faced in combating one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in Africa

When the group of 10 women and teenagers from Sammamish arrived to the World Vision Swaziland national field office in early November, the local staff there spoke of the challenges they faced in combating one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in Africa. And like in many African nations, the people of Swaziland suffer from other diseases caused by unclean drinking water, as well.

Despite the sadness and struggle all around them, the field staff and residents received the group from Sammamish Presbyterian Church with joyous celebration, said four members of the group.

Eastlake juniors Lizzie Anderson, left, and Kelsey Maki sit with residents in Mahlalini, Swaziland in early November while on a trip with World Vision. Photo by Susan Maki

“The people are so open and welcoming,” said Susan Maki, who traveled to Mahlalini, Swaziland with her daughter, Kelsey Maki, an Eastlake junior. “It just really stuck out to me. I don’t know where that strength comes from.”

Susan and Kelsey Maki and mother-daughter pair Lolly and Lizzie Anderson (also an Eastlake junior) each raised $3,000 to travel to Mahlalini to personally meet the families they support through the World Vision child sponsorship program. Not only did they meet their sponsored child, the Makis and Andersons gained a better understanding of daily life in Swaziland and learned how to help improve the unclean water there, according to a church press release.

“Their whole day is about survival,” Susan Maki said. “The kids … they just take care of each other.”

They expected to have structured visit time with Sibongelini and Bandile, their sponsored children, but they ended up spending about three hours just hanging out without an interpreter or staff member, the four said Dec. 20.

“I was really nervous about meeting them,” Lizzie Anderson said.

The Sammamish residents brought gifts and sat in makeshift chairs, trying to soak in the moment and understand each family’s dire living situation, they said. They shared pictures from life at home in Sammamish and Lolly Anderson even tried to help with laundry outside, she said.