Massive flooding and massive blessing

For those of you who have been reading my blog or following Heart for Africa on social media for years, you will know how much we talk about water. When we first purchased the 2,500 acres of African bush, that we now call Project Canaan, there was no river, which meant there was no water. For years we drilled bore holes and built dams to capture rainwater from the sky and runoff from the mountain.  Then the drought of 2015 hit sub-Saharan Africa and our bore holes dried up and dams emptied, which lead to the mammoth undertaking of building a 6 miles pipeline from the top of the mountain down to the farm.

 

Last weekend Cyclone Eloise arrived in Eswatini after causing massive destruction in Mozambique and brought more water than have ever seen.  Much of Eswatini suffered from the heavy rains (thankfully there was very little wind), causing roads to crumble, rivers to flood and houses to collapse. 

 

Road to Nhlangano

Nkonyeni Golf 5KM from Project Canaan

Dam #1, which has been dry since 2015, filled up to overflowing in just one night of rain. Thankfully our spillways worked the way they were supposed to and dam #1 spilled over to dam #2, which spilled over (with some help of some quick bulldozer work) to the Living Water dam (#3).  Even THAT spillway overflowed and that has never happened before. One week later, with minimal rains each day, the dams are still flowing into each other.

 

Dam #1

Dam #2

Living Water Dam (#3)

 

The only real damage to Project Canaan was a retaining wall which slid down the hill due to excessive water at the back of two new buildings which had not been trenched yet. Not only did we have little damage, but our dams full we have been blessed beyond measure with water and protection.

 

One thing that did come to light during the week of rain is that our children don’t have proper rain gear. In fact, we realized that have never bought our children rain jackets or ponchos. Last year we did a quick amazon drive for rain boots for the older kids and there are a few umbrellas that are shared on the wettest of days, but otherwise they put on their hoodies and walk to school in the rain, arriving soaked and cold (no matter the temperature).

 

 

 

We quickly realized that we need more rain boots and we need rain ponchos for our kids. THANKFULLY (because God is God and He is the great “planner”) we have container coming this way in February that has space on it so we are hoping to fill it with enough rain boots for all our school age kids (200) and ponchos for all of them as well.  We set up an amazon wish list, which you can access by clicking here. When you go to the check out, just click the Heart for Africa gift address and it will automatically be shipped to our warehouse in Georgia. The deadline for delivery is February 18th.

 

If you want to drop off or send gently used rain boots, jackets, umbrellas they need to arrive no later than February 18^th.  The address is: 410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 146, Cumming, GA 30041 and please only drop off on Monday – Friday. We are also accepting gently used Hot Wheels type cars and Barbie dolls and Barbie doll clothes.

 

It does take a village to raise a child and I am eternally grateful for the great big, beautiful village that I am a part of in raising 275 Swazi children.

 

Thanks for shopping at our amazon wish list today http://bit.ly/raingearforpckids!

 

Live from Eswatini … trying to stay dry.

Janine

What are you worshiping today?

As I sit on a mountain in an African country ruled by an absolute monarch, King Mswati III, I realize that I might view the world through a different lens than many other people. We are here because God has called us to care for “orphans and widows in distress” and that is what we are doing. God didn’t ask us if we agreed with the politics, religion or cultural views of the country we serve in, He just told us to go and we did.

 

The article below was in yesterday’s newspaper and it’s a real concern here. There are people who are very angry about the sale of alcohol being banned again for another 30 days (after a 6 month ban in 2020), not only because they might like to imbibe from time to time, but more importantly because it is an important part of some ancestral worship practices. Their concerns and their fears are of the repercussions of not being able to perform their rituals that will give them favor with their ancestors.

 

Churches are closed here again, which is not only hard on the Pastors, but also the people who are used to paying for a blessing. It is commonplace for people to line up at church and pay large sums of money for a big blessing and then smaller amounts for a smaller blessing by the Pastor. Yesterday an article said that one pastor has created a drive-thru service so that people could drop off money and receive a blessing from the Pastor. They could even swipe a card without leaving the car, or they could get out and use the ATM that was installed at the church for ease of use.

 

Some people worship their King, some people worship the dead, some people worship their ancestors, some people worship their culture and some people worship their Pastor.

 

What are you worshiping today that someone else might think was wrong, sinful or just crazy? Your way of life? Your freedom? Your rights? Your Pastor?

 

As we are very busy on Project Canaan with an extension on the dairy barn, finishing children’s housing and dining hall as well as designing a recreation area for 400+ children, we are also celebrating Swazi culture by allowing our bigger kids to do a double-night sleepover at the Swazi homestead. 

 

Dairy expansion.

Recreation area between middle and upper campus.

Swazi homestead with new boys house built. Girls is next.

While we are staying as safe as possible from Covid-19 we are also preparing to receive whatever part of Cyclone Eloise that is to hit us in the next 48 hours.

 

My prayer for today and the days ahead is “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5

 

Perhaps you will join me in that prayer too.

 

Live from Eswatini … it is a glorious Saturday morning.

 

Janine

 

PS Please join me on my new Janine Maxwell Author page on Facebook. We will be announcing the new book launch there very soon! 

Rhythms of life that lead to peace

Princess

As I was walking around the Project Canaan this morning (88 F at 8AM) I was listening to a podcast from the Proverbs 31 Ministry titled “4 Rhythms to Renew Your Mind”.  Author Rebekah Lyons talked about how the daily struggles with anxiety and stress make it difficult to receive God's peace. She went on to talk about “four rhythms to find rescue in the midst of life being hard.”  

 

As I listened I first started to think about different rhythms around me. To start I could feel the rhythm of my own steps as I walked around the farm and I could see the rhythm of today’s walking buddy, Jack, as he bounced along the road in front of me greeting all the birds and monkeys as he passed. 

 

But the podcast wasn’t about literal rhythms with a beat, it was more about finding a way to finding rhythms in life so that you can find peace and purpose.

That lead my mind to think of my friend Doni Robinson who lost her husband Dan this week. The rhythm of his heart stopped beating unexpectedly during the night leaving Doni and family shattered by the unexpected loss of an incredible husband, father and friend. Dan was Chloe’s high school principal at the Morrison Academy in Taiwan. It was Dan who accepted Chloe’s application to attend school there which changed the trajectory of her life.  Dan’s life had purpose and I pray that Doni and her family will find His peace in that knowledge.

 

Doni and Kerry Tong in 2015 holding baby River before he came home to us.

Next my mind went to the rhythm of American society that has been disrupted by fear, hatred and sickness. I read it in the messages of my co-workers, I see it on social media and hear it in the international news covering what is happening in the U.S. I pray that my Christian friends will be able to humble themselves and look to the Prince of peace during these turbulent times KNOWING that God has a plan and purpose for all things and He will not waste any of this.

 

From there my mind moved to thinking about staff members here at Project Canaan and in our U.S. office who are struggling to fight Covid-19 in their own bodies. And then to the staff member who tested negative for Covid-19, but is now coughing up blood, causing us to suspect Tuberculosis. Sickness and horrific health issues are part of the rhythm of our lives every day here in Eswatini. Only Jesus can bring us peace each and every day so that we can continue on fulfilling His purpose for us.

 

Lastly, my mind went to my friend Chris Cheek who would often post photos and comments about the rhythm of life here on Project Canaan. The thought of that rhythm helped restore my mind and soul to a place of peace this morning and reminded me of my own purpose.  I got home, had a cold shower and headed down to see the 200 children who were all taking turns in their house pools.  The ones who weren’t in the pool were enjoying the sprinklers, doing handstands and cartwheels, playing checkers or getting their hair done. Just a normal Saturday with the normal rhythm of life with 275 children in a tiny kingdom in Africa.

 

I pray that you will be intentional in finding healthy habits that help you find a rhythm that leads to His perfect peace and the knowledge that you are fulfilling His purpose for your life.  You only live once. Let us all do it with intentionality, faith in the One who created us and with love for one another.

 

Live from Eswatini … may His peace be upon you.

Janine

In other news.

It seems that all we can talk about this week is Covid-19 and American politics. The two headlines are affecting every part of our lives, including our physical, emotional and mental health. While we are a million miles away from the U.S., we still see watch the news from afar, and hurt with our friends and family who are hurting.

 

The headlines in Eswatini are similar, but here our Covid-19 and politics are combined with high level government leaders dying from the virus, government funding not available for basic hospital. Morgues are full and they have had to stop accepting dead bodies so people are encouraged to burn their dead. Government hospitals have run out of body bags, and funeral homes are out of coffins. All of this has led to another police lock down for an unspecified amount of time. Along with all the usual ramifications, this also means that babies will be left to die because they cannot be rescued, people cannot visit us to buy fresh vegetables/milk/eggs and we all move back into a greater state of awareness of health and wellness trying to keep 275 children (many with underlying health issues) safe. 

 

Dups is the main group of funeral homes in the country.

But let me take a moment and share some other news from Project Canaan. This week our 2-year-old toddler named Carol went in for surgery to remove her right kidney after one of our Aunties brought a lump to the attention of our medical team. Several tests resulted in the awareness of a large mass on her kidney, which turned out to be her whole kidney. Thankfully her left kidney is in perfect working condition, but there is no pediatric surgeon in Eswatini and there is no way for us to take her to South Africa at this time for surgery. THANKFULLY we know a wonderful adult surgeon at a private hospital who was willing to do this major surgery. We are further thankful for a dear friend who has offered to pay for the surgery and hospital stay. Little Carol is still in the hospital and in pain, but hopefully will come home to us this weekend and will spend 7-10 weeks in recovery.

 

We continue in our building projects, hoping to have Emseni #6 built for our big boys by March as our other Emseni buildings are full (we will fill the last 7 spaces next week with 3-year-olds who are moving to Emseni before school starts). That means we will have 40 children in each of the five Emseni buildings and 75 children under the age of 3 on the lower campus. O2 is also under construction right beside E6.

 

E6 on the left, O2 on the right.

We have cleared a very large space (18,000 sq feet) for a recreation area, which we hope will one day house a large swimming pool, volleyball, badminton etc.  For those of you who are wondering why we would even consider putting in a pool, we believe that learning to swim is not just for fun or to cool down on scorching hot African days, but it is also life-saving and life-giving. 

 

E5 girls bottom left. E4 boys bottom right.

While the world around us continues to groan in pain, we will continue to give thanks in all things. We give thanks for continued health, financial provision as well as God’s hand of protection over us. We pray for those who are sick, those who are mourning and those who are lost. 

 

In The Message translation of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) Jesus said:

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.  (WOW! - emphasis mine)

 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."

 Live from Eswatini ... we are blessed.

 Janine

Out with the old ...

Family cooking in Eswatini, Bangkok and Barcelona.

 

Early on New Years’ eve day we were awaken by security telling us that they just discovered a break in on the farm. They bent and broke their way into the maintenance container and stole a lot of equipment that is used on a daily basis to maintain the property. Clearly an inside job which required more than one person to haul everything away. The night guard was nowhere to be found, likely having a nice nap in the greenhouse. Good riddance 2020!

 

 

Early the next morning, on New Years’ day, I received a message that one of our big boys was fooling around and broke a window with his forehead. His head was okay, but the window would need repair. Unlike another boy who took a toy in the mouth and lost half of a tooth. The toy is fine, but the tooth, like the window, will also need repair. Welcome 2021?

 

 

While the world took a viral beating in 2020, we were truly blessed with good health, and no Covid-19 cases on Project Canaan (that we are aware of). The Kingdom of Eswatini has also had high impact deaths including losing our own Prime Minister to the virus, along with many prominent business people, government officials and people very close to His Majesty the King. The annual incwala ceremonies are still taking place while the rest of the country is being told to be extra vigilant and stay home, causing confusion and anger among the people. Not unlike confusion in other countries around the world.

 

Overall, 2020 was a year of favor and blessing to Heart for Africa and Project Canaan and we welcomed 18  additional children to our family. We are incredibly grateful to announce that we surpassed our year-end giving goal! Thank you to each of you who make a year-end gift, whether large or small. EVERY gift makes a difference and we are thankful for your love, prayers and financial support.  

 

 

In 2020 I was also able to write my third book, which tells the story of the last 11 years building and developing Project Canaan and explains what we do and why we do it the way we do.  We hope to have it published in February.  

 

Ian and I were able to write a cookbook for Spencer and Chloe with all our family favorites, complete with food photography (thank  goodness for our marketing background), cooking tips and a bit of twisted Maxwell humor. Our whole family loves to cook, and we have had many culinary adventures all over the  world.  (The photo of Chloe below was taken on a walking food tour in Vietnam. Little did we know until later that the fried patty was made of sea worms). Ian makes the best pad thai!

 

I’m not sad to see 2020 behind us, but I would be lying and ungrateful to say it was a bad year for us.  We look forward to another year of serving the Lord with all our hearts and minds, feeding the hungry, caring for orphans, providing employment and educating all with ears to hear and a willingness to learn.

 

Please join us as we continue on this epic and exciting journey of faith.

 

Live from Eswatini … we wish you all a Happy New Year!

 

Janine