Swaziland

“You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; you refreshed the land when it was weary. Your people found their home in it; in your goodness, O God, you have made provisions for the poor”.

These verses, 9-10, from today’s psalm 68, have a potent ring about them when you have just turned on the tap and no water has come out. Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland is on water rationing – four days off, three days on. It is even more striking, when you have just visited two orphan Care Points which are the only opportunities for a daily meal for the young children who wander there from apparent nowhere, and there is no meal because there is no water! The family who as Anglicans see their duty in providing the meal on an outside cooking fire needed money to buy water which they then drag up a good mile on a sledge pulled by a team of donkeys. The Diocese team responded by the next morning.

We met the donkeys going up to the Care Point! And we met them but one less, heading home as we saw one killed by a car at the side of the road, as the others looked on.

In this environment, the word of God speaks volumes. Yes, the land is very weary from this drought. We could see that as we flew across Swaziland to their new airport in the middle of the country. And we pray for rain and for God to make provisions for the poor because many lives actually depend upon it.

The invitation to come to Swaziland this year is to be a guest at the triennial Synod of the Diocese. In fact we are listed not so much as “Diocesan guests”, but as “Diocesan Companions” on our name cards. The Synod is their version of our Convention, and it is my first to attend. For three days we will hear reports of achievements and challenges from the Bishop, Board, Guilds, and multiple Church agencies. And people will be cognizant of the climate difficulties that is impacting them. There may be a rising sense of hope as the participants gather at the Thokoza Center because it has actually begun to drizzle with rain even as I write.

I am delighted to be accompanied by Stacey Gerhart, priest from Calvary Sioux City, who has just heard that she will be the preacher at Synod Eucharist on Thursday when Bishop Mabuza, her colleague from St Paul’s Sioux City presides. Also with us is Bill Witt from St Luke’s Cedar Falls, who as a photo journalist is going to bring Swaziland home to us all like perhaps never before. Bill is also an ecologist and is providing initial consultation to the newly formed management board for a planned Pig Farm which is being sponsored through our two Dioceses by the United Thank Offering. UTO have also made a grant for a tree farm. There is also a couple of garden projects being implemented by Swazi Youth Council which Bill will be looking into. We Iowans are joined by Pat Millar of Brechin Diocese who is an official representative for her Diocese at the Synod.

We hope to be able to keep you up to date as we go along depending upon the intermittent intern access.  As you receive this report, please remember the people of Swaziland in your prayers, Bishop Ellinah in particular as she chairs this three day event.

In the peace and love of Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa