Final weekly blog – A farewell, not goodbye.

On June 1^st 2011, I wrote this in my first blog journaling our move to Africa: “Once we move to Africa, 365 short days from today, we hope you will continue to follow our adventure as we begin to bring in abandoned babies, work with orphan headed-households in the community around Project Canaan, grow and export tons of food and so much more.  Of course, that will all be dependent on us having electricity, internet access and a few other basics like fresh water.  You see ... the journey REALLY does begin today. People have asked me when I am going to write my next book.  My answer is that this blog is the next book, and you get to read it as it happens.”

 

One year later – on my blog dated May 31^st, 2012 – I wrote: “The 365-day countdown has come to an end.  Today is the day we get on a plane and move to Swaziland, Africa.  This year has flown by, but this past week seemed like it took another year.  Transition is hard and I can't say that I have handled it well…there were many tears, too many times snapping at my family, and then more tears.  But today is the day I have longed for since 2003.  It is time to move and serve the Lord whom I love on a continent that I love.”

 

Just the words electricity, internet access and fresh water bring up memories of the challenges we have overcome, and how God has provided in each and every circumstance. As I write these words, it’s May 29^th, 2021; we have lived in Africa for 9 years, which honestly has flown by. Today I am writing my 489^th weekly blog (not missing one Saturday in nine years!), but today will be my last WEEKLY blog. This move has had a significant impact on the entire Maxwell family, and we have all LIVED through the highs and the lows, the joy and the sorrow, the reward and the sacrifice of serving the Lord. I thought you, my dear reader and friend, would like to hear the voices of Ian, Spencer and Chloe in this final weekly blog as you have heard my voice a lot over the past ten years.

 

Here are a few questions that we thought you might like to hear the answers to:

 

What has been the hardest part of the past 9 years for you personally?

 

Chloe: “There has been a lot of “hard,” from the stories of each child and the fires, to saying goodbye to my sister Nomsa and people betraying us. The hardest part though, I would say, is being so far away from each of my family members for so many years and figuring out how to manage a long-distance family.”

 

Spencer: “I would say the hardest part (that I have come “a long way” on) would be knowing what I should tell my folks, and what I shouldn’t. For example, if mom starts the call with “we received a new baby that was found in a pit latrine” it’s hard to say that I am struggling with school or a friendship because how does that compare to a baby being found under such circumstances? But at the same time, we are each going through life and have struggles. We can’t say one is worse than the other because not only is it relative, it’s personal. So being able to hear what my parents tell me is going on and still being able to process my own circumstances was challenging, but liberating.” 

 

Ian: “Thinking I screwed up my daughter’s high school years by enrolling her in an international private school in Eswatini. It didn’t work out and she lost a full semester. She ended up graduating from Morrison Academy in Taiwan, that turned out to one of the best decisions we made as parents.”

 

Janine: “The hardest part for me was not being able to “be there” for Spencer and Chloe when I felt they needed us most, but having to try to help from afar. The second hardest was hearing the harsh criticism of people who were telling us from afar how we were doing things wrong and how to do them better.”

 

What has been the best part of the past 9 years for you personally?

 

Chloe: “Seeing the plan unfold and all of the parts working together so well. It surprises me every time, but somehow Project Canaan is more amazing, more developed and more inspiring every time I go home. Also seeing the number of people that have been a part of this crazy journey, even if only for specific times, each person that has played a specific role in Project Canaan being what it is today.”

 

Spencer: “Knowing that even though it’s hard on all of us, we believe our family was called to this mission. We all believe God is in control, which alleviates so much stress in my life- a serious example would be when people ask if I’m afraid for my parents getting bit by a snake. I can honestly respond that I am not worried because if that’s a part of Gods plan, so be it. I know they are protected and are called to this mission, which makes it easier to explain to friends (even those that wouldn’t be on the faith spectrum).” 

 

Ian: “Being in the front seat witnessing God develop a vision. He uses people who are available, to bring wisdom, skills, finance and prayer together to bring the vision to life. From African bush, Project Canaan has emerged to bring HOPE to Eswatini and I have had the privilege to see it all.”

 

Janine: “Feeling the presence of God every day is a wonderful thing and knowing that He is directing our steps is so assuring. Seeing Grace walk, noticing that Miracle can now see, discovering that Holly and Ivy are no longer deaf, watching Phiwa skip into a hospital for reconstructive facial surgery are all proof that Jesus is alive and well and present here.

 

What would you do differently if you were to move to Africa again?

 

Spencer: “I would prioritize internal communication between our family. In the last year we established a weekly family phone call on Sundays that is something I look forward to. Sure, before I could call my parents anytime (before 9pm their time) but having a designated time schedule (even though it may sound “corporate”) is really important in creating a structure for our family to have consistent communication.” 

 

Ian: “I would have bought a bulldozer. No really… I would have bought a bulldozer.”

 

Janine: “I would get more advice on how to stay better connected with Spencer and Chloe and I would also be more intentional in planning family holidays that were not in Africa.”

 

What do you wish people knew about this journey that they may not know?

 

Chloe: “I am so grateful that my parents said yes, because if they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have 289 brothers and sisters that I love, I wouldn’t have the confidence to fearlessly travel the world and absorb new cultures, and I wouldn’t have the extremely personal example my parents have left to show my children one day of what it looks like to literally be the hands and feet of Jesus.” 

 

Spencer: "I think people would be surprised to hear all the junk people say to us about our mission. The critiques left and right, people sharing how they think we should run the organization, as well as the straight-up ugliness people show us is kind of surprising. Which makes it all the better when people truly support us with words of encouragement!

 

Ian: “The journey over the past decade+ has had its highs and lows but through it all the Lord has given me an inner peace which has filled me with joy in the “high” time and sustained me during the “low” times. This journey is an adventure, every day I get to see some of what the Lord is doing, (just a peek under the tent), and I’m filled to the brim.”

 

Janine: “I think sometimes we make living in Africa look easy, but it’s not. It’s all hard and it’s heartbreaking. We are human. We hurt, we bleed, we feel­­­­­­­ pain and lonliness. But God is with us always and even in our darkest hours He has never left us nor forsaken us. This is the good news of the gospel that we share daily with our Swazi brothers and sisters.

What are you most thankful for about the Maxwell’s moving to Africa story?

 

Chloe: “I am most thankful that I am a Maxwell and that this is part of my story. We only get one life – At 24 years old, I’ve had the opportunity to see the world, understand poverty, truly understand and experience the impact that one person can make and because of this, I believe both Spencer, my 288 brothers and sisters and I can change the world.”

 

Spencer: “Umm isn’t it obvious? That WE were called to this mission?! How many times have we heard “I could never do what your parents are doing” when really, anyone could pick up and move to anywhere to do anything. I am so fortunate that not only did God call my folks to Africa, but that they said YES. My life is forever changed by this project and it has exposed me to things I will carry for the rest of my life. I am also so thankful for all the people that have encouraged our family from the start, and have stayed with us through this process. You know who you are and I can’t thank you enough.” 

 

Ian: “That our whole family said “Yes” when asked about moving to Africa. Our lives would be dramatically different if we had said no.”

 

Janine: “That we did it. Fear did not hold us back. People did not hold us back. We put down our nets and followed him with abandon. The impossible became possible because God was with us at every step, and our children were able to experience it first hand and our children’s children will be blessed because of it.

 

Thank you for taking this journey with our entire family.  Thank you for supporting me each week by crying with me, wiping my tears from afar, joining with me in prayer and cheering us all on from a distance. Thank you to those of you who serve with us every day here in Eswatini, or elsewhere in the world.

 

Thank you to everyone who has sent me words of encouragement about how much you have enjoyed my blog, but also words of understanding of why it is time to take the next step in the way this blog is shared. Nine years ago, as I wrote in that blog before our departure for Swaziland, “It is time to move and serve the Lord . . .” – that declaration still resonates! Every step of this journey has been taken in faith, and it’s time to invite you to share your journey, your experiences and the manner in which God has invited you into this story. There are still stories to be told, chapters yet to be written and it’s time for them to be shared by those who’ve said “yebo” to this call.

 

I promise to write to you monthly in the Heart for Africa Share HOPE blog, so please be sure to sign up for it.

 

I have two final requests, and I hope that ALL of you will participate in both;

1.     Would you take a moment to write an email to me at janine@heartforafrica.org or leave a comment on the social media platform where you read this blog? Please share a favorite blog, story, or why you continued to read this blog for as long as you have.

 

2.     Would you make a small (or large) one-time gift to the children of Project Canaan, which will go towards special needs that arise (like emergency surgery, special staff gifts etc.)? While the blog was free, raising nearly 300 children is expensive! Every gift you make is another step towards raising the next generation of leadership for this country we all love so much.

 

In the U.S. Please click here.

 

In Canada Please click here.

 

Lastly, please know that Jesus is securely on the throne, even in the country in which you live. I have readers from all over the world, and while every nation has suffered during the past 18 months, Jesus is still alive and He is with you always.

 

My new book HOPE LIVES HERE is now available for pre-order so please be sure to order yours today!

 

In the U.S. you can order it directly from us at Khutsala by clicking here.

 

In Canada you can receive it now as it is available as print on demand on amazon.ca.

Just click here!

 

Live from Eswatini … may the Lord bless you and keep you and give you peace.

 

Janine

 

 

P.S. A few facts about my blog that you might find interesting: 

 

My top 3 most read blog articles were:

 

1.     Just Tears https://janinemaxwell.blogspot.com/2018/04/just-tears.html

2.     7 Babies in 7 Days https://janinemaxwell.blogspot.com/2018/10/7-babies-in-7-days.html

3.     What is a “mushroom Daycare”? You might not want to know. https://janinemaxwell.blogspot.com/2017/06/what-is-mushroom-daycare-you-might-not.html

 

Most of my readership came from 18 countries as seen below:

United States	571,547
Canada	84,698
Russia	21,679
Eswatini	15,132
Taiwan	12,423
Sweden	9,654
United Kingdom	9,412
Germany	6,903
France	6,387
South Africa	6,298
Ukraine	5,257
Kenya	1,140
Netherlands	897
Japan	884
Australia	863
United Arab Emirates	802
Brazil	749
Belgium	735

 

 

I have had 818,493 all time blog reads.

 

Thanks for spending some or all of the last 10 years with me!

Much love,

Janine

Facial reconstruction in South Africa: A Phiwa Update

 

Many of you have followed the journey of our eldest child, Nokuphiwa (Phiwa), as she has made two trips to the U.S. for reconstructive surgery and ultimately got stuck for many months during Covid-19 lock down. If you want to start at the beginning you can go to this blog and then search Nokuphiwa for other updates.

 

With borders closed and international travel almost impossible we decided to try to find a solution closer to home to help Phiwa continue with the facial reconstruction work that is still to be done. While the surgery is “free” in the U.S. through our friends at Global Medical Relief Fund in partnership with the Shriners Hospital in Boston, the cost of accommodation, the legal guardian being away from home and work in Eswatini and the sheer stress related became priceless (and almost unbearable).

 

Our nursing team sent many emails to surgeons in South Africa (the medical system and hospitals here are extraordinarily good), but we couldn’t get anyone to even agree to an appointment. We finally had a “bite” and crossed two international borders for an appointment. We really liked the surgeon and were very hopeful, only to have him decline taking Phiwa on as a patient. His loss.

 

Traveling from Eswatini to South Africa is no easy feat, and requires Covid-19 PCR tests ($60 USD each), Ian, Nokwanda and me to make the 6 hour drive each way with Phiwa and a night in a hotel with two rooms. But we are committed to this remarkable young woman and so we persevered. Finally, we found a surgeon who would see us. We made the journey again a few weeks ago (again) and BINGO! We found our man.  On Tuesday we crossed those same to international borders (again), after taking new PCR tests (again), and on Wednesday Phiwa had her next surgery, but this time it was more fun.

 

How can facial reconstruction be fun? By bringing a friend.

 

We surprised Phiwa, and all the children and staff, by inviting 9-year-old Miriam to join us. She is a very sweet girl who is a good friend to Phiwa and one child for whom we have a birth certificate (160+ of our children are not able to get a birth certificate at this time, which is a big problem). We were able to get her travel documents (like a passport) and shared the great news with all. Miriam, like almost all of our other children, has never left Eswatini. She has never crossed a border, never ridden an elevator and never seen a hotel.  Our goal was to expose Miriam to a larger world, reward her for being a good and helpful girl, and give Phiwa a friend to go through the good part and the hard part of this facial surgery.

 

Miriam listened well and asked Phiwa lots of questions. Phiwa was a gracious and helpful friend who loved sharing her worldly knowledge of how turn on a tv in a hotel and how to read a menu. I tried to see the world through Miriam’s eyes, taking photos were possible for her to share with her classmates when she is back at school. McDonalds was a very new and exciting discovery, complete with a metal faucet that pumps out all the ketchup you can eat. The hand blow dryers in the bathroom were a surprise, but so was the homeless boy sitting on the ground outside of McDonalds filthy, sickly and begging for food. The elevator ride was fun, but not nearly as shocking as the 3-bedroom penthouse suite (!) that the hotel upgraded us to without us requesting any special treatment. When asked about it, they told us that they remember us being there before and they want to support our efforts. I call that a God kiss.

 

We all went out for Italian food the night before surgery and Phiwa ordered what she always does, spaghetti with meatballs. Miriam looked and the extensive menu and saw the words bacon and avocado under the Pizza heading and she knew what she wanted.  I looked across the table and saw that Phiwa was so happy to have her friend there. I quietly said, “Thank you for being so welcoming and helpful to your friend.” And without missing a beat Phiwa responded, “Thank you for getting her a passport”. I almost burst into tears, but alas, my procuitto and rocket pizza arrived and saved the day.

 

The rest of the evening was filled with an extravangant (first time) bubble bath, Cartoon network on a giant tv screen and microwave popcorn. What more could a couple of silly girls ask for before going in for facial reconstruction surgery?

 

The surgery went well. They injected her top lip with fat filler taken from a site on her stomach.  Then they removed tendons from her leg and made a sling to pull her bottom lip up. The goal for this surgery is to have her lips close, which will make speaking/intonation/enunciation easier and will make it easier for her to eat. She was in a lot of pain when she came out of surgery, much more than past surgeries due to the more invasive surgery. The next day she was miserable and it made for a rough drive home, again across two borders. But she is a trooper, with little complaining. As Ian drove, Nokwanda napped in the back seat and Miriam had the iPad to herself, we listened to music. The song "The Blessing" came on and a few minutes into the song I heard a small voice from the back seat singing, "He is for you. He is for you. He is for you. He is for you."  I couldn't choke back my tears any longer. I don't know if the Lord sent that message for her, or for me or for us all, but I heard it loud and clear through a tiny voice in the back seat. HE IS FOR YOU.

 

The next surgery will be a much bigger and scarier surgery where they will need to remove the eyeball that has melted to its lid, redirect a tear duct that weeps out of her eye brown and reconstruct her eye socket and left side of her face. Phiwa told us at dinner that she is very afraid of that surgery and she fears the pain that she will feel. Again, without missing a beat Miriam responded, “Don’t worry, you’ll manage the pain”. 

Next week will be my last weekly blog on Saturday mornings. I will still contribute monthly to the Heart for Africa Share Hope blog, but I won’t be joining you for coffee every Saturday morning. If you have been moved by Phiwa’s story and are in a position to help us with all of our children who need medical attention, I am asking you to dig deep and give generously today. Miriam herself had a severely broken tibia and fibia from a bike accident earlier this year, and she knows pain. This week alone we had two children who needed surgery to fix serious umbilical hernias and these all cost money.

If you can give, please do so today.

 

Click here to give in the US.

 

Click here to give in Canada.

 

Live from Eswatini … I am so proud of my brave girls, Phiwa and Miriam.

 

Janine

71 children moved up today

24 big boys moving from Emseni 4 to the brand new Emseni 6

We have 286 children who call Project Canaan home. We have children living in nine different homes and 71 of them moved out of their current home and into their next home earlier today. It was a fun-filled morning of joy, hope and happiness. Here’s how it unfolded;

 

·      1 baby from Kuthula Place moved to the El Roi baby home (which means “the God who sees” in Hebrew)

 

·      3 babies moved from the El Roi baby home to the Labaketsiwe (which means “the chosen ones” in siSwati) toddler home 

 

·      9 toddlers moved from the toddler home to Emseni #1 (which means “Grace” in siSwati). 

o   These moves are all on the Project Canaan Children (PCC) Lower Campus.

 

·      17 BOYS moved from Emseni #1 to Emseni #2 (E2).

 

 

·      17 boys moved from Emseni #2 to Emseni #4 (E4).

o   Those moves are all on the PCC Middle Campus

 

·      24 boys moved to the brand new Emseni #6 (E6)

o   This will be the first home at the PCC Upper Campus

 

Tonight, the older kids at E2 and E4 will enjoy a special braai (cookout) tonight at their new homes and all of the children and staff will fill their bellies with fresh, wild impala meat, chips and juice. What a day of celebration it will be, all made possible by the people who support our mission and give generously to help us build these homes, and sponsor children on a monthly basis. 

 

In other exciting news, we are taking Phiwa back to South Africa next week for her next surgical procedure, which will help her be able to bring her lips together, helping her to eat and speak better. We have decided to invite 9-year-old Miriam to join her on the adventure. This will give Miriam an opportunity to go on her first road trip, cross two international borders, go out for dinner at a nice restaurant and enjoy a new adventure in Pretoria, South Africa.  

 

Miriam and Phiwa are good friends and Miriam is a sweet, tender  hearted girl, who will be very supportive of Phiwa in her post-surgery care. IF we are able to continue with more surgery, they will get harder and harder and we want Phiwa to experience some joy and fun while undergoing excruciating pain. Who knows? Maybe one day Miriam and Phiwa will be the caregivers and legal guardians for other children who need reconstructive surgery. For now, we just listen for His small voice, and obey, and enjoy a road trip with two fun and silly girls.

 

Live from Eswatini … enjoying this busy and important day.

 

Janine

Children feeding children

 

I can’t begin to put words to the happiness that I am feeling having Chloe home after 16-months apart. Just to hear her in the kitchen in the morning, or seeing her sit on the patio with the puppies makes my heart leap. Being able to go with her and our older kids to ride their bikes through zebras, impala and other African animals was simply the best. And to know that she will be here to celebrate Mother’s Day with me here for the first time in many years is the best gift of all.

 

Chloe was recently hired as the Marketing Coordinator for Heart for Africa (Canada), which is one of main reasons we were able to get her home at this time. She has spent the week with the marketing team from Heart for Africa US and it’s been really interesting to see her look at Project Canaan through a new lens – one of work rather than family.

 

Yesterday the team went out to do homestead visits so that the new marketers could experience rural Eswatini. Chloe has been to homesteads all over Africa since childhood, but this was the first time going as an adult woman, AND we sent  six of our older children out with them. When she came home she was visibly shaken. For perhaps the first time she understood what it meant for a young girl to be at home with her father, brothers and other men in the family. She also had a deep understanding and awareness that our children might have been suffering like the children that she met had they not be placed with us through Social Welfare.

 

She sent me this photo of four 9-year-old boys, the two on the ends are ours, the two in the middle live at that homestead. Our boys are not unusually tall, but the difference between well fed children and children who often go without food was evident.

 

 

While everything she shared was interesting and insightful, it was her comments about our kids that brought me to tears … tears of joy. Our children have not been out to do community visits since January 2020, but they know that people are suffering from hunger because we talk about it frequently. Yesterday they got to see it firsthand, and it made them sad. When they were back in the van they shared that they were very sad to see Gogo cry, and to see how hungry the children were. What made them happy was being able to bring food and clothes and to see how happy the children were to put on their new-to-them clothes.

 

After presenting the food to the family they received a large pumpkin from the Gogo. Joshua said a very heartfelt “thank you” to the Gogo, she had a banana tree cut down to give them bananas because Joshua had been so sweet with his thanks. LOTS of tears, lots of proud moments.

 

 

 

These children are the future of this nation. They will lead with compassion and love. Whether they become farmers or nurses or teachers or caregivers, they will serve the Lord with all their heart, mind and body. I am eternally grateful for all of our incredible staff who do the "heavy lifting" in raising each child, and today I give a special word of thanks to our Lower Campus Manager, Khosie Mamba, and our Middle Campus Manager, Gcebile Shongwe-Dlamini, and ALL of the women who are mothers to our 286 children living on Project Canaan. May the Lord richly bless you today and every day.

 

I am a very proud mother of 288 children and can’t imagine my life without each and every one of them.

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Live from Eswatini … I am thankful.

 

Janine

Chloe is coming home today!!!

 

Today we will pick up Chloe at the airport and despite Covid-19 social distancing guidelines I will give our daughter the biggest hug possible as we have not seen her since December 2019!  She has been stuck in Canada and we have been stuck in Eswatini and we have missed each other terribly. She hasn’t even seen Spencer in that time period as he has been in the U.S. and the Canada/U.S. border has been closed for more than a year.

 

I recently had a conversation with a local doctor who has been directly involved with the Covid-19 pandemic and she told me that the third wave will be much worse than the second one was. Only 32,000 vaccines (AstraZeneca) arrived in Eswatini and the first dose was allocated to healthcare workers and people over 60 years. We have had some children’s campus staff infected (and hospitalized) and some of our children have tested positive for the antibodies, so we know that virus has (and probably still is) on Project Canaan. We are still strict with staff wearing masks for 10 days after upon returning from their “off” days, and hand sanitizing happens at every building entrance. The border to South Africa is open for medical travel, education travel and employment only, for now, and our lock down restrictions have loosened a bit, so we thought it was a perfect window of opportunity for Chloe to come home.

 

This also coincides with a BIG news that Chloe has been hired by Heart for Africa (Canada) as their Marketing Coordinator and she is a welcomed addition to the growing marketing team. The U.S. team also welcomed a new member last week with Sam Nadolski joining as our new Director of Marketing. Sam has never been to Eswatini so we saw this as a perfect opportunity for her to come and see is during this “window” of opportunity, along with Maggie Lian (Marketing Coordinator, U.S.) who hasn’t been to Eswatini since 2010!

 

As the borders are still closed to tourism we cannot re-opening for volunteers at this time, but we are happy to have this very small team from the office coming to gather photo and video content for 2021 and bring some love to us all. We all need a big hug and a good laugh.

 

We have an incredibly busy week ahead, and I will share as much of it as I can on social media so you can be with us here in spirit.

 

I cannot express how thankful I am that Chloe can come home. I know that traveling during a global pandemic is not easy, there are no direct flights anymore, and flying with a mask will be a challenge, but I am SO VERY HAPPY that she is willing and able to make the trip. The children are excited to see her again too and have been doing the “how many sleeps until Chloe comes home” countdown for the past week.

 

Live from Eswatini … doing the happy dance!

Janine

My new book is now available for pre-order in Canada at  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B093RX61N1 and you can also pre-order it on our Khutsala website at https://khutsala.com/collections/accessories/products/hope-lives-here