"Goodwill ambassadors"... Good news ambassadors!

 

Once again, like in previous years, a group of Taiwanese brothers and sisters came to serve in the Diocese of Manzini. Some of them came for the fourth consecutive year. They are doctors and medical students. It is part of an ongoing partnership between the Diocese of Manzini and the Diocese of Taichung.

Their visit always touches us in a particular way. They save during the year in order to come to Swaziland and put their talents at the service of our people. As I told them at a "farewell breakfast": 

• Of all the things you could have chosen to do (as these are your holidays) you chose to visit us!

• Of all the places you could have gone to, you chose the Diocese of Manzini.

• Of all the nice things you would have bought with your money, you chose to spend it on our people.

• Of all the expensive hotels and cars you could have used, you preferred our scant resources.

• Of all the people you could have given gifts, your talent and expertise, you chose us!

In the short time they are here and by running "free clinics" they see hundreds of people a day and offer medical attention. As they shared with us: "the smiles of the people makes us forget we are tired". They must have been incredibly tired because they were not really given any time to settle down after the long journey but they followed the whole program of service and traveling as planned.

We also discovered that the money they brought to support those in need to continue their studies is given to them by their own friends at school. They put aside some money every month and give it to them to bring it here. In fact, this group is just a small expression of a much bigger group who have committed themselves to support the people in Swaziland.

"I know that you are the Goodwill Ambassadors, but now I must call you “Gospel Ambassadors”, “good news ambassadors”" because this is what they were for us, I said at the end.