Shane Sellstrom, an SNU Morningstar graduate, will be leaving for Swaziland with the Bethany First Church of the Nazarene (BFC) in August 2009.  He will be staying in Swaziland for approximately 2 1/2 months to research setting up a base for future SNU international interns.  He will be researching 5 key areas in preparation for interns going to Swaziland in the summer of 2010.  Shane's final report is to include:

1.      Housing - What type of housing will be available for interns?  Determine what accommodations will be available if there are more than two interns, all the way up to five or six.  What are the various cost options?  Determine if there is a need to purchase any special items for the accommodations such as furniture, housewares, bedding, towels etc.   At this point, it is expected that the housing will be part of the Nazarene compound next to RFM Hospital.

2.      Meals/Social - How the interns will be able to prepare their meals and the cost of the meals is certainly important.  It is currently expected that the interns will prepare most of their meals in their house.  That means that we need to make sure that there is a kitchen and refrigerator in the house and whether they have facilities for storing food for any length of time or whether they will have to shop on a daily basis.  There needs to be an estimate of the weekly cost per person for preparing meals.  Also, is there an initial stocking cost for basic items that would need to be purchased?

Also, there is a need to understand what the social activities could be for the interns while they are in Swaziland.  With whom will they be socializing and what type of activities can be expected?  This could be with families that are also staying at the compound, young people from a local church that they may be attending, and students from the University of Swaziland.  The interns will be in Swaziland approximately 5 to 6 months and this aspect of their lives cannot be overlooked.  This will be especially informative since you will be in Swaziland for two months as well.

3.      Transportation - How is it expected that the interns will move around the city for shopping or other activities?  Also, will there be a need to leave the city to visit some of the farms or activities in other cities or the rural area?  If so, how will that transportation typically be arranged?  Also, how will the interns be able to get back and forth from the Swaziland University?  An evaluation is needed to determine whether there is a reliable taxicab that can pick the interns up at a designated spot near their housing and take them to the University in the morning and then pick them up after class and return them to the RFK compound.  Obviously, the integrity and reliability of the taxi driver is paramount, along with the estimated weekly cost.

4.      Education - There has also been discussion on having the interns take classes at the Swaziland University.  Some of these classes would be directly related to microfinance.  However other classes might be more cultural, historical or political with respect to Africa.  One objective during the internship is to make sure that the interns receive approximately 15 hours of credit at SNU.  Discussions have been initiated with Dr. Patricia Joubert at the University of Swaziland.  Dr. Joubert has also indicated that she could incorporate some of the fieldwork that the Morningstar interns will be doing into one of her classes, possibly even making it an assignment for her students.  Discussions with Dr. Joubert and seeing the University are important.

5.      Communication - the last key area that needs to be investigated is communication.  This is primarily the communication between the interns and their advisors in the US.  How accessible is the Internet?  What are the costs for the use of the Internet?  Is it 24/7 or is it only available during certain times?  Physically, where is the Internet available? 

Also, what are the requirements for voice communication?   Regularly scheduled communication times will need to be established with the interns, as well as determining the availability of communications on demand if it is needed or wanted.  The interns will also want to know how they can communicate with their families and friends back in the US, and what the cost of communication would be.

These are five key areas that need investigation before the interns go to Swaziland.  These are broad topics that will require much greater detail.  Take as many pictures as you can.  Bring back fliers and advertisements that show costs and availability of food and personal items.  Take copious notes and stay in touch so that your time there is as valuable as possible.

The final report should be both qualitative and quantitative.  Your final report should include a discussion of the above items but also an estimated budget - on a weekly and monthly basis - that it would cost for an intern to be in Swaziland.  Personal observations and recommendations will also be very valuable.

Aug. 22, 2009

Greetings from Manzini, Swaziland!

So much has happened since I arrived here, I honestly don’t know where to begin.

Last week was GO Team Week.  I traveled to Africa with a team of 60 volunteers from Oklahoma and Canada, as part of Bethany First Church of the Nazarene’s Swaziland Partnership.  We split up into various teams for construction, medicine, education, compassionate ministry, and art, and I was served on the Compassion Team.

My team was the most varied in its tasks, which included painting a church in rural Bhalekane, leading two days of Vacation Bible School at a Nazarene primary school, and volunteering at the New Hope Centre orphanage.  The Construction team renovated a clinic in Bhalekane, the Medical Team held several free clinics and worked with the staff at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, and various other team members participated in ministries around the country.

My team also spent a day with the HIV/AIDS Task Force.  This organization is staffed by the most extraordinary people I have ever met.  Volunteer members of the Home Based Care Task Force spend several days a week visiting the homes of sick people who cannot afford full time health care.  They assist these people in administering medications, talk with them, pray with them, and provide hope to many who might otherwise have none.  My group had the opportunity to accompany two of the Task Force women in visiting seven homes.  We brought each home a bucket of basic food items, and spent some time talking, singing, and praying with the patients.  This day proved to be the most emotionally challenging of the week: we visited people who had very little, and saw their faces light up with joy--not because of our measly gifts, but because of the selfless ministry of the Task Force volunteers.  As we sat on straw mats outside a tiny house in rural Siteki, laughing along with an older couple that was raising their two young grandchildren, I gained a humbling new understanding of what it means to sincerely serve God.

The week ended appropriately with a visit to Kruger National Park, the largest wildlife reserve in South Africa.  We spent Saturday driving through the park, and saw some incredible animals.  That evening, I was the only member of the entire team to take part in traditional Swazi dance!

I could write an entire book about the events and emotions of the week.  After spending an entire week here, I know that every team member gained valuable new perspective about serving God, and connected deeply with his people here in Swaziland.  It is still hard to believe that it was real.  But the week ended, the team went home, and I have now moved into my house here.  The next update will include more details about that, as well as the additional time that I have spent with the Task Force this week.

Blessings,

Shane Sellstrom

Sept. 9^th, 2009

Believe it or not (I tend to lean toward the latter), I have spent nearly a month now in Swaziland.  These four weeks have been filled with service, learning, worship, and quiet times, as well as some confusion and frustration.  There is still quite a bit that I need to accomplish, and I am not sure how to find answers to some of the questions that must be answered before Morningstar Institute can send interns to this place.  But God is merciful, and has established unexpected connections with some people who either hold the answers to my questions, or know those who can help.

The two women who oversee the HIV/AIDS Task Force have graciously allowed me to attend the 2 ½ week training for Home Based Care.  Although the lectures are all in siSwati, I have learned quite a bit just from being there.  HBC is a uniquely African ministry, and is a vital component of the community-centric response to AIDS that many experts credit as the primary reason for the significant decline in the HIV rate of countries such as Uganda, which once had the world’s highest incidence of the virus.  It is exciting to see this taking off in Swaziland, as this country now has the world’s highest infection rate.  There have been about 50 people in attendance, volunteers who have given up 2 ½ weeks out of their schedules in order to learn how to lead their communities in responding to a disease that puts the entire country at risk.  According to Mary Magagula, director of the Task Force, these people are willing to volunteer because “the rewards are so great.”

Out of the Home Based Care ministry grew the Task Force’s community gardens project.  They have started gardens in various rural areas of Swaziland, to be tended by support groups composed of HBC patients who have become well enough to perform the work of gardening.  My job here is to coordinate details for Morningstar Institute to send student interns who will work with the Task Force, study the gardens, and determine whether they are on track to become self-sustaining, as well as what type of impact they are making on their support groups and communities.  Since the gardens are at various stages, the interns will have opportunity to measure their progress and success, while also contributing to the goals of the Task Force.

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to visit the community garden at Luve (pronounced LOO-vay).  The support group that tends the garden was preparing it for planting, and trenches were being dug as part of a water project in conjunction with Bethany First Church of the Nazarene.  As I understand it, Coca-Cola donated money for water distribution systems to be installed in various rural areas of Swaziland, and one of them is centered around the Luve garden.  It was exciting to see these things taking place, and I was impressed by the size of the garden, which is really more like a small farm.  It is surrounded by a large protective fence, and there is lots of potential there for successful food production.

The previous two Sundays, I have attended Living Waters Church of the Nazarene with the LaVignes.  As I understand it, this is the only English-speaking Nazarene church in Manzini (Sharpe Memorial Church, here at the mission station, is in siSwati), and as such, it reminds me in some ways of a church that might be found in the United States, yet is still very much African.  On my first day there, I was asked to stand and introduce myself to the congregation.  As embarrassing as this was, I soon learned that the people at Living Waters are very kind and welcoming, and I was eager to return the following week.

The people of Swaziland are truly unique.  As a country united under a monarchy, the Swazis are a peaceful nation that has never been to war.  They have no political parties, and therefore stand together in many affairs.  This mentality is reflected in the people who live here, as many Swazis tend to be polite and humble.  I am very thankful to have crossed paths with so many good people—both Swazi and otherwise—who have been kind and helpful as I seek to accomplish my tasks for the Morningstar project.

In Christ,

Shane Sellstrom

October 2, 2009

I do not know of one person who has visited Africa without leaving a part of him or herself there.  I am now within my last 2 weeks in Swaziland, and have come to the somewhat sad realization that this country will be difficult to leave.  I have met some amazing people who I am pleased to call my friends, and in a way this place has begun to feel like home.

As you may know, Swaziland is home to 3 Nazarene colleges: the Nazarene Nursing College, the Nazarene Teacher Training College, and the Nazarene College of Theology.  The 2 former are located here in Manzini, and the latter is located in Siteki (pronounced STAY-gee) to the east.  These 3 colleges have recently combined as the Nazarene Higher Education Consortium (NAHEC), and this consortium will celebrate its first combined graduation tomorrow.  Plans are also in the works for the combination of these colleges into a Southern African Nazarene University.  Although there is an African Nazarene University in Nairobi, Kenya, it is very far from southern African countries.  This university, which will be the second in the country of Swaziland, will bring Nazarene higher education to many people.

I recently had the opportunity to speak to a class at the Nazarene Nursing College about my work with the Morningstar Institute and the HIV/AIDS Task Force.  Many of these students, who were in their final year at the college, were interested to hear about the work of the Task Force, as they are preparing for their own careers in health care.

Last week, I also met with the leaders of the SIFE chapter at the Nazarene Teacher Training College.  Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is an organization in which college and university students use their business skills to make a difference in their communities, and are also connected with local and national business leaders.  The SIFE teams from the Teacher Training College have organized numerous projects in micro-enterprise, and have often placed first in national competitions, representing Swaziland on numerous occasions in the SIFE World Cup.  There is potential for the Morningstar interns to work with a SIFE team from the college, and if it works out, the students would bring invaluable insight to the garden projects, due to their understanding of the local people and culture.

As I work to wrap up my stay here in Swaziland, I would like to thank you for your continued prayers.  The previous 2 weeks have yielded significant progress in the Morningstar project.  I would also ask that you pray for the work of the HIV/AIDS Task Force, with whom I have been volunteering for several weeks now.  They are expanding their outreach to all 4 regions of the country, and are dealing with the financial and personnel strains that come with such an endeavor.  However, their ministry is playing a significant role in Swaziland’s fight against the deadly virus, and we trust that God will be faithful in sustaining the work that they do.

Grace and peace,

Shane Sellstrom