The shield and spear on the national flag are symbols to protect Swaziland from its enemies while the black and white coloring represents black and white people living together peacefully in this beautiful land.The yellow is for the country’s natural resources and the blue stands for peace and stability. The red stands for the battles this tiny nation has fought in the past.
After the past few days here, that band of red, or perhaps (RED) in this instance, along with the protection of the Swazi shield and spear seem particularly apt right now as Swaziland fights perhaps its most sinister enemy yet in HIV/AIDS. As Tamsin said the other day, 39% of the population here is HIV-positive and this is the highest prevalence rate in the world.
This latest "war" for the Swazi people has long and daunting battle lines but hopefully our visit here helps reminds them that they are not fighting alone.
We caught up again with Sylvia today at the clinic where she is a counselor and she explained how, when talking with newly diagnosed clients, she calls the CD4 cells that help our bodies fight off disease and infections EMASOTJA or "soldiers."
As we spend time witnessing (RED) money in action helping to save lives here, it occurs to me that we are all (EMASOTJA) RED now.
--Greta
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1 comments:
Thanks so much, Greta, for keeping us updated on your journeys through Swaziland - they are very much appreciated.
It is always hard to really convey through an email and sometimes even through a photo of the TREMENDOUS hardship millions of people share throughout Africa - especially throughout southern Africa.
But I encourage all of you who travel there and know/see/feel the extreme poverty that many people must struggle with to continue your efforts to prick our consciences and move our hearts into EVEN GREATER ACTION on their behalf.
It must simply be said that we can never do enough - we can never rest on our laurels (or our awards) and think that we are doing enough.
Because there is always another child to feed and educate; another woman who needs to protect herself and her children; another spirit to encourage as they go through their life's journey.
THANK YOU (RED)and your sister organizations - and the Global Fund for NOT resting on your laurels and for continuing to share with the world what still remains the most important human tragedy in our world today - the hemorrhaging of human life from the African continent due to AIDS and extreme poverty.
I remain solidly behind your efforts because I realized years ago that Africa's People were my own.
I especially appreciated these words of yours, Greta:
"As we spend time witnessing (RED) money in action helping to save lives here, it occurs to me that we are all (EMASOTJA) RED now."
AMEN.........
Take very good care of each other, my dear friends.
Blessings - not just for those who kneel.
ALWAYS (RED) AT HEART, debbie :)
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