swaziland:

(1) Hunger

(2) Orphans

(3) Poverty

(4) Education

Before I continue illustrating my weekend, let me address each of these issues individually, as it will help give a better perspective of the challenges addressed and strategies used by Heart for Africa in their mission to help this nation.

(1) HUNGER

·      Hunger is a prominent issue here in Swaziland, as it is with other African and third-world countries. Before one can address social or educational issues, the hunger that exists in so many of these children’s lives must be fed, most literally. That is why the first objective when a HFA summer team goes out into the community is to plant or maintenance a sizable garden. With a people dying of HIV/AIDS, Swaziland’s middle-aged population is disappearing and leaving their children behind with little-to-no knowledge of the art of growing food. Not only will a garden provide nutritious food for the community, it can provide a source of sustainable income.

(2) ORPHANS

·      As is expected in a country with a high HIV/AIDS rate, there are many, many thousands of orphans in Swaziland. With no parents around, the oldest siblings have to help raise their brothers and sisters, most likely having to give up their education in the process. They try to find work as best they can, sometimes resorting to prostituting themselves in order to feed their family. This not only furthers the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but it creates a cycle of poverty that, if left unchecked, will wipe out the majority of this population. Desperation is widespread and solutions are difficult to find, but sometimes the best medicine for these children is simply love. When a van of people arrives in their community with soccer balls, jump ropes, and the love of Christ, it creates a powerful force: hope. And, sometimes, that’s all that’s needed to implore a community to keep going.

(3) POVERTY

·      A complex issue, poverty is difficult to address. Though short-term hunger and hopelessness can be solved with loving teams of people spending a week in a community, the immense problem of poverty is not something that can be solved quite so easily. That is where Heart for Africa’s Project Canaan comes in. Though still in its development stages, the farm not only produces crops for the country, but it already provides hundreds of jobs to a nation with a nearly 70% unemployment rate. It is estimated that a person with a job will provide for about 10 people with their salary alone. So, even though it has not reached its full potential, Project Canaan has provided a stable income for a few thousand people. That is the primary objective of this project: not giving handouts but, rather, giving tools to help beat poverty.

(4) EDUCATION

·      Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This could not be truer. When faced with the monster that is poverty, education can go a long way. With education comes change in thinking, behavior, and interaction. This is why giving TOMS is so much bigger than just allowing the children’s feet to be protected, though that is also important. In most instances, schools will not allow students to continue their education without shoes. Something as simple as giving them proper footwear can be instrumental in their success as a student and future adult.

If you have more questions or are simply interested in the HOPE model that Heart for Africa has implemented, I highly suggest reading Janine Maxwell’s book, “Is It Okay With You?” as it goes into great detail about their work and vision for Swaziland.

***Available on Amazon ---> http://www.amazon.com/Is-Okay-You-Janine-Maxwell/dp/1606150375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374594839&sr=8-1&keywords=is+it+okay+with+you

Back to my experience this weekend…oh, what a past couple of days!

Before we began giving TOMS on Sunday, I was able to experience an authentic, real-life African church service. UM. IT WAS AWESOME. Though half of the songs and message were in SiSwati, it was apparent the Holy Spirit was moving among the congregation. My home church in Alpharetta is definitely upbeat, but it’s hard to top the joy I experienced with the Swazis. There was dancing, laughter, hand-raising, and a feeling of peace. Every time the pastor said, “Hallelujah!” a chorus of children responded with an “Amen!” and it was SO GREAT (Why don’t more white people churches do that?!). I found myself clapping, dancing, and Amen-ing by the end of the service. Though there was a bit of a language barrier, it was a magical experience to be able to participate in worship with such a faithful people. I had many a chill-bump that morning.

All day Saturday and half of Sunday was devoted to shoe distribution. The two teams I was a part of put nearly 500 pairs of TOMS onto well-deserving feet of Swazi children. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, no doubt. Seeing the little girls and boys walk in with their beaten up shoes (or no shoes at all) and watching their faces light up when we fit them with accurately sized, brand-new TOMS was an experience that I will never forget and hope to be able to have again. As they walked out into the community, some ran to play soccer, some couldn’t stop staring at their feet, and others stopped to take off their TOMS in order to save them for special events. WOW. Learning moment.

I’m not one who cries a lot, but when I arrived back at the Lodge on Monday morning, I had a nice little sob-fest in my bed as I processed the past weekend. These little kids had their week, maybe even month, made by us giving them shoes. And how often do I look into my closet at my mountain of shoes and complain that I don’t have quite the right color or style to go with my outfit that day? A LOT, I DO THAT A LOT. And after this weekend, I felt slapped in the face by God (in a good way, no worries) as I was convicted of those feelings. How selfish I am! Not only do I have entirely too many pairs of shoes to justify being even the least bit discontent, but I’m pretty sure I could go barefoot and still be able to attend class at my college without being reprimanded (although that might also be due to the fact that UGA is home to somewhat of a culture of hipster hippies…but you get the point). I encourage all those reading this to buy or continue buying TOMS. Now that I have first-handedly been a part of the other side of the One for One movement, I am confident in their work as a business and plan to keep supporting them in order to support the education of children in need. And hey, their shoes are super cute, too, so that doesn't hurt J

As I look ahead to being home in exactly two weeks, I can’t help but feel bittersweetly about it. I can’t wait to see friends and family, but I will miss the amazing friends I have had the privilege of being with here. I am excited to have Chick-fil-a, paved roads, and cleaner air again, but I will miss the breathtaking view of Project Canaan I get to wake up to every day, the adventure of car ride on hilly dirt roads, and the smell of fires burning nearby. I look forward to being back in Athens, participating in recruitment with my sorority, and beginning classes, but I will miss the precious little ones at the baby home, getting to tag along with Janine, and studying my Bible as I wrote about the babies’ namesakes. I am sure that I will remember this internship for the rest of my life and hold the people I’ve met here in my heart forever, but I am sad it is coming to an end. I still have 2 weeks left, which is a lot of time here in Africa (LOTS can happen J), so I can’t get sad and lose focus just yet. I still have work to do and much to complete.

Thank you for keeping up with me via this blog. It means the world to me that so many of my friends and family members have been supporting and praying for me all the way across the Atlantic…they are the reason I’ve had as wonderful of a trip as I’ve had. God bless you all.

With love,

Audrey J