Every meaningful story has a beginning, a middle and an end. I first came out to the Kingdom of Swaziland in May 2005 (renamed eSwatini by royal decree during the 50/50 celebrations in 2018) with my three young sons (Morgan, Owen and Teifi) with a view to just doing the 'touristy' bit.

Late one evening, we got totally lost in a borrowed rusty old 4x4 which resulted in a 'chance' meeting with Rodney 'Stumbo' Charles and the 'Stumbo Young Stars Orphans Soccer Team'. A man with a real presence who at 6'2" and a physique to match his Swazi nickname of 'Stumbo' (or 'giant' in siSwati). In his day, the top footballer in South Africa and targeted by a number of the top teams in the UK. But, it was the disgraceful apartheid era and perhaps a story more suited for another day. And so he relocated with his now pregnant young wife from Durban to Swaziland to start a new life.

His aim is to use soccer as a vehicle to teach both girls and boys social skills; as a vehicle to engage and empower and to use any spare monies raised to provide a basic education for the orphans. Over the last thirteen years, we have known each other, we have become life long friends and very quietly under the radar, set up charitable links, together with his lovely wife Lynette.

What I witnessed had a life changing affect on me. Abject poverty and the highest percentage of HIV/AIDS per head of population in the whole of Southern Africa, with too many 'child headed' households and no parents or 'gogos' (grandparents) for emotional support. The burden of responsibility often resting on the shoulders of the eldest child (sometimes as young as 10 years of age) to try and keep the family unit together. Very often the local church is their only source of comfort and support and at least one square meal a week after the Sunday service.

And so, I made a promise to myself that one day, I would return to the Kingdom of Swaziland on a more permanent basis, to hopefully make just a small difference. One Sunday, whilst exploring the local countryside, I came across a remote church with a leaking roof and the sound of singing from inside. Not the ideal venue to make that life changing difference, particularly in the rainy season but, it was obviously meant to be. And so, I need a little help please to raise the necessary funds to provide St Bernard Anglican Church in the Kingdom of Swaziland with a new roof in 2019 for the benefit of the local community but, more importantly, as a safe haven in life's stormy seas for the benefit of the many 'child headed' orphan households in the surrounding homesteads.