In the past couple weeks I have been able to go on two different safari type activities with animals, my favorite!! We visited Majete Wildlife Reserve on my birthday, so we followed up with Liwonde National Park and a more local reserve, Game Haven. I took over 200 pictures on my camera so once I go through them, I’ll post my favorites!
So far clinics have been going swimmingly, besides one sad incident. We had just arrived at Makhwira clinic when I saw a truck pull up to the health clinic and a man pull a limp girl out of the back and run inside with a couple other adults. I got a sinking feeling, but clinic went on per usual. At one point, a screaming, crying woman was outside next to us, just sitting with her head in her hands. By the time clinic had ended, talk among the HSA’s and nurses revealed that the girl had passed away, likely due to long term diarrhea/dehydration. We were witnessing a mother who had just lost her child. Feeling helpless, I felt that there was something we should do. I wasn’t sure what was culturally appropriate in this situation, but the nurses told me that money would be most helpful. The family often doesn’t have enough money to even transport the body home which almost brought me to tears. At one point, the body was strapped onto the back of a man with a chitenje, but ultimately was brought back inside the clinic. Imagine having to carry your dead child on your back, walking miles to get home. I couldn’t stand for it so I grabbed a small amount of money to cover transport or part of the funeral. I offered it to the nurses so they could give it to the mother, but they grabbed my hand and led me into the clinic. After the nurses literally asked where the body was, to my shock we were taken to the makeshift hospital room. My eyes first went to the fabric wrapped body of a young child lying on the hospital bed, and then to the mother I recognized from outside sitting on the floor at the edge of the bed. I knelt down and placed the money in her hands. I’ll never forget how she looked back at me. Proving time and time again that you don’t need to speak the same language to connect with another human.
2 weeks until I am done with my work here! Bittersweet feelings, but excited to take on Europe with my parents for a bit!
❤️ to all, E
Project Postgrad 