Susan and I first met Ntombie at an outreach to children in the rural areas of Swaziland. We were so touched by her soft heart for the hurting children in her area. She had an incredible love and softness for the children even though you could tell by her countenance that something was very wrong.

As we got to know her more we found out that like many other Swazi women, she was a victim of an arranged marriage. Many women in Swaziland are married off to older men at a very young age so that their parents will receive money. Like many other men in Swaziland, Ntombie’s husband was not faithful to her while he was away from home.

Many Swazi women are trapped in marriages that they know are going to give them HIV but so many feel powerless to do anything about it. Women in Africa DO NOT enjoy the same rights that women do in America. Typically, a woman who tries to separate from her husband because of continued unfaithfulness is usually beaten and sent back to her husband by her family because they lack the money necessary to repay him for the labola (payment for a wife to the family).

Ntombie got so sick from HIV that her husband kicked her out for a new wife. When she came to us we took her to the hospital immediately for treatment. She is now on Anti-Retroviral Drugs (these are provided free from the government if the patients can afford a $10 registration fee) and her health has improved dramatically. She is now part of the Children’s Cup team, working as a teacher at one of the Children’s Cup CarePoints. Every day she gives hope and love to children that are facing circumstances that are much like hers.

Because of your support, Children’s Cup continues to look for ways to empower women in our ministry to orphans. These women understand first hand the hopelessness of a life without love and bring a passion to help the little souls they work with.