Education and Mission Synod, 2008

The Bishop of the High Veld and Swaziland District of the Methodist church of Southern Africa came to Swaziland a few days ago for an update of the status of education and the activities of the Methodist Church in Swaziland. On Friday, April 25^th, the head teachers from the Methodist Schools in all three of the circuits in Swaziland gathered for a meeting to inform the Bishop of the status of the schools, review progress on issues raised at the 2007 Synod and discuss issues and plans for the school for 2008. On Saturday, the 26^th, the stewards and ministers from the three circuits gathered to report on activities and projects that are being done in the church. I was asked to pull the information together regarding the schools and the various projects that are underway in the Central Circuit. I also pulled together the information I had gathered for the schools in the Mahamba Circuit. It was an interesting weekend especially since I had no idea what to expect. But as I am learning so often, this is Swaziland, not Round Rock, Texas. I’ve learned to leave any expectations at home, go with the flow and accept whatever happens. The circuit superintendent gave me a high level of what I should pull together about two days before the meeting. They operate in paper mode here, so that meant I also had to make copies of what I was going to present. This is his first Synod so he didn’t know what to expect either. One thing we should have had for the education synod was the percentage of students who pass the 7^th grade exams. This evidently is a big measurement of how a school is doing. I didn’t have that information. So literally, about 5 minutes before I was supposed to present, the head teachers started passing me notes with numbers on them as if I knew what I was supposed to do with them or as if I could do anything with these notes that were being shoved at me in the few minutes before I was to speak. I just laughed and kept accepting the notes. I felt like I was in Jr. High and fellow students were bombarding me with notes to see if the teacher would catch me and I'd get in trouble! I stood and simply said that regarding the passing results, I had just received them and didn’t have time to compile the information but it looked like most schools were reporting passing grades in the 90 – 100% range. Now, I find it very interested in the fact that they are very interested in the passing score for the school, yet they don’t report what percentage of students actually make it through 7^th grade. According to enrollment figures, approximately 50% of the students who start 1^st grade enter 7^th grade. As I said I’ve learned to go with the flow and not feel bad if I’m in left field.

The following is the very short recap of the schools in two of the circuits in Swaziland:

The Central Circuit serves 5252 Primary and High School Students. 30% of these students are registered OVC’s. The Mahamba Circuit serves 5601 Primary and High School students. 41% of these students are registered OVC’s. The Mahamba Circuit is the most rural and poorest circuit in Swaziland. Three of their schools do not have any electricity.

General observations common to all schools:

1. There is a shortage of food at all of the schools at some point in time during the school year.
2. Most children come to school hungry which impacts their ability to learn.
3. Clean drinking water or the cost of electricity to pump the water is an issue at all the schools.
4. Schools cannot grow vegetable gardens to feed the children and supplement their diet of maize and beans without an adequate water source and fencing.
5. All preschools lack toys and teaching materials.
6. Teacher’s quarters are in need of serious repairs but there is not funding for this and teachers don’t want to pay rent, which is understandable considering the state of the housing.

One of the interesting things that happened was a demonstration and talk on building toilets that produce Methane gas which could be used to cook with or run gas lights. This topic created a lot of jokes and caused a lot of giggling. India uses this type of low tech technology very successfully. The Bishop would like to bring the technology to the schools in Swaziland. The theory is great and it is needed in Swaziland because the majority of homes and schools outside of the city use pit latrines which is harmful to the ground water. In addition, the majority of cooking is done over wood fires which are producing a wood shortage, not to mention the effect on the environment. And then, there is the cost of electricity, if it is available, which most people can’t afford to pay. Therefore, toilets that capture the waste and produce Methane gas are an interesting solution to a couple of problems. However, the frustrating part is that there doesn’t seem to be anyone who has actually built one of these toilets, let alone one that would meet the requirements for a school. So everyone was excited about the prospect, but in reality, we don’t have the funds or technical expertise to implement such a solution in the near future in Swaziland. The wish is to build these at Lomngeletjane. It would be perfect because we need to build toilets soon for the school to be registered. But since we don’t have the expertise and resources to actually do this, and then we wouldn’t have a way to use the Methane gas in the near future, we will most likely have to dig pit latrines and further contribute to the demise of God’s creation. But the idea is exciting and I would love to see solutions come to Swaziland that could be renewable and sustainable. Through prayer and with God’s help, we’ll get there eventually.

Anyway, it was an interesting couple of days. I learned more about the other circuits and met more people. I've been asked to come to the synod for the district next month to show pictures of the schools and projects so I guess I didn't so so bad after all.

Pray for Zimbabwe

I don’t know how much news there is in the States about Zimbabwe, or how much you pay attention to it even if the situation is on the news, but it has on my heart to write about it.

Zimbabwe is a fairly small country north of South Africa on the eastern side of the continent. It is north of Swaziland, but as you recall, Swaziland is surrounded on three sides by South Africa so Zimbabwe doesn’t border Swaziland. Zimbabwe has been a country in crises for at least a couple of years, but it has gotten much worse. Thousands have fled the country. The Methodist Church in downtown Johannesburg (Central Methodist) has been housing thousand of refugees each night since at least 2006. I don’t know all of the political issues. I know that there is virtually no food on the shelves in Zimbabwe and that their currency is essentially worth nothing. They say the government is corrupt and the President is crazy. The current President, Robert Mugabe, is in his 80’s and as is very common, lives a very rich life style. The country had elections about a month ago. I believe they have elections every 10 years. Mugabe has been president for many years, and thought he would automatically get re-elected as he did during the last election. The country has gotten so bad that there were actually two candidates opposing the current President. The day of the election the President made a speech saying he would accept the results of the vote regardless of what they were. As informal results started coming forth, the President and his cabinet became quiet. Then there were complaints about voter tampering by the opposing party (MDC-Movement for Democratic Change) and the need for a possible run off. The results from that election have still not been announced. Now a recount of the vote is underway. The MDC says they won’t abide by the recount because there has been tampering with the original ballots since the vote. There have been many stories of violence towards those that voted for the MDC. It’s been reported that at lest 10 people have been killed and over 3,000 displaced from their homes because the government has destroyed them. This is all reported as being done in an effort to intimidate and punish those who didn’t vote for the current President. The unofficial word on the street is that the current government officials (police, court system, etc.) won’t allow the opposition to win the election because they are afraid of loosing their high paying jobs and being tried on various charges of misconduct and corruption.

Now, a ship from China is trying to bring a shipment of arms to the Zimbabwe government. So far, the ship has been denied to dock in South Africa and Mozambique. It is now trying to get permission to unload the cargo in Angola. The concern from the countries in Southern Africa is that if those weapons get unloaded and shipped to Zimbabwe that there will be wide spread violence and genocide. Everyone seems to be holding their breath. No one is expecting a peaceful and suitable outcome but the weapons will make things much worse. The UN has been approached to help monitor the re-count and elections. The debate in the UN to go to Zimbabwe to oversee the recount and maintain a peaceful outcome is still on-going. Honestly, I doubt the UN will do anything to help especially at this point. As usual, too little is being done too late.

My request is to ask you to pray that you pray that the violence stops and that a peaceful outcome for the good of Zimbabwe is achieved and that the countries in Africa band together to keep the weapons out of Zimbabwe. My second request is that you look closer at your thoughts of the political situation and elections in the US. Take part in the elections. Don’t waste your right to vote. The voter turnout in the United States is pathetic. Too many people take that right for granted, me included. We complain, and rightfully so, about the political back stabbing, messy campaigns and campaign promises that are not kept. However, we have the most democratic and peaceful elections and change of elected officials in the world. We should be proud of that, protect that right and utilize it to its fullest. Voters came out in droves to vote in the Zimbabwean elections. They waited for hours in long lines to vote. The majority of the people voted. I don’t remember the percentage, but it was staggering especially compared to the voter turn out in the US. And yet, their votes aren’t being heard and many voters have already reaped the repercussions of exercising their “right” to vote. IF Zimbabwe accepts a change in government it won’t come peacefully.

A daily one minute prayer vigil has been organized by Christians in Zimbabwe. The request is that all Christians stop what they are doing at 8:00 AM, 1:00 PM or 8:00 PM and spend one minute praying for God to intervene in the affairs of Zimbabwe. These times of course are Zimbabwean time (GMT plus two hours), but your time zone will be just fine. The main point is to pray for the people of Zimbabwe and while you are at it, pray for the US including a word of thanks for the country we are privileged to live in and the rights we all take for granted. Just a short prayer. One minute. Nothing fancy or long. Just pray for these people who are living in such a desperate and hopeless situation.

Prayer is the only answer for Zimbabwe. We, as Christians, forget or don’t really understand the full extent of the power we have available through prayer. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Together we can make a difference.

Deacons' Convocation

I had a wonderful week at the Deacon’s Convocation near Durban, South Africa. My week started with a relaxing Sunday morning and then the flight to Johannesburg, transferring to Durban. I flew with one small suitcase which I checked and a book to read. It was the first time in a long time that I was able to fly somewhere without a whole bunch of suitcases, my laptop and a bunch of other stuff to deal with. It was so relaxing. I actually felt like I was free! The little airport in Matsapha (near Manzini) is so African. They don’t start checking in passengers until one hour before the flight. Then they do it in a very slow fashion. People stand in line and don’t get upset. You have no idea what is taking so long, but it doesn’t really matter. Then they open the security x-ray machine and border control about 30 minutes before the flight. Everyone walks through, waits another 15 minutes or so until the little propeller plan lands from Jo’burg, the passengers get off and the new ones get on. No hurry, no rush and we left right on time. Now the international airport in Johannesburg was another story. There I had to walk for what seemed for ever, I waited in two lines to check in before I finally found the third line which was correct. But once again, no one seemed to rush and no one seemed concerned. It was very busy but very orderly. I made a mental note at one point walking through the airport at all the things that seemed so foreign the first time I came to South Africa that now seem so normal. It made me wonder what will seem abnormal when I return to the States, but I had to smile to myself and say a word of thanks to God for the adjustment to this country.

The convocation was held in a retreat center run by an order of nuns. It was in a beautiful neighborhood with a view overlooking an area called Valley of a 1000 Hills. I didn’t get a picture of the view because a picture wouldn’t have done it justice. The view was stunning. You could see for miles and miles and it seemed like you could see the 1000 hills. On the tops of the hills were a mixture of modern, large expensive looking homes and then on the hill sides and in the valley were hundreds of little mud or block homes some of which where round and some rectangle. The facility itself was an older, but very well kept up small hostel. It had about 20 small, but adequate rooms very simply furnished but very clean. It also had a couple of meeting rooms which were more like living rooms, a chapel and a dining room. There were 34 of us at the convocation. The shower was hot, the food very good. Unfortunately, the bed and pillow were extremely hard and I had a crick in my neck and a headache each morning.

The Deacons were some of the most loving, and welcoming group of people I think I have ever been with. They ranged in age from probably late 20’s to 70’s, possibly 80’s. They were from all over South Africa, Botswana and Malawi. There was a person who is applying to the Order of Deacons from Swaziland. One of the Deacons, from Botswana, had been the head of the VIP Police Security for Botswana for over 30 years before retiring and becoming a Deacon. He had worked with the Secret Service from the US and in the US when he travelled to the US with Botswana VIPs. He was a most interesting and endearing person. It was hard to believe he had once been the head of a division of the Police for the country and a man so well trained in every aspect of keeping security. There was one woman who is I think the most expressive person I have ever met – both verbally and with her facial expressions and body language. She was a pure delight. A lovely person as they would say here. I have no idea how old she was, but she wasn’t young. She lives in a retirement center and ministers to the other residents there. She wore me out just watching and listening to her! And then there was a young man who had the greatest sense of humor. He was always entertaining us with his gestures or comments, but he had a great and serious heart. I would love to hear his sermons. He reminded me a little of my youngest son Scott the way his humor and polite gestures always brought a smile to those around him.

The week’s schedule had time for the Deacons to take care of business regarding their calling and training. There was time to deal with issues and for the Deacons to know what was changing in the Book of Rules and Disciplines of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa regarding their Order. But most of the week was a spiritual, renewal time. On Tuesday we had sessions about having a heart for ministry – thinking and acting from the heart. The day started with the words from the song “You’ve Gotta Have Heart” and went on from there using scripture and relating to John Wesley’s conversion and teachings. Pardon the pun, but it went straight to my heart!

Wednesday was a most unusual, unsettling and depressing day. We took a “Cradel to Grave Toxic Tour of South Durban.” We were taken by bus to the various serious toxic sites in South Durban. The tour was conducted by a person from the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (www.sdcea.org.za). I learned that the dirtiest of the Crude Oil is shipped to South Africa to be refined because the US, Canada and Europe won’t allow the emissions and toxic waste that comes from refining that grade of crude oil in their countries. Shell Oil/BP and Engen are the two refineries. They are right next to the Durban airport on an area of land that is prone to flooding. Living right next to the refineries, and I mean right next to them, is a community of people who where displaced and moved there during Apartheid. They have no where else to go. Some of these people are living right on top of toxic waste dump sites. There is a school that is built on top of a dump site. They have studies that show that 52% of the children at the school have Asthma and that the rate of Leukaemia and Cancer is significantly higher than the norm. One of the oil refineries built a basketball court for the school and put in a playground as compensation. Of course they are on top of the toxic dump site. They then took us to another area that is right next to the second largest township in Southern Africa. (A township is a poor black community.) This area was a dumping ground, often illegal, for hazardous chemical, medical and household waste for 10 years from 1986 to 1996. The waste was not covered or buried. Children were playing in the dump site. When it rains, the run-off runs right down through the people’s houses. The site is still not cleaned up or “contained.” Once again, these people have no where else to go. If you think Global warming and the death of our environment is just a political ruse between the major parties and the independents, think again. It IS an issue of money. The rich get richer (He said the oil refineries make a profit of R44million per day.) while the poorer go hungrier and get sicker and the planet suffers more and more. I have seen and read more about the death of God’s creation since being in Africa than I ever realized when I was in the US. Oh, yes, I was concerned about the environment and have always been irritated that people don’t have a clue how to conserve our energy and precious resources. But the reality of it is raised to an entire different level being on this continent where people are starving, yet food producing farms are being turned to fuel producing farms, the pollution is high, and the environment has changed so much that drought has become a reality in some areas and flooding has now become an issue in areas where it never used to flood. We are horrible stewards of God’s creation. This world is dying and we, especially as Christians, are doing basically nothing to protect God’s creation and its people world wide. OK, I’ll get off my soap box. I think you can tell that this was a very thought provoking day.

On Thursday, the day’s program was on burnout and stress. A Sister from a different Order than those who ran the retreat center who is also a Psychologist presented the material that day. She was such a delightful, caring person with a wonderful sense of humor. She admitted readily that she herself needed to be reminded of most everything she was talking about. Her major theme was that God instructed us to not only to love God and our neighbor, but to love ourselves. We so often forget that we are to love ourselves and take care of ourselves. If we don’t take care of us, we don’t have anything to give our ministry and others. She talked more about listening to our heart (and God) – taking the time to truly be silent and listen. She said if we can’t be quiet and listen to our heart, why do we think we can hear God speak to us? Good point. It is so hard to “be still” let alone “and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10)

I rode back to Swaziland with a Deacon from Nelsprit, South Africa which is about 2 ½ hours from Swaziland. It was a long drive, but the countryside was so beautiful and I enjoyed talking with her. As always, I learned a lot about the culture and the country. It was a wonderful week, and I was so blessed to be invited and to be welcomed as one of their family. I hope the lessons I learned, the reminders I heard and the friendships will stay with me for a long time to come.

A Busy Week

This past week has been a busy one. It has left my mind completely full. On Monday and Tuesday Rev. Margaret Dlamini, the superintendent of the Mahamba Circuit guided us to 11 of her 14 schools. These schools are all in a very rural and poor part of Swaziland. But it is also in some of the prettiest areas of the country. The circuit is very hilly. Most schools are 3,000’ plus in elevation. We drove over 575 km in the two days. About half of that was on dirt roads. The needs of course are overwhelming. Every school lacked clean and/or adequate water. Because of the lack of water they can’t grow vegetables to feed the children and because of the poverty in the area, they run out of money to buy food to feed the children every day. The Mahamba Circuit serves over 5600 students. Over 41% of these children are what they call “Registered” OVC’s which means they have officially gone through the government’s process to be confirmed as single or double orphans or destitute meaning they live in extreme poverty with neither parent bringing in an income. If I were to add the non-registered OVC’s, the percentage would go up to around 70%. By comparison, the Central Circuit serves about 5200 students. Approximately 30% of these children are registered OVC’s.

In spite of the extreme poverty, the people and the land has an inner, raw beauty. I think of myself. When I don’t have water, can’t shower and don’t have enough to drink or eat, it clearly shows on my face, in my body language and certainly in my attitude. Even here in Swaziland I get extremely testy if I don’t have enough water to at least bathe. When I don’t drink enough water or eat right I get bad headaches. All I have to do is look at myself in the mirror and I know what the deal is. But as I look into the faces of the teachers, the mothers, the children I am so awe struck at how beautiful they are. The children are quick to smile and the adults are very welcoming. It boggles my mind almost more than the bouncing around on very rough dirt roads.

On Wednesday Rev. Kanana Nyameka and I went to visit two of the central circuit schools near the town of Big Bend in the low veld. One of these schools is on the grounds of a sugar cane plant and receives water and some support from the plant. The other, just about 5 km away received non drinkable water from the plant, but mainly serves children of migrant or unemployed sugar cane plant workers and area rural people. I was very encouraged to hear that both schools were going to receive food from UNICEF via the World Food Program for the children because they had gardens ready to plant to grow food for the children. Now the challenge for us is to see how we can help to get the other schools in that position to at least try to help themselves so that they can also receive a grant of food. I know it sounds backwards. You would think that the food should be just given to those schools that can’t or won’t help themselves. In the past it has been that way. But they have learned that it was promoting an attitude of waiting for a handout. They are moving to a program to help those entities, mainly schools, who will at least try to help themselves. They are calling this new program a work for food program. If they show they will work (i.e. grow a garden) in some way to improve their situation, they will give them food as payment for the work. It can’t be any worse than how they did it before, because the food distribution was never enough or reliable under the old system. The new plan should at least encourage and reward those who are willing to do something for themselves.

On Thursday we had a big meeting with Administrative Board members of the Swaziland Ministry of Education Regional Education Office at Lomngeletjane. We are trying to get the school registered by the government so that we can receive the teachers, curriculum and materials, initial desks and chairs. Unfortunately, the construction of the school started before the REO was notified. They are not happy. We have a lot to do by the end of May if the school can be registered in time for us to receive the teachers and materials for the start of the new school term in January, 2009. My prayer is that if this school is God’s will, that he will show us the way to get the leadership, labor, materials and funding to complete the items that need to be completed for the REO administrative board to give us the registration. This is Swaziland. This is Africa. Things don’t happen very fast here. There are always obstacles. This is truly in God’s hands.

Today I am leaving to go to Durban to attend a Deacon’s Convocation next week. I am extremely blessed to have been invited and am looking forward to getting away from all of the need for a few days and having some relaxed time for spiritual renewal and fellowship. I don’t know a soul, but was invited via e-mail by others who know I am alone here in Swaziland. All I know is that we will be at the Jacobs Well Retreat Center in the Valley of 1000 hills. Dress is casual and I must bring my own bible and stationary. It sounds wonderful. I am hoping this means there will be a semi-comfortable bed and a warm shower. Please pray for travelling mercies as well as physical and spiritual renewal.

Lomngeletjane

Friday I took the Principal from Salukazi Methodist Primary School to Lomngeletjane to see how the school is coming along and so she could observe the teacher and students. Officially, the teacher who is currently at Lomngeletjane is a member of the Salukazi teaching staff under the supervision of the Principal from Salukazi. Construction was started on the school without following the proper procedures to have a school registered with the Swaziland government. If the school isn’t approved and registered by the government, it becomes a fully private school which means the school will not receive any government funding. If the proper channels are followed and the school is formally recognized, the government will supply the school with desks, the curriculum, pay the teachers salaries and pay a standard amount for each registered and recognized OVC (Orphaned or Vulnerable Children). Lomngeletjane is in a very rural area and most of the children who will be attending are OVC’s. I am working with Rev. Nyameka to understand what needs to be done and work with the Regional Education Office under the Ministry of Education to get the school registered. The REO is not happy with us for not coming to them before construction on the school was started. It is taking a lot of apologies and grovelling to try and win their approval. We have a meeting scheduled for Thursday, 4/10 to take Administrative members of the REO to the Lomngeletjane site and hopefully get their approval. The visit on Friday gave Ellen, the Principal from Salukazi a chance to see the site, progress being made and to offer guidance on how we should handle the visit on Thursday. Her suggestions and encouragement were most helpful.

While visiting the classroom we found two boys struggling to learn to write their numbers. One was trying to write the number two, but kept writing it backwards and didn’t really know where to start to form the digit. The teacher has several children from different levels in the class but was not using any of the techniques we would use to help the child get started. I sat by the child for a few minutes, prompting him where to put the chalk to start and which way he was to move the chalk. He didn’t understand English, but he was slowly catching on. There was another child that Ellen pointed out to me just before we left that couldn’t even write the number one very well. It was hard to tell from just a few minutes of observation if the child, who was older, had just never tried it before, was having a hard time seeing it, had such low confidence in what he was doing that he didn’t want anyone to see him or perhaps was mentally slow. He could have been so hungry he didn’t have the energy to write and concentrate. Both boys broke my heart. At least the little boy who was struggling to make the number two gave me a big smile when I took his picture. The other boy never looked up.

Please pray we can convince the Administrative board members of the REO to approve the site on Thursday or there will be no point to finish the school because the Methodist Church is not in a position to financially support the school without government assistance. These children need a school because the closest school from this point is 5 km away through a very hilly area.