Valentine's Day

I apologize for my long absence from the blog! I returned home from Piggs Peak to a very busy schedule, but I finally have a few moments to write.Our first week was spent in a rural area called Nkinamadolo. I can’t wait to post pictures because I know that if people only knew that this beautiful place existed, Swaziland would have more tourism than it could handle! We spent most of our time visiting homesteads of families who are interested in the Baha’i Faith to directly teach them, so we spent a lot of time hiking around in the mountains. For the first time in my life I actually climbed over a mountain! I literally went up a mountain, looked around at the surrounding valleys, and then climbed down the other side! Wow! And more excitingly, I didn’t feel sore or tired at all for the entire week. The only reason I can think of is that I was aided by God, because trust me, I am not a fit person. The people in Nkinamadolo were kind, loving, hospitable, and very receptive to the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. It was a great weekend! 6 people decided to join a study circle based on the Baha’i Writings, and one person even declared his faith in Baha’u’llah! All in all, it was a great experience. I didn’t even mind the lack of electricity and running water (although it was quite an adventure). It was a bit like camping, only I don’t actually remember ever being at a campground without running water, flushing toilets, and an electrical hook-up. I feel like I can do anything now! ;)

The second week we moved into the Baha'i center at Piggs Peak so we could teach in town. Even though the Baha'i center had modern conveniences, I liked the countryside better. Town was not great. I haven't had this experience in Mbabane, where I live, but in Piggs Peak people were very racist! They call whites "umlungu" which means "amazing," but the connotation is more like "rich person." Everywhere we went, people wanted to meet umlungu. In some places, a white person had never visited the neighborhood before, so they were very excited. It was troublesome because no one would listen to the Baha'i teachings, they just wanted to meet me. Some houses just shut doors in our faces or wouldn't let us in the gate. One man blamed me, personally, for the missionaries who corrupted Christianity in Swaziland. I was just shocked. It was very backward to me that the rural areas were so kind when in town I felt like I was either hated or like an animal in the zoo, with everyone staring. Where I live in Mbabane, people are more used to diversity, I think, so they don't really care. I prefer that- I don't want to be the center of attention because of my skin.

Despite the bad experience in town, in Nkinamadolo it was wonderful. I'm very happy to be back though, and have my own bed and my own kitchen and my own house. My friends here are glad to see me again and the male volunteer, Emmanuel is very eager for more of my cookies! I told him that I'll bake whatever he wants if he brings me the ingredients! Haha.

We got home on Sunday, and on Monday I was supposed to start work at the Primary School, but no one had told me what my job would be! So, 7:30 on Monday I went to the principal’s office and she told me that I was going to be teaching 4th grade. So at 8:15 I started teaching! I literally had 45 minutes prep time. There is a government standard curriculum, but I still have to plan a timetable and assessments, etc. Needless to say, I’m swamped with work and haven’t been sleeping much. My class is absolutely wonderful though! They’re well behaved, respectful, and I think they like me! Today, one of the girls gave me an apple! Haha

I’m living my dream. There are two fourth grade classes (68 kids total) and two teachers. I teach math and science to both classes, and the other teacher does English and social studies. I also teach religious education and practical arts (home economics) to one of the classes. I’m really enjoying my class, especially religious education. We have to teach the government curriculum, but I can add whatever I want, so when the curriculum only gives us Bible quotes, I’m adding quotes from all the religions. Other than the quotes, the curriculum is very general. We talk about gifts from God, ways to serve the community, etc. It’s a wonderful example of the agreement of all the religions. Every topic in the book is based directly on the Christian Bible, but for each topic I can find matching quotes from every religion because all religions share basic spiritual teachings (i.e. one God who created us, civic responsibility). It’s only the social laws that change from religion to religion based on the time and culture in which the religion began (i.e. Christians are not forbidden to drink alcohol, but Muslims and Baha’is are forbidden because alcoholism has become a huge problem in the modern age).

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! My friends Nomsa and Emmanuel and I are going to bake cookies for our friends, my class, and of course for ourselves. They’re pink and heart-shaped! I know my class will love them, and I can’t wait! What I love most about Valentine’s Day is that it’s not just a day for lovers. It’s a day to tell everyone (friends, family) how much you love them. And of course, all love comes from the Source of our being, God, so it’s also a day to show our love to God through prayer and service to His people. I’ll leave you with some quotes on the theme of love.

3. O Friend! In the garden of thy heart, plant naught but the rose of love.

4. O Son of Justice! Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved? And what seeker findeth rest away from his heart’s desire? To the true lover reunion is life, and separation is death. His breast is void of patience and his heart hath no peace. A myriad lives he would forsake to hasten to the abode of his beloved.

20. O Ye That Are Lying As Dead On the Couch of Heedlessness!Ages have passed and your precious lives are well-nigh ended yet not a single breath of purity hath reached Our court of holiness from you. Though immersed in the ocean of misbelief, yet with your lips ye profess the one true faith of God. Him whom I abhor ye have loved, and of My foe ye have made a friend. Notwithstanding, ye walk on My earth complacent and self-satisfied, heedless that My earth is weary of you and everything within it shunneth you. Were ye but to open your eyes, ye would, in truth, prefer a myriad griefs unto this joy, and would count death itself better than this life.

(from The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah)