Action in Africa

This is the continuation from last Thursdays posting.  Sorry for the gap between posts but it was hard to put into words what you are about to read.  It took me 3 days to write this blog for you all and I hope it comes across load and clear.  I have only given you a small taste of what kind of day we had here in Ndola.  The emotions are still running deep and we are all still coming to terms with it.  So sit back as I share with you a day never to be forgotten. 

Most days here are full of hard work and laughter but Thursday was a day of many emotions.  I have to admit I have seen many things in my life and I have to admit everyday here I experience something I could never fathom.  I have to admit I am as guilty as the next of turning the channel when I see the sad third world infomercials on tv.  I guess its not until you are live on location with no remote to turn the channel that you really open your eyes and see what’s out there.  

Our day started with a visit to the Arthur Davidson Children’s hospital.  I don’t think anything can prepare you for what you see in an African hospital.  The first room we went into a little baby sat in her crib and just stared at us.  The baby was 19 months old and weighed a little over 11 lbs.  Her big brown eyes were over shadowed by her face which resembled that of a old lady.  The room had 3 other babies al suffering from malnutrition.  Most of which were too weak to cry.  However the little old baby did manage to whimper out a cry when she was motioning for her grandmother to feed her.  Notice I said grandmother, because that’s who you usually see in the hospital because the mothers are either sick, at home tending to the rest of the kids, few work and the rest are dead.  Two rooms down the hall a child not only was suffering from malnutrition but malaria, and ringworms as well.  How do you ask a child suffering like this how do you feel today?  Who knows the possibility that they are HIV positive is a high probability as well.  Believe me the only bright light during this visit was the fact that the children we saw had improved since arriving in the hospital.  The problem is eventually they will be released from the hospital and return home where they do not have the means to survive and they will go down hill again.  The cycle continues.

Our next stop was one of the local shanty towns.  Words cannot describe what we saw here.  The living conditions there were absolutely horrendous.  Imagine living in a house the size of 3 washrooms with exposed holes in the walls no electricity, one bed, 2 chairs and a some scrap pieces of wood, plastic bags and old pieces of galvanized steel for a roof.  I can only imagine what it is like during the rainy season when it rains for weeks at a time.  Now imagine thousands of these luxury homes all cramped into a small area.  Did I mention entire families of six or more people live in each house? Oh yeah and they turn the water on the communal tap once or twice a day so people can get water to cook, clean and drink.   

Next was the visit to the hospice.  All I can say is the capacity is 30 patients and right now during the quiet season there are only 35 people.  And yes you heard it correctly, it is not the sick season yet (and we complain about flu season???).  Apparently come November the wet season brings on the sick season.  At this time the hospitals are over capacity.  Each crib has 3 babies and each room has 3 or 4 cribs.   Anyhow most people in the hospital are dropped off and left to die.  Sometimes the family does come and visit but most of the people live so far away that they can’t make the journey.

Well that was my day.  I have only given you a taste of what my day was.  Words can’t describe the whole day.  I am still processing it, we are still processing it. Maybe you may be able to process it and then multiply it by a million.  I don’t believe anyone in our group has not been touched by this day.  But the question we have in common is why?  

The one thing that I will not forget though was a broken man who looked into the window of the van with his hands cupped saying “Please white people please save us!”  

Peace

Action Out!