Bulembu, a Community with a Heart the Size of Swaziland

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We knew we were going to need our own transportation to see the rest of South Africa and Swaziland, but were not sure where to find it.  Fortunately there was a travel agency in the small shopping center in Phalaborwa, so it seemed like a good place to start.  The travel agent practically laughed in my face when I told her we wanted a full-size van with an automatic transmission.  She quickly pointed out the only rental car company in town was at the very small local airport and the chances of having a van, much less one with an automatic transmission, were slim to none.

I convinced her it was worth a try and she called the local rental car company.  With a smug look on her face she exchanged pleasantries with the car rental agent and then asked if they had a van.  Her expression faltered slightly as I heard her say, "Oh, you just received a van today?"  I then pressed my luck and suggested she ask if it had an automatic transmission.  The smug expression returned with a vengeance, but quickly faded when she responded, "Oh, it's also an automatic?"  Now it was my turn to look smug.

The van was delivered to our hotel the next day.  And it was not just any van, but a fully loaded seven-passenger Mercedes with an automatic transmission.  If we were going to bust the budget, we might as well do it in style.  The main reason for wanting the automatic transmission was because the steering wheel was on the opposite side of what we were used to.  Of course so were the traffic lanes, which is why the thought of sitting on the right-hand side of the vehicle and driving on the left-hand side of the road while changing gears was a bit intimidating.  Aside from a couple of minor infractions the first day, we adjusted to the new driving rules and adapted quickly.

Following Kruger National Park, our next major destination was Swaziland.  After crossing Crocodile Bridge, we headed south out of the Park to Barberton, which is located east of the border between South Africa and Swaziland.  The town is best known for the rich gold deposits that were discovered there in the early 1880s.  It was also the location where most of the events took place in Bryce Courtenay's book Power of One.  Gold is still mined near Barberton, although it's much harder to find and extract than in the early days of discovery.  We took a tour of an abandoned mine, and learned a lot about the history and geology of the area.

After several wrong turns and a brief encounter with the local police, we were on our way to Swaziland.  We had to literally cross a mountain to get there, and experienced one of the most harrowing drives to date, including the recent Crocodile Bridge crossing.  The road to the border crossing climbed high over the floor of the valley and transitioned from a well-maintained two-lane asphalt road to one that was nearly impassable.  It had begun to rain heavily and by the time we reached the summit the road was barely visible.  Although the road was being prepped for a new layer of asphalt, it had not yet been applied.  In addition, fog had started to roll in and the road was mostly mud.  We continued driving in the pouring rain and finally made it to the border crossing.  Aside from getting drenched running between the van and the two border checkpoint buildings, the immigration process was uneventful.

The rain had subsided; however, it was getting late and the fog was becoming worse.  We drove into Bulembu, Swaziland and followed the signs to the Bulembu Country Lodge.  The town seemed a bit eerie, as there were no signs of life.  That, combined with the light drizzle and fog, made it feel like a town from an episode of the Twilight Zone.  We found the hotel office and checked-in.  They had standard hotel rooms; however, we requested something larger and were taken to a house that could have comfortably accommodated 12 people.  It had a full kitchen where we prepared dinner, and had a fireplace that helped take the dampness and chill from the air - all for only $65 USD.

During check-in we learned more about Bulembu.  For starters, an asbestos mining company once owned the town and employed thousands of locals.  The mining began in the 1930s and at its peak there were 10,000 inhabitants.  When it was determined the soft threadlike mineral fibers were extremely unhealthy and could cause serious medical ailments and even death, the mine was closed in 2001.  The once booming town was shuttered and the economic engine and all of the jobs associated with it vanished.

In 2006, a group of visionaries came together, and after working with the government and the mining company, bought the town.  The plan was, and still is, to create an economic engine that will reestablish the community and provide a sanctuary for abandoned, neglected and abused children including those with HIV/AIDS.  Many projects were underway that would help ensure the town's self-sufficiency and long-term economic stability.  They included a dairy, bakery, timber and honey production and a lodge for tourists and travelers.

We wanted to learn more, and asked to meet with someone from the town.   The following morning a young man came to our house to escort us to one of the homes for the town's youngest residents.  Gerry and Robyn manage the residence, and along with other staff bath, change, feed, burp, teach, nurture and love unconditionally approximately 25 children four years of age and younger.   We were told once again that Swaziland has the highest incidents of HIV/AIDS in the world.  It has not only ravaged an entire generation, but created many orphans in its wake.  Several of the children we met have AIDS including Kennedy a beautiful, active toddler that captured our hearts.

Gerry made it clear they do not consider their facility or any of the others in Bulembu an orphanage.  Instead it's a community of love and nurturing that gives children a second chance at life.  He told of us of many tragic stories including one of a baby girl who was literally buried alive for four hours until someone found the newborn in what was to have been her grave.  They can only surmise that her mother or father thought the baby had died and buried her without knowing she was still alive.  After being found and rescued, she was brought to Bulembu where she has flourished in her new home.

There are many happy stories too.  We met a young woman who was pregnant when she arrived in Bulembu, and after delivering a healthy baby stayed to help care for the other babies.  Gerry told us their ministry takes children from 0 to four years old.  Apparently he could see from our expressions that we were not sure how it was possible to take care of a child that was considered age 0.  He then told us of a woman who gave birth in the grass at the bottom of the hill and had to be carried with the umbilical cord and baby still attached to the town's hospital.

As the children grow older they move seamlessly to other homes in Bulembu, which provide nurturing appropriate to their age group.  The transition to the next age group is done with great care and understanding.  The children have sleepovers for several weeks at their new home until they are comfortable with their caregivers and new environment.

Countless volunteers visit Bulembu each year to help renovate the existing buildings and/or help with the children.  As the organization and community grows, so does the need for more housing, which is why handymen and people with construction experience are in great demand.  Many of the existing homes and buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years and must be renovated to make them habitable.  Whether helping with renovations or the children, most of the volunteers are affiliated with churches and missionary groups from the U.S. and Canada.  Travelers can also provide assistance.  They can either make Bulembu a destination during their trek or be fortunate enough to stumble upon it as we did.  Either way, it will create an impression that will last a lifetime.

Our departure from the town in the mountains of Swaziland was slightly less harrowing than the day before.  We spent another three days in the country before reentering South Africa.  We learned Swaziland is defined by its contrasts, of which there are many.

And remember, "Travel is the ultimate education."

 

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