An Emotional Roller Coaster

JUNE 19, Thursday

I am very excited about observing the teachers and teaching some lessons. There is a bookshelf full of donated resources that I am determined to organize before I leave. I have a feeling there is a lot of potential on those shelves. I selected some materials and coloring books for the Upper Level class. I will observe on Tuesday and teach a lesson on Thursday. The Upper Level class is working on adding a series of 3 numbers form 1-10, learning the difference between likes and dislikes, and studying the importance of various foods.

The three tailoring students who will study Finishing and Design are going to Moshi today to meet their instructor. Nie shared that she had called someone to repair three of the sewing machines. We had a discussion about the need for additional sewing machines and decided there was room to add 3 more. Currently there are more students than machines. When the second building was being constructed at the center, one of the classrooms was for pre-school and the second was to be an enlarged tailoring training room. However, the demand for pre-school students was so high it was decided to utilize this building solely for pre-school. There are 81 students who attend plus a waiting list.

We learned that Upendo, one of the Upper Level teachers was hit by a bodaboda (motorcycle) on her way walking to the center this morning. She is in the local Pasua Hospital. It was a hit and run accident. Upendo was knocked unconscious and other motorcycle drivers stopped and transported her to the hospital.

On our way to take the tailoring students to Moshi we stopped at the hospital. Upendo was awake and alert. She is to stay for the day for observation. I was to be dropped off for lunch with Deb and the women who work with the lepers. We were delayed at the hospital so I was dropped off first and will visit the tailors another day.

I met Marilyn and Susan from the US who do missionary work. One of their projects involves a group of about 35 lepers who live in Moshi. We had an interesting lunch conversation and Deb and I will accompany Marilyn and Susan to the “Leper Colony” later in the day.

It is not really a ”colony” so much as it is a neighborhood like any other but located in Njoro ward, the poorest area of Moshi (followed is second). Marilyn comes to Tanzania for a month each year and Susan comes with her when she can.

I wanted to research the prevalence of leprosy and learned that it is even in the US but much more widespread in poor developing countries. Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease. It mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves (nerves that go to places like hands and feet) and mucous membranes. Similar to tuberculosis, it is spread by an infected individual through coughing and sneezing. Most people have a natural immunity even after being infected. Those with poor or impaired immune systems are more likely to develop leprosy. In 2012, the World Health Organization ranked Tanzania 9^th in the world for new cases of Leprosy (2,528). The US ranks 48^th with an average of 150-200 new cases per year.

It is a curable disease and early detection is vitally important. Without treatment patients suffer irreversible damage to their skin, nerves and eyes resulting in disfigurement, paralysis and blindness.

The “lepers” are shunned by locals and, as I discovered when I met them, are the street beggars I pass on a regular basis in Moshi. Many are missing extremities such as fingers and toes, even hands and legs. It is hard to know how to handle begging. I have always walked past finding it difficult to even make eye contact. I can no longer do this; I now have a name to put with their faces. These are among the most desperate of the poor. They are unable to work, shunned by others and only have each other for companionship. The government provides housing and occasionally brings in food.

Especially Marilyn, but we were all greeted like long lost relatives. It was quite the celebration with singing, dancing and praying. They wanted us to take pictures and had no qualms about showing us their disfigured or missing hands and feet. Most were elderly. There was one young woman aged 21 years, a mother of two.

Marilyn and Susan brought inflatable solar lights for each of the families as none of them have electricity. I do hope they understood the directions. I was also concerned because a large number of the people had only stubs for hands and there was an on/off button on the light. I am sure they will help each other as they are a very close community. Marilyn explained that next month she would be bringing food or providing shoes for each family, a decision each family will have to make.

On some levels I am still processing this experience. It is very strange to step into a situation that I had no idea even existed. To participate in a mere hour of their life and feel their joyful expressiveness, despite their woeful existence, is yet another stark reminder of how we have nothing to complain about and everything to be grateful for.

JUNE 20, Friday

I worked at home today and also got in a good, long run. Other than that it was a relaxing, peaceful day.

JUNE 21, Saturday

I met up with Jenn and some other volunteers for a trip to Chemka Hot Springs. Chemka is a mineral spring that originates from Mt Kilimanjaro ground waters. The crystal clear water remains a constant 79 degrees (26 Celsius). This was my second visit and a favorite spot of which I never tire. I also love going anywhere there is water because I know I will leave with clean feet.

It was about an hour drive from Moshi. Half of the roads are paved the other half indistinguishable dirt roads. The question popped in my head as to how many calories are burned from being jostled and bumped about in a jeep for a 20 minute period!

The springs are in the middle of nowhere. The water reflects a blue-green transparency which in parts reaches a depth of 20 feet. It is surrounded by beautiful palm and fig trees whose roots are exposed and intertwined like a work of crochet.

Several options are available for entering the water. One can crawl over the roots and rocks or for the more adventurous there is a rope swing with a wood T-bar. For those with no fear, climbing one of the trees and jumping in is another route. I chose the rope swing (see video for a good laugh). Because I am so short I could not reach the T-bar so Muksin, our driver, had to hoist me up. There is a current that floats you along and then provides a good workout when returning to the main pool area. Hanging around the shallow rock area near the water’s edge are small fish that offer a natural exfoliation by nibbling away at your dead skin. It tickles more than hurts although there is an occasional biter. Evidently there are salons in the western world that offer fish pedicures ranging in price from $30-$45 for a 15 minute session. The cynic in me has a low tolerance for such First World problems.

Being a very popular place I counted 25 visitors at one point in the afternoon. It is a wonderful place for relaxing and solitude but we enjoyed meeting and talking with other volunteers from around the world and learning about their work here. Plus there were several daredevils doing flips and jumping from the trees.

Some of the locals have a food stand where they make Chips Mayai, an omelet with French Fries. I have never met anyone who did not love this traditional dish. Jenn and I shared a plate and finished off the bottle of hot sauce as a condiment.

I returned home refreshed, relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep.

JUNE 22, Sunday – I decided that sleeping in was a priority. I gave Neema some money Saturday night to buy some vegetables from the church donations.

While eating lunch, Neema received a call from her family about a motorcycle accident. At first she thought it was an uncle. The accident occurred near her home in Arusha (about an hour and a half from Moshi). He suffered head injuries and was brought to KCMC Hospital (Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center) in Moshi because of the seriousness of his condition and the need for surgery. Neema asked if I would go to the hospital with her. When we arrived it turned out that the patient was a 6 year old nephew. We were not allowed in the room unless in a hospital gown so Neema talked with the child’s mother. Information was vague and there were many unanswered questions.

Apparently Neema comes from a very large family; her grandfather had 4 wives. The exact relation of the woman was never clear to me but I think the woman was a step-aunt. Neema had never met this family. The family network connection runs deep in this culture and although they had never met, it was just understood that family bonds trump everything else. In 2013, Neema spent two months at KCMC to help care for her sister-in-law.

I am not one of those people who have an aversion to hospitals. However, visiting the hospitals here is very tough. KCMC is known as one of the best hospitals in Tanzania. Most of us cannot recall the condition of hospitals in the US 50 or 60 years ago. Wandering through the hospital is like a walk back in time. The walls are institutional gray. Walking down the corridors, cots line the walls filled with patients because the rooms are full. It is easy to see into the rooms which easily have 6-8 beds or more. Staff is scarce. The doctor patient ratio in Tanzania is 1 doctor for every 30,000 people; in the US we have 1 doctor for every 300 people. There is not enough staff for round-the-clock care so a family member typically stays at the hospital sleeping in the room or in the hall. Neema said she slept on the floor with just a Kanga (traditional cotton material) for a covering. No food is served; visiting hours are scheduled around meal times so family members can provide food for the patient. Vendors line an area outside the hospital grounds. Laundry is done by the family member and I observed a clothes line full of laundry and other items drying in the grass.

The ICU also has multiple beds. Neema and I were able to view the room thru enclosed glass. It was an emotional jolt when the mother pulled back the curtain to show us her son, lying comatose, his head wrapped in bandages. My voice quivered when I spoke to the mother and I could not hold back the tears. I have no idea her financial situation but gave her some funds for food after checking with Neema. I knew that Neema had asked me to accompany her for emotional support; I would not have wanted to go alone. It was a quiet trip home.

I was definitely looking forward to game night as a diversion from the afternoon. Since Mary is the queen of game night, Neema and I allowed our competitive spirit to rule and decided that if Mary won we would play two games but if either of us won we would only play one! I am the new Queen of Phase 10!!