A beautiful dawn welcomed us on our second day in Swaziland.
This was the view from our rondavel at Sondzela Backpackers while we soaked up the morning peace.
Swaziland has a beautiful culture and national parks that draw tourists from all over the world.
We started our day with a run through the beautiful streets of Mbabane. It is Jacaranda season and the mauve flowers are stunning.
Ekwetsembeni Special School was our first appointment for the day.
The principal Mrs Tembe Dlamini graciously welcomed us. She remembered the team from our 2008 visit to the school.
Some of the students volunteered to assist the Peace Run team.
The guessing game had a special challenge as the sports teacher was translating everything into siSwati for the children.
The children in the school are all special!
Here the children seemed to get a real joy from learing the actions to the World Harmony Run song - look particularly at the little boy in the wheelchair.
After we had taught the children the World Harmony Run, song each child had the opportunity to hold the torch.
A teacher from Finland.
As usual the teachers are the unsung heroes of our world. Athough we didn't get her name, this teacher seemed to love the event and really feel what was so special about the day.
Mr Gule, the sports teacher, who very kindly translated everything that we said into siSwati.
After Etsembeni school we ran through the beautiful Mbabane streets to St Marks Primary School.
Shree Chirkoot (ZA right) and Daniel Ruben (NZ left) enjoying a run through the hills with the Peace Torch.
The children at St Marks Primary were all dressed in running kit when we arrived.
They were so excited that they all wanted to get as close to the runners as possible.
The teachers knew how to calm them down.
They all gathered in the assembly area.
With some children joining our team and helping with the banner.
The assembly area had a magnificent view over the mountains.
Shree led a run around the school with the children. It seemed as if everyone in the school joined in ...
... with delight and enthusiasm.
The teachers also added their goodwill to the Torch by posing for a photo and making a wish for peace.
One teacher even did a little dance with the torch!
These beautiful round hats are actually from Lesotho, Swaziland's sister country, which is also a mountainous landlocked country in Southern Africa.
After St Marks we stopped in a shady spot for a drink. People passing were all interested in the run.
Our next appointment was John Wesley Primary School (the sign is for the high school next door)
It was break time when we came in and the chlidren were all excited to say hello to the running team.
The Principal, Mrs Nomsa Tithwala introduced the team and said a little about why we were there.
I was experimenting with Balarka's camera.
We had to be a bit quieter than usual in the ceremony as the Grade 7 children were writing exams.
After we had all sung the World Harmony Run song, all of the students filed back to their classes and made a short wish for world peace.
Sometimes those photos that don't come out have a special magic to them...
Can you spot the Torch in this pic - the children inside were finding it hard to concentrate.
Dan explained the Peace Run to a teacher who arrived a few minutes late.
A student and the sports teacher.
Here Mrs Similane welcomes the Peace Run into her class room.
The Principal, Mrs Nomsa Tithwala, offered some very kind words on peace. She commented "We are so glad that you have had this team visit us, bringing the Peace Run. Peace is very important because you stay quietly with your neighbours and you are able to solve any problem that arises in peace. So to have peace is very very important in your life."
It was quite obvious to me that this is a school that runs on love and kindness. These children are blessed.
Danny was voted by the team as the "quickest person to make friends".
Back at our camp a few hours later Dan shows us how to run with a the torch using his unique running style.
The end of a glorious day. We stayed in the most beautiful rondavel at Sondzela backpackers where tame game roams all over the place. So far we have seen impala, warthogs, nyala and springbok in the camp. Don't worry we were very careful with the thatch when we took the pic.
