Missionaries, Rappers, Life Expectancy, and New Life

9/4/12

Missionaries, Rappers, Life Expectancy, and New Life

“I’m old for Swaziland, most people here die before 35 years `of age.” Rapper Mr. M  AKA Kasiboy

  When we returned from Mbabane, a friend of Corine’s came by to talk business.   Corine was a very successful business lady in her former life in California.  The young man, Mr. M AKA Kasi boy (ghetto boy) was requesting help in financing his rap album. 

    I really enjoyed the visual of the missionary lady on the front porch discussing her future as a rap producer. Ultimately, although she gave good suggestions and helped him formulate a business plan; she did not decide to become Swaziland’s answer to Timbaland or Jay-Z.

    Still, God really blessed their conversation.  Mr.M recounted how he had been very ill when he wrote most of the songs on his album, and how this illness had changed his perspective and priorities in life.  He really wants to use his music as a force for good and to encourage people to take responsibility for their choices.  He gave glory to God for his transformation, and credit, ofcourse, as every good rapper should to his mother.   And he apologized to the missionary lady for any choice English or Siswati words included in his songs that reflected his life before this change.  

     Part of what Mr M verbalized in his conversation with Corine, is that at 35 years old, he feels like an old man.  Because of the HIV epidemic here in Swaziland, the whole middle generation of 20-40 year olds has been decimated.  Average life expectancy estimates vary widely between 37 and 49 years.  However, practically speaking, this means that many of this generation of young adults, those who would work, and care for the children and the elderly, are dead or dying at alarming rates.  None one in this country is untouched by death or the effects of HIV.  With an infection prevalence of about 31% (the highest in the world), almost a third of our friends here are infected.  Many young adults are hardened and resigned to early death as inevitable.

     One of our lessons this week for girl’s camp was about the resurrection and new life.   We painted butterflies to symbolize God’s power to transform lives, and watched the girls’ blank stares as we tried to make the connection.   Again, probably too many abstract metaphors in a place where folks bodies and minds are literally wasting away from AIDs and HIV dementia, and where God shows up to restore and heal folks in concrete ways.   Next time, we will just have Kasiboy rap about God’s power to transform hearts and minds and…..maybe Corine can produce.