Tuesday, November 08, 2005

back home


I am sorry to be home and desperately missing the folks I met at Mbabane in Swaziland. An awesome and incredible trip that I will not forget until the day I die.

I quite literally am sitting here with tears in my eyes listening again to podcast 88. The kids are in a desperate state and there are so many of them. Those lucky ones helped by the Hawane Farm project are the most loving kids you could meet - one lad in particular just caught my heart, he has full blown AIDS but cycles arouond the farm without a care in the world knowing he's loved and cared for. I pretended to pull a small coin from his ear and he spent the next five minutes working out how it had happened - rubbing behind his ear though as to produce more Elamangeni (local currency).

It was great to just sit and smile with the kids and just awesome to walk around the project with Kevin Ward - himself a Swazi national - and listen to yet another innovative idea from Kevin to fund the project.

I still cannot get away from the fact that this guy and his family are driven by a deep love for the kids and the work, clearly shunning a lifestyle were they could be at the top of their tree: Helen is a dentist and Kevin, a VERY switched on guy with tremendous business acumen who has turned his back on a secure inheritance from his father in running the family hotel business.

Integrity is the whole vein that runs through the project - and Kevin, his family and workers. It was an incredible privilege to spend time with these people and I feel people need to know about this project.

More can be seen at www.swazitc.org thoug the site just doesn't do them justice at all. There is a Paypal button for donations if you feel so inclined too.

;-)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Truly, truly heartwarming stuff. Really made me think. Wonderful insight, well done.

Anonymous said...

podcasts are nothing without content and you have highlighted some informative and needed content. Well done paul + i know the people of swaziland will thank you for it.