The day started at 6. I needed to stop by ASM to gather the supplies for the day. Thank goodness the UK team made my PB sandwiches last night. Ok, so I have 100+ sandwiches, de-worming pillies, books to record names, buckets, cups, juice squash and oranges.
On the way, I picked up Ezekiel and Victoria on the tar road and we were off! It was nice to hear Ezekiel’s story of growing up in Bushbuck Ridge and Victoria’s of growing up in Masoyi during our 2 hour trek. Ezekiel called ahead to be sure that Nicolas knew that we will need at least 2 buckets of water when we get there at 9 since it might take them a couple of hours to get it from the community pump.
Bushbuck Ridge was identified by the South African government as one of the most venerable areas in SA so it has become a focus for future Hand’s projects. Fickson, Ezekiel and Marc Damour are dedicated to raise awareness among the pastors and train the community regarding responding to the needs of the orphans and the dying.
Fickson told us that the community prepared a program for us, but we had no idea of the treat that was in store! When we arrived, Nicholas gathered the children to sing songs and play games with us. Soon a wheel barrel rolled up with a sound system. I could not figure out how it was powered until I saw the wires leading to a car battery.
Victoria asked me “Shouldn’t we sing a song and pray to begin our program?” “No, they are not a part of our program, we are a part of theirs.”
Two young girls had on shirts over their pants. Ezekiel explained they are traditional Shongoni skirts. We all gathered around as the girls began to dance. Before it was over, several children had traded the skirts from one person to the next, not excluding boys, ladies, Ezeliel and Victoria. Everyone was rolling when I gave it a whirl. Must have been quite a sight!
Nicosa had a special dance prepared. She began with a sheet wrapped around her and shakers around her ankles. The shakers were made from the plastic from milk cartons sown together in little triangles and filled with little rocks. Before long, she took the sheet off exposing her costume. There could not have been a worse moment for my camera batteries die!
After the dancing was over, Nicolas organized the group for the drama. 7 orphans began to sing a song about HIV. The message was “your mother is still your mother, even if she has HIV. She needs your support.” The song went on to include a similar verse for your father, sister, brother and friend. Then they preformed drama with a powerful message… in English! I usually prefer to hear people sing and speak in their own language. How special in this most remote village the children worked so hard to prepare something for us! Song, dance, drama. Beautiful. The community of Welverdeind was not interested in what we could come there to provide for them. They wanted us to experience their life and culture. We were a part of their program. They were not a part of ours.
What to say after that? I thanked the crowd which was now about 200 for the program. For the last 3 weeks I have been going to different communities to distribute de-worming tablets and saying a 10-15 minute spill on HIV. They have far outdone anything that I could have ever done! No amount of education that I could ever do can have the impact of awareness that they provide to themselves.
Each time I go to a community, we always have a brief talk about the medication. It is important to me that the caregivers and the children understand what the medication is for. The diversity of the crowd provided an excellent opportunity for me to ask them some questions that have recently come up regarding de-worming. I am told that the Department of Health is reluctant to allow us to do campaigns like this one because they believe that the communities do not trust medication brought in from outside. Also, Ezekiel told me that even though it is said that clinics provide meds to children 0-5, they often do not have the medication. What do you think? Is this true?
The leader of the UK team asked me if I ever have “pinch me” moments, moments when I can hardly believe that I am in Africa. This was one of those moments. To hear and begin to understand the issues of the community from the children, mothers, grandmothers, fathers and even old men! I could not believe the conversation that we had! It could have only happened in this setting.
We decided to provide the medication to everyone 3 and up, including adults. In every other community I only provided medication for ages 6-18. Nicolas had told us to prepare for 70 people, by the end of the meeting he said 80, in reality we handed out 210 pillies! This is not something that we can do for every community, but it was needed in this place. No one seemed to mind that we ran out of oranges and had to start tearing the sandwiches in half.
What a day. Pinch me.
We dropped Ezekiel off so he could stay the night in Bushbuck and speak at a church today. I am so glad that I had this time alone with Victoria. Our time was sweet. She said that she has learned a lot from me. She said that I do not push my own way, but am constantly asking for the input of others regardless of how much money they have. She said that she has felt valued. Wow.
In the process of putting together this de-worming program, I looked for the most efficacious medication at the lowest cost. We found that the least expensive medication was not the best for the children.
As I reflect on our whole de-worming project, I think of that word “efficacious.” What is most effective may not be what is least expensive in time, effort or finances.
I can come up with the essential elements of a de-worming program. We have to have pillies, records and food. What makes this program a success is how we do these essential elements. The opinion of the local coordinator and the needs of the particular area must be highly valued and drive how we put in place the essential elements.
This is what Hands is to me. What are few, core essential basics for a program to address the needs of the orphans and the dying and how can we work with a community to see them build an effective structure to address needs? In every one of the communities and countries that we work in, there are those who have a dream to help their community live and not die, spiritually, emotionally and physically. We hear “I want to… but I do not know how.” Our role is to help them to first recognize the tools and resources that they already have. Only then do we provide tools that we have found to be helpful in other communities.
It might be more time effective or more efficient to give them tools and tell them how to use them, for me to walk in to each area and say exactly how we have to do de-worming and do it the same each time. What is most effective for the community is for us to first build relationship with them, help them recognize what they already have then implement tools into their existing structure. This process is not easy and often looks “messy.” In the end, it is relationship that matters.
Victoria and I ended the day by providing a traditional SA braai for the Bible Club Champions that helped me in the first week of de-worming. They researched on their own and prepared a drama on HIV awareness for the kids. We had several long days together. It was nice to share a meal together.
At the end of a long day and a long three weeks of de-worming, I am thankful and I am tired.
