Toddler Years?

Well, I figured I've waited long enough, but it seems hard to write.  There is so much I could write about, many experiences, many thoughts, many changes in perspective, many sights/sounds/smells, but where do I start and what would be meaningful or relatable? 

I guess I'll just start and see what happens...

Moving here for me has a bit been like reverting to being a toddler, so much to learn!  Things that I used to be good at or could do without thinking are difficult or impossible.  There is a huge learning curve.  Of course Mark is in his element and soaking it all in, for which I am definitely thankful.  But let me give an example: driving.  I can certainly handle driving straight on the left-hand side of the road, but throw in a round-a-bout and it requires extreme concentration.  Passing here is quite different.  Even if there is a double line, if a car is going slow in front of you, it will move over to the shoulder so you can pass - even if there is a car coming toward you.  Really?  So you pass, put on your hazard lights to say thanks and they flash their lights to say your welcome.  Then there is electricity.  I had a power outage last week for 2 hours, just thought we had no power.  Come to find out, our electricity is "pay-as-you-go" (we have a meter in our dining room), and we have to purchase the electricity in town 30 minutes away, then punch in a code on the receipt into that cute little box.  Let me just say the process was not as easy as all that sounded!  It's not as easy as picking up the phone or going onto a website.  And, I'm still learning how to dial phone numbers here.   (Let me input here how thankful I am that I have electricity and use of a car and a phone.  Those are luxuries here and I don't mean to sound trite about it.  Just trying to give perspective.)

Then of course another example is cultural differences.  This is a "biggie" and I am finding it hard to put into words.  Unless you walk the streets and see these things for yourselves you cannot fully appreciate the differences.  So, I'm hoping to give you a little flavor of it from a fellow blogger, serving here in Swaziland also.  Though I've never met him (he has no affiiliation with Heart for Africa) he has been serving here and is due to return to the States in the next month or so.  This was taken from his blog....

"One of the newspapers here conducts online polls. To be clear, only about 200-1000 people answer these polls, and the sample is definitely skewed, so please don't take this to be authoritative. But I do think that the polls provide an interesting insight into how people think here. So I'll post some of the results that I think you will find most interesting. One of the most difficult things to do when reading these is to refrain from answering them ourselves. I'm not putting this up as a referendum on Swazi culture or the beliefs of people here, just an insight."

Swaziland's army is about 3,000 strong and is mainly used to quell protests.

A few years ago, there was a serious controversy because the kombi drivers raped a woman who was wearing a miniskirt and significant portions of the population didn't think it was wrong.

These kinds of stories are often in the news.

This probably explains why there is no real sex education going on in Swazi schools.

Enough for now....Cameron, Bailey and I pulled an all-nighter last night at the Baby Home.  We were filling in for the night shift 7p-7a shift.  Now I know how "Octomom" feels!  We were up feeding, changing, consoling, patting, and replacing paci's several times every hour.  When you have 8 in one room, you don't want them to cry, so you are listening for any noise that might wake the other 7.  Two of the babies are HIV+, and their medicine tends to make them have more intestinal issues.  So, of course they were up needing major diaper changes!  Of course, that only woke them up completely!  The youngest baby, only 4 weeks old is colicky, and 3 of them have colds with a cough and congestion etc...  of course, formula and laying in a crib, doesn't help matters.  Nonetheless, got home at 7:30am, got up at 12:30pm and I feel like I've been run-over by a Mac truck.  I don't know how the normal caregivers do it!  I really don't.   I couldn't have done it without Bailey and Cam - and there is just typically one caregiver vs 3 of us!  But regardless,  I'm heading to the couch!

Settling In...

Greetings from Swaziland! 

It is Monday mid-morning and the weather is beautiful.  It is winter here and it is quite chilly in the mornings.

Cameron and I have already been here a week.  We are starting to know our way around, but I'm so glad we only have 1 car because it keeps me from 1) getting lost, and 2) having to drive.  I really don't mind driving on the straightaway, but making turns just feels wrong!

The best news of the week was the addition of our 8th baby at the El Roi Baby Home!  His name translated into English is Emmanuel (God with us).  But, as it seems with all these precious children he has an incredibly sad story.  His Mom is 16 years old, 7 months pregnant with her 3rd child and HIV positive - though Emmanuel is not HIV positive!  Praise the Lord!  He is 12 months old and weighs 12 lbs.  He is obviously malnourished, has a distended belly, and has poop the color of sand because he has no nutrients in his body.   He has a long way to go, but like his "brothers" and "sisters", he will have a chance!  And his mom has agreed not to abort or harm the baby she is now pregnant with, and will bring him to El Roi too.

I have only been able to visit the babies once since I've been here because Cameron has had a cough since we got here, and as soon as she seemed to get better, Bailey started with a fever.  It has been hard to be in a "holding pattern" not being able to interact with the babies, but I know I will have that time soon enough.  It is far better not to get any of those sweet babies sick.

So, this week I've been able to finish setting up my house, make 2 trips into town to look for nails, hose connectors, groceries and buy power (it is pay as you go), and interact with the interns who are spending the summer here working for Heart for Africa.  It will be a busy winter/your summer and we all look forward to it!

Thanks for your prayers!

We are ALL home! Except Austin of course....

Well we finished with orientation at Arkansas and Cam and I boarded a flight to Joberg, SA.  We were flying buddy passes and we were the last two to board an extremely full flight.  Though we weren't seated next to each other, a very nice lady gave up her window for Cameron's middle seat!  What a blessing!  I was also thankful that we weren't seated in the middle section because those folks had no movies the entire flight.  We arrived in Joberg to see Mark and Bailey waiting for us.  They took us out for dinner then we all sacked out in 2 twin beds (as that is all that was available in the whole hotel). 

We woke up the next day to do a little shopping at the local Joberg "Costco", called Makro.  But let me say, what would take us 20 minutes in the US, took us 2 hours.  It is just not that easy.  We don't know the brands, most things require a conversion for us (English vs. Metric), and things are just different.  We were all exhausted by the time we left with about 6 items (one of those was Pringles, the other Cadbury lunch bars that Austin loves!).  We stopped by Mickey D's on our way out of town (really? Bailey's request) and were finally on our way around 2:30 on Monday.  We drove what seemed like hours, oh yes it was hours, through South Africa until we reached the Swaziland border around 6:30pm.  It was pitch black dark and we were all praying for an easy crossing.  Prayers were answered and we got through both borders in about 15 minutes.  Record time.

Unfortunately all was dark as we were driving through Swaziland, but we finally arrived home to what Cam and I expected to be a house in boxes.  Only, the entire house was completely unpacked, set up, etc.... it was incredible!  Yes, I almost cried.  Mark and Bailey had been alluding to the mess of boxes all day, yet they worked incredible hours to get it set up for us!  I knew some of what Mark accomplished/worked on at Project Canaan ("the farm") and it was all consuming, I know he had to have come home at 8pm and worked until 2am several nights to get it all done!  Yet, let me say, I haven't been able to sleep in my own bed for 8 weeks, and I slept well that night!

Tuesday we got up (at 11am local time/our bodies are still not adjusted) and drove over to Canaan to see the babies.  As we pulled up, it so happens the Inkhosikati LaMbikiza (the third of the King's wives) was also at the babies home for a visit as she is the Patron of El Roi Babies Home.  It was so wonderful to finally hold the babies we had only known by name.  It was an incredible experience, so many emotions.  Most of them centered around the one thought, that if not for Heart for Africa, these babies likely wouldn't be here.  That is truly an incredible thought as you physically hold each of these precious little ones and wonder what they will be when "they grow up" and know that they have that chance!

Things are definitely different here.  We are adjusting to the "left" side of the street, lizards in our house, hand washing our dishes, strange sounds at night, the speed things get done, putting our clothes on a clothes line, and intermittent internet service, yet we are thankful we have the opportunity to be here. 

Goodnight from a cold Swazi winter night!
Blessings!
Jamie

Ready to Go!

Well, Austin, Cameron and I are through with orientation at the University of Arkansas and Austin has his schedule for the fall.  Unfortunately, I feel that his schedule is as firm as jello and could change depending on his AP scores from high school.  Yet, I am so thankful I had the chance to visit Fayetteville and now have a visual in my mind for where Austin will be this next year.  The most incredible thing that happened was 2 people approached Austin asking him if he was interested in a job when school started.  The second person ran the campus bookstore and actually interviewed him on the spot!  I've been overwhelmed this last month with how much God cares about the details of our lives.  So many times we run to God when we are in trouble, or have a problem, but in every issue of our lives good or bad He cares about all the details that we care about! 

We got back from Fayetteville yesterday and have been visiting with Mark's parent's and enjoying them while we can.  Today we went bowling and ran some last minute errands (like getting candy corn for me!).  If you look closely at the score I beat him one game!

Yet, tommorrow we wake up and fly to Atlanta, then Cam and I on to Joberg.  We have felt like plants about to be transplanted, but have just been hanging our roots exposed.  We love our friends and family, but we are ready to be "home", we are ready to be "planted".  We have felt "in limbo" since we moved out of our home in Alpharetta in November.  Cam and I can't wait to join Mark and Bailey and finally "plant ourselves" in Swaziland.

I wish I had pictures from Mark and Bailey to post, they have had an adventure all their own!  Bailey has taken an entrance exam for school (and passed with flying colors of course),  unloaded the container we packed back in April (that was FINALLY let out of customs) and still survived the cold and the spiders!

Thanks for continuing to lift us up in your prayers!  Next time I write, it'll be from the other side of the ocean!

From Mark and Bailey....

"Great minds think alike," so they say!  Here is my last blog in Mark's own words and a lot more detail.  I didn't realize he was planning on writing, but so glad he did!

Hello all from Africa!!!
Sorry it's taken me so long to make our first post from Swaziland but as we like to say here in Africa, the only thing that is predictable - is the unpredictability of things in Africa.
Bailey and my flight to Africa was incredible. Thanks to Jamie's dear friend Ashley Clark (who donated Delta Buddy Passes to us) we got bumped up to first class plane tickets and the ride over was truly FIRST CLASS. I've never before had the opportunity to experience international first class but the ride felt like we were sitting in our living room being waited on hand and foot for 16 hours. Bailey's long face at check-in quickly turned into a smile when we were notified of the upgrade - thanks Ashley!
We arrived Friday evening and spent the night at the Johannesburg airport hotel as it was too late to make it to the border before it closed. On Saturday we boarded a 14 passenger van that Kaleli Mulli (Heart for Africa's farm manager) drove over to pick us up. After a five hour drive and crossing the border into Swaziland, we arrived to our new homes.
Unfortunately, we were not able to immediately move into the house we will be renting as the existing resident will not be out until Tuesday. We ask for your prayers for Shirley as she leaves Swaziland on Tuesday to go to South Africa for 6 weeks of medical treatments. Shirley was in great spirits as we arrived and graciously helped with arrangements for us to stay on Project Canaan until she departs tomorrow.
Our next challenge came while trying to collect our belongings that were shipped over 7 weeks ago. Apparently customs requires us to personally show up to take possession of our shipping container and all of our paperwork was not exactly as they would have liked. ian/Janine and I spent most of the day today dealing with customs and other governmental organizations trying to get things straightened out. We're hoping the container will be delivered tomorrow and we'll be able to begin the process of unloading our lives ... at least that is our hope.
All of this is going on while Jamie, Cameron, and Austin have flown to Kansas City to be with my parents. On Sunday my parents threw a party for us with all of their friends to celebrate our move. On Tuesday morning the family will all load up and make the old (but familiar) trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas to get Austin enrolled and through orientation. This is the same trip they made with me some 32 years ago ... wow, that is hard to believe! Then on Thursday they will all head back to Kansas City where Austin will head back to Atlanta and Jamie/Cameron will come join me in Africa. I can't wait! Austin will soon join us for a couple of weeks at the end of July until I travel back with him to start school in mid August.
Please continue to pray for us as we make this transition. Pray for safe travels for all and that I quickly adapt to driving on the left side of the road. My first experience with traffic was last night trying to make it home from the gas station ... it was quite comical to say the least. Turn signals and high beams are transposed with windshield wipers and washer fluid so getting home was quite an experience. I'm sure I'll have it all worked out by next weekend when I drive to Johannesburg to pick them all up.
We truly appreciate all of the prayers and inquiries as to how things are going. I'm sorry I'm so late in posting but it's been difficult getting online and connected to the internet. We hope to have all of this resolved in the next few days. As expected, the internet will be somewhat sketchy, but hopefully it will be consistently sketchy so we know what to expect.
We love you all - and thanks again,
Mark and Bailey=

Safe Landing!

Wow!  What a crazy week!  During this past week we have loaded up the rest of our townhouse into a container, sold 2 cars, 4 iphones, tried to remember everything to cut off (electricity, gas, cell phones,...), tried to get international healthcare (still working on it!),  and said goodbye to unbelievably great friends and family!  Mark and Bailey got on a plane on May 31st and though they were flying standby (thanks to a very special Delta friend!), not knowing if they'd even make the flight....they were bumped up to "business class" (which I think is the same as first class)!  I don't know why, but God still amazes me!

Mark and Bailey have arrived safely in Swaziland and are waiting for our original container (which left in April) to be let go from Swazi customs.  We are praying that will happen tomorrow - Tuesday.   They don't have really good internet right now and no cell phones.  However, we were able to Skype earlier today and they all sounded great!  Bailey actually asked me to pack another bag full of Oreo's for her and Peace Tea for Chloe Maxwell (daughter of the founders of Heart for Africa).  I bought 9 bags of Oreo's today along with cough medicine because Bailey has a cough and a low-grade fever. 

The rest of us, Austin, Cameron and I are in Kansas City, KS, now getting ready to go to Fayetteville, AR for Austin's orientation on Tuesday, June 5th.  I am excited to see the campus and help Austin sign up for classes in Industrial Engineering.  We fly out of KS on Saturday, Austin to Alpharetta, Cam and I to Africa.  I will say I am ready.  Leaving has been hard on so many fronts, emotionally and physically.  I am ready to start this new chapter of my life.  I can't wait to see what God has waiting for us...and to hold those sweet babies at the El Roi Babies Home on Project Canaan!