Ipagala
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
John Mwita, Mrs K and I went to Ipagala today to visit 6 families and bring some food. We first went to visit Amina to see how she was doing. She had a bad reaction (dizziness) to her first injection last week, but yesterday because she had eaten something beforehand, it was not as bad. But her first dizzy reaction caused her to fall down and cut herself, so she showed us the sores on her legs. She mentioned that she was not having a good appetite so asked if we had multi-vitamins (MV’s would be good to give if we can figure out a good way to access them. Then we visited a woman named Jeni who may have a type of epilepsy. She needs to be checked out more in hospital.
Then we went to see another woman (I will name her Ruth) who came in this week because she wanted some help in going to the hospital. She was diagnosed with luke-worm and received some medicine for that. But her results came in yesterday where she was seen by Mrs. K and she is HIV positive. We didn’t tell her today when we visited because her mother was present in her house during the visit---and according to Ruth, her mothers knowledge of her state would increase the difficulties. Her mother has lost three other children to HIV. Three siblings of “Ruth” have died from HIV/AIDS. And Ruth has two children she is taking care of: Standard 3 and 5. I don’t know what they were surviving on because it seemed like they had no or very little food. A friend was visiting when we popped in and when she saw that we brought food, she asked if we could help her. She is taking care of two orphans. Unfortunately we have limited resources now, so couldn’t give her anything, but perhaps in the future it would be possible to help. “Ruth” and her mother have such beautiful, gentle faces. I don’t know how she will take the news, I don’t know if she has suspected or not…
We were wondering what could happen if Ruth got really sick, who would take care of her mother, children? Now they just barely pay their rent of 5000 shillings/month—5 bucks. She hasn’t even been able to pay her last months rent. She collects and sells firewood. That is the only way she makes her living. Ruth moved to Dodoma from the village after her husband died. And she plans to stay here till her daughters finish school because transfer fees can be expensive. When Ruth became sick, her mother came to take care of her and is now staying with her.
Another woman named Esther we visited did not seem to really want to go to the hospital to get a checkup, even though she explained that she had diarrhea for two months. She has 4 daughters who have finished standard 7. She also said she didn’t have the money for tests and an examination and that’s why she hasn’t gone in. Mrs. K explained to her that one can write a letter to the ten house cell leader (local politician) who should provide a letter for exemption if they are too poor to pay for expenses like medical bills. If they go to some clinics too, they can get an exemption. So it seems
Another woman we visited named Mary can’t work very hard any more, carrying heavy loads increases the pains in her chest. She just finished some anti-TB treatment but is still suffering from chest pains. I noticed the scars on the arms of some of the women today left over from sores. So Mary also needs to go to the hospital with Happiness, who is still experiencing a lot of health problems (although her feet that were swollen previously and were more normal today). But they also didn’t think they had the money to go to the hospital and pay for medicine. Again, supposedly they should be able to get a letter from a ten cell house leader and they should be exempted. But it seems like they don’t know how to follow through with the process. *something we should do is make sure any counselors know the process so they can inform those who need help* Their mother who they were living with is exempted from paying taxes because she is a widow and doesn’t have money.
And now I am just pondering. Wondering what many of the women we met with today are feeling and experiencing deep down in their heart. They couldn’t hide some of the pain and anxiety written over their faces and spilled out thanks. For some women, especially bound in poverty and feelings of hopelessness, I wonder how if the thought crosses their mind suggesting that maybe it won’t be so bad if they die from HIV. Maybe some feel like there is nothing really to live for. Maybe some feel idle and useless because they are unable to work at times. I just wonder, remembering the times they talked and listened as their eyes looked far off and at moments seemed very distant, staring at some huge object rolling towards them, the weight of the future, threatening to take away their arms and souls from their children playing with the stools in the corner of the room, laughing and smiling...and I wondered, does it take too much energy to care about what will happen to them, and to be afraid, to really take in and digest the pain and suffering of their circumstances and most likely the suffering of their children? Or less if they just let it go and live as best they can without receiving extra help or trying....
This is why people need to feel supported, loved and encouraged. So they don’t feel this burden alone. So that they don’t feel apathetic (even if they have the right because no one is caring for them). They need to know they can live a good life even with HIV. That they can experience life and joy despite the harsh reality. That they can feel empowered to live strong and love strong. That they are supported spiritually and materially...only God can hear the inner groanings....only the power, spirit and love of God can break in and heal...
The last person that we saw today was a woman named Vase who had three children (Louie, Kristina and Jacqueline). Her husband died in 2002. She said she suffered a lot from malaria, foot sores and coughing. But each week she is able to be checked at General Hospital by a Jewish doctor who is a chest consultant. She has good medecine but still loses her voice and throat gets very dry. Her daughter Kristina is sponsored by a compassion project at Kanisa la Mungu. God Bless Compassion, I have such a respect for that organization. She gets some food each month from Compassion—but they are the only other help that she receives.In the project at our church Kanisa La Mennonite, they make sure to take care of the parents to make sure they are checked and tested for HIV and have medicine and health care if they are positive (so it’s the parents not just the children who are benefiting). She had no business at the moment since she was too sick to work. She sells tomatoes. She has been really sick the last four months and has been waiting to get strong. She tested positive for HIV and so is on some medication to help
Mrs K and I discussed creating self-sustaining income generating projects for people/families struggling with HIV. That I think may become an important, critical part of the program to maintain its support to increase availability of funds for health, educational and domestic needs.
I had dinner with a woman named Flora tonight. I was late this afternoon for lunch at her house so met her at the Wednesday service and went to her house afterwards. She had prepared some special food for me, and I just felt very touched and blessed by the visit. I am just blown away by the kindness and love people show here.
John Mwita, Mrs K and I went to Ipagala today to visit 6 families and bring some food. We first went to visit Amina to see how she was doing. She had a bad reaction (dizziness) to her first injection last week, but yesterday because she had eaten something beforehand, it was not as bad. But her first dizzy reaction caused her to fall down and cut herself, so she showed us the sores on her legs. She mentioned that she was not having a good appetite so asked if we had multi-vitamins (MV’s would be good to give if we can figure out a good way to access them. Then we visited a woman named Jeni who may have a type of epilepsy. She needs to be checked out more in hospital.
Then we went to see another woman (I will name her Ruth) who came in this week because she wanted some help in going to the hospital. She was diagnosed with luke-worm and received some medicine for that. But her results came in yesterday where she was seen by Mrs. K and she is HIV positive. We didn’t tell her today when we visited because her mother was present in her house during the visit---and according to Ruth, her mothers knowledge of her state would increase the difficulties. Her mother has lost three other children to HIV. Three siblings of “Ruth” have died from HIV/AIDS. And Ruth has two children she is taking care of: Standard 3 and 5. I don’t know what they were surviving on because it seemed like they had no or very little food. A friend was visiting when we popped in and when she saw that we brought food, she asked if we could help her. She is taking care of two orphans. Unfortunately we have limited resources now, so couldn’t give her anything, but perhaps in the future it would be possible to help. “Ruth” and her mother have such beautiful, gentle faces. I don’t know how she will take the news, I don’t know if she has suspected or not…
We were wondering what could happen if Ruth got really sick, who would take care of her mother, children? Now they just barely pay their rent of 5000 shillings/month—5 bucks. She hasn’t even been able to pay her last months rent. She collects and sells firewood. That is the only way she makes her living. Ruth moved to Dodoma from the village after her husband died. And she plans to stay here till her daughters finish school because transfer fees can be expensive. When Ruth became sick, her mother came to take care of her and is now staying with her.
Another woman named Esther we visited did not seem to really want to go to the hospital to get a checkup, even though she explained that she had diarrhea for two months. She has 4 daughters who have finished standard 7. She also said she didn’t have the money for tests and an examination and that’s why she hasn’t gone in. Mrs. K explained to her that one can write a letter to the ten house cell leader (local politician) who should provide a letter for exemption if they are too poor to pay for expenses like medical bills. If they go to some clinics too, they can get an exemption. So it seems
Another woman we visited named Mary can’t work very hard any more, carrying heavy loads increases the pains in her chest. She just finished some anti-TB treatment but is still suffering from chest pains. I noticed the scars on the arms of some of the women today left over from sores. So Mary also needs to go to the hospital with Happiness, who is still experiencing a lot of health problems (although her feet that were swollen previously and were more normal today). But they also didn’t think they had the money to go to the hospital and pay for medicine. Again, supposedly they should be able to get a letter from a ten cell house leader and they should be exempted. But it seems like they don’t know how to follow through with the process. *something we should do is make sure any counselors know the process so they can inform those who need help* Their mother who they were living with is exempted from paying taxes because she is a widow and doesn’t have money.
And now I am just pondering. Wondering what many of the women we met with today are feeling and experiencing deep down in their heart. They couldn’t hide some of the pain and anxiety written over their faces and spilled out thanks. For some women, especially bound in poverty and feelings of hopelessness, I wonder how if the thought crosses their mind suggesting that maybe it won’t be so bad if they die from HIV. Maybe some feel like there is nothing really to live for. Maybe some feel idle and useless because they are unable to work at times. I just wonder, remembering the times they talked and listened as their eyes looked far off and at moments seemed very distant, staring at some huge object rolling towards them, the weight of the future, threatening to take away their arms and souls from their children playing with the stools in the corner of the room, laughing and smiling...and I wondered, does it take too much energy to care about what will happen to them, and to be afraid, to really take in and digest the pain and suffering of their circumstances and most likely the suffering of their children? Or less if they just let it go and live as best they can without receiving extra help or trying....
This is why people need to feel supported, loved and encouraged. So they don’t feel this burden alone. So that they don’t feel apathetic (even if they have the right because no one is caring for them). They need to know they can live a good life even with HIV. That they can experience life and joy despite the harsh reality. That they can feel empowered to live strong and love strong. That they are supported spiritually and materially...only God can hear the inner groanings....only the power, spirit and love of God can break in and heal...
The last person that we saw today was a woman named Vase who had three children (Louie, Kristina and Jacqueline). Her husband died in 2002. She said she suffered a lot from malaria, foot sores and coughing. But each week she is able to be checked at General Hospital by a Jewish doctor who is a chest consultant. She has good medecine but still loses her voice and throat gets very dry. Her daughter Kristina is sponsored by a compassion project at Kanisa la Mungu. God Bless Compassion, I have such a respect for that organization. She gets some food each month from Compassion—but they are the only other help that she receives.In the project at our church Kanisa La Mennonite, they make sure to take care of the parents to make sure they are checked and tested for HIV and have medicine and health care if they are positive (so it’s the parents not just the children who are benefiting). She had no business at the moment since she was too sick to work. She sells tomatoes. She has been really sick the last four months and has been waiting to get strong. She tested positive for HIV and so is on some medication to help
Mrs K and I discussed creating self-sustaining income generating projects for people/families struggling with HIV. That I think may become an important, critical part of the program to maintain its support to increase availability of funds for health, educational and domestic needs.
I had dinner with a woman named Flora tonight. I was late this afternoon for lunch at her house so met her at the Wednesday service and went to her house afterwards. She had prepared some special food for me, and I just felt very touched and blessed by the visit. I am just blown away by the kindness and love people show here.
posted by Jo at 2:52 AM
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