Wednesday, Feb 7
Home visits this morning.
Our first visit was to Chausiku, a 71-year-old woman raising her 9-year-old granddaughter, Hadija. Her daughter (the child’s mother) died of AIDS in 2017 at the age of 26. Both Chausiku and her granddaughter are HIV+. Chausiku became infected as a result of caring for her sick daughter.
We passed an open part of the building with the roof caving in. Inside were some bags and a piece of foam. Nie explained that when she first met Chausiku about 3 months ago, she and her granddaughter were living in this space and sleeping on the piece of foam. Chausiku was ill with a heart problem and Hadija was crying because she had not eaten for 3 days.
TAFCOM took Chausiku to the doctor and a volunteer paid for Chausiku’s first 3 months of medicine (approx. $40), She was diagnosed with an irregular heart beat and enlarged heart. She is to take the meds for 6 months and then be retested. She will run out of medication later in February.
Chausiku was able to move into her neighbor’s room and is now paying rent there. The neighbor is no longer living there and left her furniture for Chausiku.
Before becoming ill, Chausiku had a food business. She is feeling better and wants to start her business again as she has no other source of income. Hadija is in school, Primary-5. She has no uniform and until her lunch fees are paid, Hadija will be unable to eat lunch.
My emotions took a toll with this visit. I felt again like I did after the very first home visit I made in 2009. That memory and the emotions that arose within me are still very fresh. I know this woman and her story will occupy the same space. Chausiku’s biggest fear is leaving Hadija alone in this world.
I wish there were words that could bring to life the reality of this kind of poverty. I want others to truly, deeply understand. Even for me, seeing it first hand, it is so hard to imagine this day-to-day existence. It gives me pause and I question so much about life and the way we treat each other.
No one we visited has electricity or water. They must carry buckets to the closest spigot. This is impossible for many who are in ill health. Fortunately, the sense of community is strong in these areas and people look out for each other, sometimes doing without in order to help another.
As Nie explains it, “This is the life of poverty.”
I knew it would be uplifting to visit Mwamini and Jasmine. I met both of them in 2014 and feel a special bond with both, especially Mwamini. When I first met Jasmine, she defined depression. After giving her a Micro Loan, we observed her slowly lifting out of her depression (Blog reference). Jasmine has moved and although her housing is dreadful, it is an improvement from where she lived (and Francisca now lives). We had given her a micro loan several years ago so she could sell charcoal. She had to stop because the charcoal dust was causing lung problems. She is doing another business now but the income is very meager.
Mwamini’s youngest died of AIDS complications when she was 1 year old. I was here through her illness and death and it was heart-wrenching. (SEE BLOG) Mwamini is also very small and I leave my clothes for her at the end of each visit.
Her smile when she saw me could have lit up the world. My heart melted and I got choked up! One of her daughters is a student in our tailoring class. Another daughter has a baby who is HIV+. This, undoubtedly, causes Mwamini a lot of stress.
Thursday, February 8
My morning walk/runs are becoming more therapeutic than physically exerting. It is a good time to clear my head and set my agenda and attitude for the day.
I have my breakfast in my room each morning so I can eat while getting ready. Elly brings me a tray with a thermos of hot water for my coffee along with fruit. This feels very awkward as no one has ever “served” me food, cooked my meals, cleaned my room or done my laundry for me.
The phrase “white privilege” smacked me in the face this morning as I walked into the kitchen to return the thermos. Five 5 students were sitting on the kitchen floor eating bread and having tea. (They are waiting for the bus to take them to Minnesota Academy and don’t have breakfast at home.)
Office work today took my mind off the emotions of yesterday. I do love the feeling of accomplishment! Today I finished cataloging the large bookshelf in the office. Next, I will tackle organizing and cataloging multiple decks of flash cards.
Friday, February 9
Off to Minnesota Academy to observe the P-3 class today. They were a more restless class than P-4. It fascinates me how classes take on their own personalities. Occasionally my mind would wander and I could see the clouds slowly rising to cover Kili like a blanket. I was most likely that child in school who didn’t pay attention and was absorbed in other thoughts. I realized I am not smarter than a 3rd grader! OR I can blame it on age. I would not have been able to answer the following science questions:
Heat travels through solids by way of what process? conduction.
Heat travels through liquids by way of what process? convection.
Heat travels through air by way of what process? radiation.
Are you smarter than a 3rd grader??
More accomplishments today as I finished the larger of the bookcases in the library. Also, Lillian and Jennifer stopped by. They were preschool teachers when I was here in 2016. Deciding that the walk to pick up the daladala was as far as I was going to travel in the heat, the three of us went together and had a nice time catching up. Both Lillian and Jennifer have returned to school to advance their early childhood education.
Saturday, February 10
Trying to get my blog out this morning and having it blocked was so frustrating. I ended up having to make 6 smaller email groups which took way too much time. I decided to “block” my frustration and went for a long walk/run.
All my frustration washed away at Chemka Hot Springs. I have been there in years past. It is tucked away off dirt roads that I would not have defined as a path. One of nature’s most beautiful places, indeed. It was crowded today but nonetheless a wonderful experience. I was the only one in our group to swim but I did get Joan to come in the water with me. I am hoping to give her swim lessons in the future. This is the place that has little fish that peck at your skin. Check out the video of my graceful entry in the water!
Sunday, February 11
Another fun afternoon for Joan and Happy at Weruweru River Lodge. This time the camels were roaming in the area near the trampoline, and where people were sitting. They were not shy about eating the leaves from the tree or taking a drink from the swimming pool. The proof is in the photos.
Home visits this morning.
Our first visit was to Chausiku, a 71-year-old woman raising her 9-year-old granddaughter, Hadija. Her daughter (the child’s mother) died of AIDS in 2017 at the age of 26. Both Chausiku and her granddaughter are HIV+. Chausiku became infected as a result of caring for her sick daughter.
We passed an open part of the building with the roof caving in. Inside were some bags and a piece of foam. Nie explained that when she first met Chausiku about 3 months ago, she and her granddaughter were living in this space and sleeping on the piece of foam. Chausiku was ill with a heart problem and Hadija was crying because she had not eaten for 3 days.
TAFCOM took Chausiku to the doctor and a volunteer paid for Chausiku’s first 3 months of medicine (approx. $40), She was diagnosed with an irregular heart beat and enlarged heart. She is to take the meds for 6 months and then be retested. She will run out of medication later in February.
Chausiku was able to move into her neighbor’s room and is now paying rent there. The neighbor is no longer living there and left her furniture for Chausiku.
Before becoming ill, Chausiku had a food business. She is feeling better and wants to start her business again as she has no other source of income. Hadija is in school, Primary-5. She has no uniform and until her lunch fees are paid, Hadija will be unable to eat lunch.
My emotions took a toll with this visit. I felt again like I did after the very first home visit I made in 2009. That memory and the emotions that arose within me are still very fresh. I know this woman and her story will occupy the same space. Chausiku’s biggest fear is leaving Hadija alone in this world.
I wish there were words that could bring to life the reality of this kind of poverty. I want others to truly, deeply understand. Even for me, seeing it first hand, it is so hard to imagine this day-to-day existence. It gives me pause and I question so much about life and the way we treat each other.
No one we visited has electricity or water. They must carry buckets to the closest spigot. This is impossible for many who are in ill health. Fortunately, the sense of community is strong in these areas and people look out for each other, sometimes doing without in order to help another.
As Nie explains it, “This is the life of poverty.”
I knew it would be uplifting to visit Mwamini and Jasmine. I met both of them in 2014 and feel a special bond with both, especially Mwamini. When I first met Jasmine, she defined depression. After giving her a Micro Loan, we observed her slowly lifting out of her depression (Blog reference). Jasmine has moved and although her housing is dreadful, it is an improvement from where she lived (and Francisca now lives). We had given her a micro loan several years ago so she could sell charcoal. She had to stop because the charcoal dust was causing lung problems. She is doing another business now but the income is very meager.
Mwamini’s youngest died of AIDS complications when she was 1 year old. I was here through her illness and death and it was heart-wrenching. (SEE BLOG) Mwamini is also very small and I leave my clothes for her at the end of each visit.
Her smile when she saw me could have lit up the world. My heart melted and I got choked up! One of her daughters is a student in our tailoring class. Another daughter has a baby who is HIV+. This, undoubtedly, causes Mwamini a lot of stress.
Thursday, February 8
My morning walk/runs are becoming more therapeutic than physically exerting. It is a good time to clear my head and set my agenda and attitude for the day.
I have my breakfast in my room each morning so I can eat while getting ready. Elly brings me a tray with a thermos of hot water for my coffee along with fruit. This feels very awkward as no one has ever “served” me food, cooked my meals, cleaned my room or done my laundry for me.
The phrase “white privilege” smacked me in the face this morning as I walked into the kitchen to return the thermos. Five 5 students were sitting on the kitchen floor eating bread and having tea. (They are waiting for the bus to take them to Minnesota Academy and don’t have breakfast at home.)
Office work today took my mind off the emotions of yesterday. I do love the feeling of accomplishment! Today I finished cataloging the large bookshelf in the office. Next, I will tackle organizing and cataloging multiple decks of flash cards.
Friday, February 9
Off to Minnesota Academy to observe the P-3 class today. They were a more restless class than P-4. It fascinates me how classes take on their own personalities. Occasionally my mind would wander and I could see the clouds slowly rising to cover Kili like a blanket. I was most likely that child in school who didn’t pay attention and was absorbed in other thoughts. I realized I am not smarter than a 3rd grader! OR I can blame it on age. I would not have been able to answer the following science questions:
Heat travels through solids by way of what process? conduction.
Heat travels through liquids by way of what process? convection.
Heat travels through air by way of what process? radiation.
Are you smarter than a 3rd grader??
More accomplishments today as I finished the larger of the bookcases in the library. Also, Lillian and Jennifer stopped by. They were preschool teachers when I was here in 2016. Deciding that the walk to pick up the daladala was as far as I was going to travel in the heat, the three of us went together and had a nice time catching up. Both Lillian and Jennifer have returned to school to advance their early childhood education.
Saturday, February 10
Trying to get my blog out this morning and having it blocked was so frustrating. I ended up having to make 6 smaller email groups which took way too much time. I decided to “block” my frustration and went for a long walk/run.
All my frustration washed away at Chemka Hot Springs. I have been there in years past. It is tucked away off dirt roads that I would not have defined as a path. One of nature’s most beautiful places, indeed. It was crowded today but nonetheless a wonderful experience. I was the only one in our group to swim but I did get Joan to come in the water with me. I am hoping to give her swim lessons in the future. This is the place that has little fish that peck at your skin. Check out the video of my graceful entry in the water!
Sunday, February 11
Another fun afternoon for Joan and Happy at Weruweru River Lodge. This time the camels were roaming in the area near the trampoline, and where people were sitting. They were not shy about eating the leaves from the tree or taking a drink from the swimming pool. The proof is in the photos.
I cannot thank you enough for sharing this. Thank you for inadvertently reminding me to learn to 'block' my frustration. I want to tell you that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Be blessed and stay blessed. Regards,Sium
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