A couple of weeks ago we threw a party...a housewarming party for gogo Eliya! Many of you first heard about her story on this blog almost exactly one year ago. If you missed it, please take a few moments to read about the first time Eric met gogo Eliya as she was sitting in the dirt outside of her falling down mud/stick hut, ripping up weeds from her yard to boil for dinner that night. (blog post "Manna for Eliya" from October 24, 2010 is can be reached by clicking above, on underlined text)

 

We could not help but respond to her plight. Since our immediate resources are limited, we brought her story first to our family and friends via this blog. Eliya's story struck a nerve in so many, who quickly responded and helped to meet her acute medical needs and provide a wonderful, comfortable new bed for this beautiful woman. Prior to that, she was sleeping on a woven mat laid out on a hard packed dirt floor. Bringing her that bed and setting it up, complete with pink and purple sheets and comforter, was one of the most joy filled days we've ever had since serving here in Nsoko!

 

From there, the story of Eliya continued to spread among friends of friends of friends! A team visiting from the States visited her homestead and saw firsthand the precarious living situtation Eliya and her two young granddaughters found themselves in. Meanwhile, another team also visiting from the States met another gogo from the area who also was in desperate need of a new house. A woman on that team gifted in photography felt a dream birthed in her heart. She began a greeting card ministry featuring photographs she took while on a vision trip here in Swaziland to raise funds toward building houses for people in Swaziland; specifically deserving women who care for children on their homesteads.  (You can read about that ministry House of Cards  here!) We proposed Eliya as a recipient of some of these funds and the Lord starting building her house!

 

The transformation from this:

 

 

...to a temporary repair to a kitchen which was reinforced by the help of a short term team visiting this past winter so Eliya and the girls had a (somewhat) more secure place to sleep...

 

 

...while the building project was progressing...

 

 

...and progressing...

 

 

....until Eliya was given the keys to her new house!

 

 

Then it was time to party! We brought a cooler of ice cold Cokes, potato chips and homemade rice krispie treats! Gogo was very pleased...

 

 

...and we all couldn't be happier for this amazingly sweet and faithful woman of God! We love you gogo Eliya!! Welcome home, gogo, and many happy, healthy years in your beautiful new home!!