Graduation! The Swaziland Safe Water Ministries Team is launched with the Bishop Mabuza's blessings ~~ by Melody Rockwell

Swaziland Safe Water Ministry Team

Graduation Day ~ October 23, 2009

Left to right: graduates Mthunzi Ndlovu, Dumsani Matsebula;

Rev. Dube, graduate Jabu Mnisi, Bishop Mabuza,

graduate Nothemba Khoza, Melody Rockwell,

Alfred Sipho Dlamini & Dan Rockwell

(not in photo, but vitally present on graduation day: Greg Stout)

Swaziland Safe Water Project -- sponsored with substantial grants from the Episcopal Church United Thank Offering Gift and Trust Fund and the Episcopal Waters of Hope with generous gifts from the Iowa Safe Water International Ministires and the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, parishes and individuals...

The team's intense engagement with rural communities in Swaziland continued apace right up to the day before graduation. Nothemba, Dumsani, Jabu, Mthunzi and Alfred Sipho's work in making and demonstrating chlorinators continued in its excellence. Even when a green mamba snake slithered into the underbelly of our van at the Luyengo school (two days before graduation), police and fire trucks arrived and the snake was eventually snagged and unceremoniously dispatched, they kept their cool and remained professional throughout the demonstration!

The team had worked diligently and well together for five weeks; one week of training and four weeks (Monday through Thursday) traveling to remote areas to bring the good news of why and how to disinfect contaminated water. Five weeks of long days together.... bonding on rutted roads and hilltops and churches and under council trees, and yet it seemed that graduation day came upon us impossibly soon.

The springtime sun shone brightly on the greening grass and vivid blossoms that morning, Friday, October 23, 2009. Bishop Meshack Mabuza celebrated Holy Eucharist and thoroughly, prayerfully and beautifully blessed each of the graduates before they received their certificates and congratulations from Alfred Sipho Dlamini and Dan Rockwell "with great appreciation for their exemplary work in training and in the field implementing the use of chlorine production units to provide safe water in rural communities in Swaziland."

A high tea with fancy cakes and sandwiches was given in honor of the graduates, Bishop Meshack Mabuza and Social Development Officer Alfred Sipho Dlamini and other Swazi friends who had assisted the process and joined in celebrating the day.