Breaking Through a Language Barrier

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Today we went back to the preschool and played with the littel kids again. We played a game similar to duck-duck-goose. The kids were having so much fun. I prayed this morning that God would help me love at least one child today, and show the love of Christ, even breaking through the language barrier. Yesterday was a challenge because up until this point we've been able to communicate pretty well with the Swazis because they can speak at least some English, or we can at least tell them that we don't speak siSwati. But with such little ones you can't explain that, and they don't really speak any English. It takes concentration and focus to really pay attention and read body language to see what they are wanting. Since I learned that yesterday, I was able to pray about it today and specifically ask God to help me show compassion and love to at least one child. I felt immediately like God answered my prayer because the little girl I stood in the circle beside for the games we were playing really clung to me. I squatted down and tried to help her learn the concept of the "Hokie Pokie". She stuck to me the rest of the day. I stayed with her most of the morning, just sitting with her. She pointed to my sunglasses and I let her try them on. She kept those most of the day, and something that simple made her really happy. I feel like I bonded to her and God really helped me through the language barrier.

Something about Swaziland, is the people here, especially the kids, take joy in the simplist things like sunglasses and silly bands. It blows me away.

After we finished at the preschool/fence-building, we went to Gi-Gis place which was started to give the children of Swaziland food to eat and a refuge. We helped serve food today, and walked around just talking to kids and passsing out stuff like stickers and silly bands and other little trinkets. It was so sad to see the kids there, thinking that they were there in order to get a meal, and just realizing it was probably their only meal. They all looked like they didn't have much at all. Its hard to look into sad eyes over and over again. Its like on the one hand, the people here are so filled with joy, and they are always singing and dancing and clapping. On the other, some of them always look so sad and won't ever crack a smile. It makes you wonder what has happened in such a small child's life to make them unable to smile. Sometimes the look in their eyes is like the life has been sucked out. Most of the kids aren't like that, but I have seen many who are, and it seems really hopeless. Anyway, it was good to be among the kids and see them light up when we put stickers on their hands or a silly band around their wrist.

When we first got there they were singing and chanting things they have learned like the seasons of the year and shapes, and days of the week. Then Brent went up with his guitar and we taught the kids some VBS songs. One of them was "This little light of mine." Brent was explaining the meaning of the song. He said we never want to blow out our light (the one we hold for Jesus). Then he was explaining the verse, "Don't let Satan blow it out." I was thinking about that phrase. As Christians, we are the light of the world, and we are called to let our lights shine to everyone around us. Satan doesn't want us to live our lives for God. He enters our lives in many ways and ,tries to snuff out our light. We let him take our light by the  negative attitudes we have, or giving into temptations we have and sinning. Anything that distracts us and keeps us from serving God is taking our light from us. Its up to us to pray and seek God and follow Him in order to defend ourselves from Satan who wishes to blow out our light.

After GiGi's Place, we came back to our guest house and discussed what we wanted to do for the youth service we were leading that night. We ended up singing a couple of praise and worship songs, and then four people, Andrew, Kelsie, Josh Lane, and Richard gave their testimonies. They all had really incredible stories about how God rescued them from very difficult situations and hardships. It was neat to see where God brought them all from, and what he's doing in their lives now. I got to help lead music with Claire and Josh.

The Canada team left Swaziland today to head to Derbin. We won't be seeing them anymore, sadly.

Until Then,
Holly Peffer