Gail and Mike Messick
- PCVs in Eswatini, 2010-2014
- Peace Corps Response Volunteer, South Africa, 2015 (Mike)
- PCVs in the Eastern Caribbean,1976-78
The story of Gail & Mike Messick story is a simple one. They arrived in the Kingdom in June of 2010 and were assigned to the Pasture Valley Children’s Home, near Nhlangano. It consisted of twenty AIDs orphans in a private, Christian children’s home started by a couple–she was Swazi, he was South African. This privately run orphanage is on a working rural farm. The primary purpose of the initial owners was to hire the “unhireable”, those with HIV, to give them the dignity of a job. In 2006 they took in the first orphan and the orphanage was created.
Gail & Mike were the first volunteers Pasture Valley had, and they jumped right in. They extended twice. In addition, in 2015 Mike served with Peace Corps Response Team in South Africa while Gail returned to the USA. Starting in 2016, the couple decided to split their time between Ohio and Swaziland and spend 2-4 months yearly at Pasture Valley, working once more as volunteers. They already knew all the kids. Children that were 3 when they arrived are now turning 19/20. The children’s home has grown to over 50 children and they need the help. Gail & Mike were are happy to be back. They cover all their our own costs.
In 2014, after much discussion, Mike was allowed to establish a 501(c)3 in the US to permit individuals to make tax deductible contributions. Pasture Valley is staffed by four volunteers, and thus is run on a relatively modest budget.
Gail & Mike started a school on the Pasture Valley grounds in 2022 with buildings, teachers, a head teacher, curriculum, and the essentials. In January of 2022, they started up STREEC, a college training underserved Swazi youth in the solar technology profession. This college was fully accredited by Eswatini in January of 2025.
Gail’s primary jobs are teaching preschool, tutoring afterschool, holiday programs, cooking meals for visitors, and working with home healthcare providers with income generating projects. Mike’s primary jobs are administration, tutoring afterschool, sorting donations, supporting mission teams, and hosting visitors.