Underwear

Shopping for 182 children is not always easy in Swaziland (or perhaps, anywhere). We don’t have a Wal-Mart, Target, Costco or really any stores that we can purchase a large quantity of anything.  A trip to town to buy children’s socks could take all day requiring going to three different towns and 4 different shops.

Last week I was told by one of my wonderful Sr. Supervisors that our toddlers really need new underwear. We have 40 two-year-olds at the toddler home (stop and think about that one for a minute), and every one of them is being toilet trained.  I asked how many pairs were needed and she humbly just asked for as many as I could get. I asked if seven would be enough (thinking one per day), and she said yes, that would be good because they go through several pairs a day with accidents etc. 

So seven pairs per child would last 2-3 days.  Our laundry team washes 600 articles of clothing every day, in cold  water washing machines, hanging each piece on the clothesline to dry.  Our clothes line is always brings joy to my heart.

This was our laundry line this morning. Photo credit:  Lori Marschall

I hesitated in sharing this with you today because last year I was strongly criticized for asking people to help us collect seven pairs of pajamas for each of our children to go in a shipping container coming from the US. Those seven pairs would last through summer and winter and hopefully get us through one full year for each child through growth, nighttime accidents and general wear-and-tear. My critic suggested that I was being extravagant in asking for so many pajamas and implied poor stewardship of donor funds.  I disagreed then and I disagree now.

Today Ian and I are shopping in South Africa and our list includes: 280 pairs of underwear, 100 bowls for staff, 150 food bowls for our children, three x 33 Lt cooking pots, boys belts for school, girls tights for school, prescriptions for bed wetting that we can’t get in Swaziland and a short list of other odds and ends.  It will be a full day of searching and shopping, rewarded with authentic Dim Sum for lunch.

One of the fun things about shopping in Johannesburg is finding hidden treats that our volunteers might like. Yesterday I found Reece’s peanut butter cups AND Kellogg’s Pop Tarts (never seen before in South Africa/Swaziland). I quickly sent a photo to a few volunteers and within one minute had orders in hand.  (Pop Tarts cost $8 USD per box here! But they sure will be a nice treat).

Live from South Africa … I love shopping for all my kids.

Janine

PS.  If you would like to help fund the things that our children need each month, please give today. 

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