Jeez, I don’t even know where to begin. First let me explain…I didn’t actually celebrate my birthday for 5 days, that’s what I would have been tempted to do had I been home. It was a very quiet, calm and simple birthday (three words you probably won’t hear me use in the same sentence as “my birthday” for a long time)…but, it was just like Uganda and very lovely! And that picture I posted with the blog is with my first and only beer of the evening (delicious as it was…”when it hits your lips, it just tastes so good!”). I thought some of you may be missing the “Marci” face so I took that one for all of you :) !
Now…for my present blog. There’s absolutely no way I can ever describe to you the kind of off roading I endured yesterday…from 10:30-5:30. Cramped sometimes 4, or even 5, to a space that comfortably fits 3, and driving all through the hills of rural Uganda (re: no paved roads and LOTS of holes). By the end of the day, I was exhausted and my body was aching. But the purpose of the trip was to distribute seeds, machetes and hoes to the farmers; as well as to meet a few families and interview them, either pre or post house. So that part was great!
Now…for my present blog. There’s absolutely no way I can ever describe to you the kind of off roading I endured yesterday…from 10:30-5:30. Cramped sometimes 4, or even 5, to a space that comfortably fits 3, and driving all through the hills of rural Uganda (re: no paved roads and LOTS of holes). By the end of the day, I was exhausted and my body was aching. But the purpose of the trip was to distribute seeds, machetes and hoes to the farmers; as well as to meet a few families and interview them, either pre or post house. So that part was great!
Again, in 2 cases, the women told their stories of how they were widowed by AIDS several years ago, only to find out shortly thereafter that they were also suffering from the disease themselves. One woman was so ill before she received any treatment, that the community actually told LWF/RACOBAO not to waste their time. They said she would be taken to the hospital just to die and then they would have to bring her lifeless body back. I could have never guessed that 3 years ago, this woman was on her deathbed because today she looks so healthy and happy. The women explained how ill they had been at one time, how hopeless; and how having the home and water tank built for them by LWF/RACOBAO truly changed their lives. Both women also received “Family Sufficient Kits” which included 2 beds, 2 mattresses, 2 blankets, 2 mosquito nets, jerry cans which are used to fetch water, cups and plates. They no longer had to worry about the cold, the rain, the mosquitoes which only made their illness worse and negatively affected their children; and they didn’t have to worry about fetching water (a task that can include walking a few miles round trip and be seriously exhausting, especially for someone suffering from HIV/AIDS). Their new kitchens also provide comfort in that they don’t have to worry about contamination as they did before.
For widows living with AIDS, having these new life necessities gives them an energy and confidence that they once lacked. The women also talked about how they no longer have to worry about their children and how they realize that even if they leave this world early, they know their children will be okay now because they have shelter and water. And they discussed with smiles, huge smiles, how grateful they are for that new sense of security. How their lives have changed considerably because with their psychological health now so much better, their physical health has seen positive improvements. They no longer get sick as frequently. They feel EMPOWERED and HOPEFUL. Two words that never sounded so beautiful before I saw them spoken with such happiness and gratitude. These women say that they, and the people around them, still can’t believe that they survived and overcame the dangerously awful situations that they were once in (widowed, weak, poor and sick with less than adequate shelter, no quality water source, little food, no security, constantly worrying about their children and the future)…and that now they are living such happy, full and fulfilling lives with their children fed and in school and all leading healthy lives. It is truly amazing what building a home for someone can mean. One woman even said that she is still amazed that she, as a woman, owns a home; that she never thought that could/would happen in her life and just that realization empowers her and gives her hope for the future. Amazing.
We visited one last family in the hills. A couple, who have yet to make it into town for their HIV/AIDS test results, and their 4 boys (ages 1 to 8 years old) who live on a plot of land that they own, but live in a structure built out of banana threads/leaves. The father, who is handicapped with a lame arm and leg, cannot help much with the farming, so the wife does almost all of the labor. She also walks a mile each way to make sure that they all have water to drink. As she nurses her youngest, she explains with a smile, that they eat porridge daily, made from the matooke (type of banana) and cassava that they grow; and occasionally have beans. If they are ever in need of anything else, she must work in the fields of her neighbors in exchange for whatever it is that they have that she needs. We leave all of the families with a few big bags of seed, a machete and a hoe for which they are visually very thankful…and we leave that last family also with hope. We will be building them a home soon and they know that will change their lives. They will no longer have to worry about their boys getting sick so often due to poor shelter, no blankets, no protection from the mosquitoes, etc…they will be able to rest with a bit of weight off their shoulders.
Amazing stories. Amazing families. Amazing women. And the smiles…you’d never forget those smiles!
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