Mike in SZ Up Date
Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:02 am
Today I had made an appointment to meet with 3 priests stationed here in Swaziland who are running 3 orphanages and have been involved the development of schools to train kids in skill so that they have a change to develop. I had brought over with me a large duffel bag full of donated cloths to them to him for the kids.
What a day of mixed feelings, on one side it was heart breaking to see kids of many ages abandoned to the streets due to both a combination of poverty as well as just the fact that they have lost both their parents to HIV Aids and have no social structure to support them. Orphan kids sleeping on 6 damaged bunk beds a room that would be smaller that the smallest room in my own house.
However tt was also very up lifting to meet these great volunteers from different countries doing such positive projects such as running orphanages, building schools and technical training centers. They have also started a program to apprentice people on how to start their own industry, and there is a small Honey manufacturing business as a result of it.
They dedicate their lives to improve the lives of those that society have left behind or abandoned. There was no sorry, or self-pity in any of this, they were all up lifting and positive as were proud to point out the great advancements and achievement that they have made.
We have so much in the west, and we take for granted so much, but I am not about to start ‘west bashing’ because I have just met some of the most amazing people giving freely of their time and lives to work hard everyday, with the reward of only improving the quality of someone’s life one person at a time.
What a day of mixed feelings, on one side it was heart breaking to see kids of many ages abandoned to the streets due to both a combination of poverty as well as just the fact that they have lost both their parents to HIV Aids and have no social structure to support them. Orphan kids sleeping on 6 damaged bunk beds a room that would be smaller that the smallest room in my own house.
However tt was also very up lifting to meet these great volunteers from different countries doing such positive projects such as running orphanages, building schools and technical training centers. They have also started a program to apprentice people on how to start their own industry, and there is a small Honey manufacturing business as a result of it.
They dedicate their lives to improve the lives of those that society have left behind or abandoned. There was no sorry, or self-pity in any of this, they were all up lifting and positive as were proud to point out the great advancements and achievement that they have made.
We have so much in the west, and we take for granted so much, but I am not about to start ‘west bashing’ because I have just met some of the most amazing people giving freely of their time and lives to work hard everyday, with the reward of only improving the quality of someone’s life one person at a time.
