Life on the Miracle Campus

The Luke Commission Compassionate Medicine now extends to good food grown by fledging farmers and expanded lodgings built by the assets team.

It all has happened on the Miracle Campus in the last year – not to mention two marriages and more patients than ever before arriving at the gate seeking medical help.

Here’s an explanation in a sprinkling of words with a whole passel of pictures.

When the Miracle Campus came into being four years ago, 30 acres spread before us with potential promise, which God has continually expanded. Then wondrously, 170 adjacent acres were acquired bordering the Usuthu River, Eswatini’s biggest.

Once transport systems are installed, The Luke Commission will have water to supply the original campus where staff lives and works. A glorious by-product of the additional land, however, is that right now TLC can grow and irrigate crops to feed thousands.

Two crops, sugar beans and maize, were harvested in the first year. Another mass planting of beans is a foot high already, and the rotating vegetable garden provides continuous fresh produce.

Who benefits? The 160 staff members, to be sure, but also HIV and other medical patients who come to the campus for treatment, the grandpas and grandmas who participate in CARES (Comprehensive and Restorative Eyecare Services), vulnerable children and orphans.

Adding food to medical treatment brings a smile to every face and a bounce to every step. Truly, life on the Miracle Campus springs forth on many levels. Each photograph shared here is a story in itself.

Thank you to all those who love The Luke Commission and give that these projects become reality. Thank you for listening to the still small voice of God and sharing, enabling TLC to share with others.

by Janet Tuinstra

Corn, irrigation, and the Usuthu River (beyond the pivots) harmonize to produce crops to feed many.

Walking and waving in the corn rows is a TLC worker. For animal lovers, a large crocodile lives in that pond.

“The little bit of farmer in all of us” principle captures father and son.

Happiness is corn harvest days. One warehouse full of drying corn is ready for the combine harvester, with the diligent help of TLC employees.

The year-round vegetable garden feeds staff and patients.

The first building constructed on the Miracle Campus was housing for 40 Liswati staff members. In the last year, two more large lodges for staff have been completed. Here they are in progress.

Now completed, two new staff lodges sit on a Miracle Campus hill, beckoning those who cannot wait to move into their new quarters.

Thank you to all who donated to these buildings.

TLC assets team builds a retaining wall. It’s much longer and more beautiful today, demonstrating concrete-block craftsmanship.

Assets team never stops building and maintaining.

Early morning, the Miracle Campus whirls with activity. TLC’s fleet of vehicles is removed from a vehicle warehouse every day to set up a temporary medical center for campus patients. The converted horse trailer is the doctor/dentist office.

Patients wait at the Miracle Campus gate, knowing that they will receive medical help today. Patients come and patients go at the Miracle Campus.

Ndumiso and Moses run from staff housing to the warehouses to clock in.

Simphiwe and Futhi pack boxes in one of the five warehouses.

Staff takes warehouse inventory and unloads more TOMS shoes from semis to TLC warehouses – ceiling high – for rural Liswati children everywhere.

TLC staff plays the all-favorite soccer on the Miracle Campus field. It’s assets team versus the outreach team. Evenly matched. Serious players. Assets won this time, but Outreach very well may win next time.

First Miracle Campus wedding reception features groom Sam and bride Tiffany. Both, now, are international TLC staff members. Liswati staff ladies dance at the wedding reception, entertaining both themselves and a couple hundred spectators.

Wedding day for Winile and Sibusiso. Fellow staff members gather to pray, sing, and wish them well. The couple now live together on the Miracle Campus. It’s their day to say, “I do.”