I find I am over 3 days behind on my blog so after visiting new-borns at the hospital, delivering baby clothes and watching Dr. Brian do rounds I will sit outside the clinic and try to catch up this morning. The hospital is full again after the weekend and the staff is busy, so I am trying to stay out of their way. Dr. Brian is whisked off to the operating theatre for a surgery. I share the re-usable diapers that we have brought along. The mid-wives will teach the mothers how to use them as it will save them money and help eliminate the mounds of garbage we often see.
I also want to share what an overwhelming sense of gratitude this community has. A community that lives off the land and barely has enough to clothe their children, let alone provide beds and school fees. So far, I have received a pumpkin, an enormous bag of avocadoes, and over 4 dozen eggs in varying amounts all from people we support here. There is no sense of entitlement among the poor. Only gratefulness and grace as they move through their lives and try to provide.
Thursday morning began in typical African style. The plan was to leave for a village at 2pm for an afternoon of health care and drama. When we arrived at KIDA in the morning, we found that there had been miscommunication and Reproductive Health Uganda – a partner of KIDA’s was already here and loaded up. The expectation was that we would all be leaving in the morning. A quick change of plans, a few phone calls to rally the drama group and an hour later we were all on the road. Moses the driver made multiple trips to get everyone to the village. Our ride included 7 nurses who engaged in joyful conversation and constant laughter. I again realize that this is how the Ugandans move through life. I sit next to Jabez, one of the lab workers who shares that her “introduction” and wedding are the weekend of August 7th. She hopes I can join but, unfortunately, I will be at home by then. The people here don’t ascribe to a “too many to invite more” philosophy. Once they meet you, you are part of their world and family.
These “field visits” are a constant part of the work here. They are free of charge to the village and often the nurses that go are volunteering their time after a full week of work. The line of parents with newborns and preschoolers lines up quickly and gets longer as the drama team starts their music. Jabez tells me that the measles vaccine was out of stock for about 4 months so many are needing to catch up on that vaccination. The visits include ante and post-natal care, deworming medication and vitamins, and any vaccinations the children need. The nurses start with a “sensitization” talk. They share that all this can happen for free because of Friends of Ruwenzori. They talk about family planning and the options that the women have with Reproductive Health Uganda along. The women are offered pills, injectables, implants and condoms. Some of the men also join in this conversation. RHU also is doing cervical screenings and share the importance of them for the women. The women fear these screenings as they believe that the uterus is removed and then replaced when checking for cancer. The nurses clear this up for them.
They are also many people waiting in line for HIV counseling and tests. If they are eligible for testing, they will get tested immediately and get their results in 15-20 minutes. If a parent is HIV+ the babies will also get screened. The nurses and counselors take each one aside to share the results and link them to the services at KIDA if they are positive.
The day last well over 4 hours. The drama group entertains and then does a skit on taking care of young girls. It includes ensuring that girls are getting to school, that the young girls should not be with a man who gives them things like money and soda, that the community needs to support and take care of the young girls in the community. It is a long skit and Marjorie shares with me what is happening. The actors are good and elicit much laughter from the community particularly when the man and the wife are arguing about having her go get alcohol for the father rather than being at school.
We head home with the drama team as the nurses are still busy. In a van made to seat 11 we pack in 14 and a lot of equipment. We make stops in Rwhaimba to drop a few of the members off closer to home. I am tired and am ready for a quick nap before dinner but at 4:45 Marjorie comes and invites me to a home visit. She does not waste any time here and is either working or making baskets and crafts to sell.
We head to a home near the Musobozis to visit a family supported by one of our board members. The children are being raised by their father as the mother left with the baby. The oldest, Janet, at 12 does all the cooking for the family. She is frightfully thin, but Marjorie says she has put some weight on since Debbie has been able to support them with school fees. The home is dirt. There is a living room that just fits two couches. Jennifer, the youngest, holds my hand on the couch as we talk with the father about their life and their needs. I find I have to shut off my emotions a bit as we sit with the family. The three children all share a single bed that, to our American standards, is filthy. The children share one blanket and Marjorie will be able to buy one for each child with the money Debbie sent with me. She tells the father that Peter, the middle child, will soon need his own bed as they are both getting older and the father commits to building one for him. I am unsure where it will sit as the children’s room fits just the single bed. They have a small half acre plot that grows pumpkins and tomatoes and matoke. They also have a goat. The land is large enough to provide food for the family. I share some headbands and stickers with the kids. They all giggle as I show them how to use the stickers and smile proudly as I take a photo with the headbands on their head. The simplest of gestures bringing the widest of smiles.
As we head back to the house Marjorie greets everyone on the road. We pass two young boys Ronald and Marvin who are orphans and another set of three who are living in a “child run” household. We pass a few of the drama members who are with one of our OVC girls who is sick. There is a long discussion and it is decided that Marjorie will pay for a boda boda to get this young girl back down to the hospital. I find myself, as the Executive Director of Friends of Ruwenzori, racking my brain to figure out how to not only ensure that we raise our current operating pledge to this community, which is an annual challenge, but how I can raise more. The need is so great and the people are so grateful. I see Janet running up the road as she is giving us a pumpkin. Her thin body carries the pumpkin with ease and she jogs ahead to get back home to cook dinner for her father and siblings. And again, I breathe in the air and find myself thankful that I get to do this work and overwhelmed by the grace and gratefulness that are exhibited by the people here.
