Happy Mother’s Day
By Karen Baker
While not celebrated on this particular Sunday in Malawi, there was a definite motherly theme to the day.
After bidding a sad farewell to two of our teammates, Brian and Prince, most of team ventured back to Kachere to see the home based care program first hand. The program is run by the same 15 HIV positive women who run the daycare for the orphans we visited earlier in the week. These women spend a considerable amount of their time visiting the sick and elderly who are too weak to travel to the community centre or the local clinic for care.
Splitting into two groups, Julie, Karen and Norma visited four homes and met their extended families at each stop. In the spirit of Mother’s Day we saw mothers caring for sick daughters (some of whom have lost their sons and husbands to HIV/AIDS), daughters caring for mothers and granddaughters caring for grandmothers. In all cases, despite the circumstances, the people welcomed us into their modest homes, spoke openly with us about their economic and health concerns (with the help of our translator and driver, Charles), and thanked us for coming to visit them and bringing hope into their lives. We all felt very humbled in their presence and wished we could do more than leave the few kwachas that we left with each family we visited. At one time, this program had funding support from an NGO however in their desire to become self-sufficient, the funding has been withdrawn. That means that the blankets and soaps and other basic needs that were previously funded have dried up, and these women of Kachere who operate the home based care program and the daycare, certainly do not have the time or energy to return home and earn an income to purchase these items, along with making enough money from subsistence farming to feed themselves and their families.
The other members of the group ventured in the opposite direction to meet three other members of the community, an elderly man, a young boy with a severe infection from a rash and a 12 year old girl who likely acquired HIV at birth, who had already lost both her parents to the disease. She was also suffering from malaria.
The circumstances of all of these people, while dire by our standards, are not insurmountable in their minds. They wake every day to thank the Lord for another day in which to spend time with their families and loved ones. They truly appreciate everything that is being done for them whether it is the care the women of Kachere provide or the assistance provided from their non-Malawian visitors who come to see them, taking their pictures and their stories back to their own countries to ask for any form of assistance to make the Malawian life more comfortable and joyous.
After returning to Annie’s Lodge for a quick refresh, the entire team was treated to a wonderful dinner at the home of our Emmanuel hosts, Paul and Helen Jones. We again had a chance to visit with Teferi and Vanessa from Dignitas and also met Lisa who is a PhD candidate from U of T who is conducting research with Dignitas. Conversation ensued on the activities of the weekend and what we had been up to since we visited with Dignitas last week. It would seem that everyone is enjoying their time and learning in Malawi and are anxious to continue to make whatever difference they can. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, we are all working to improve the lives of the world’s children.
Hi Folks
Back fro RI in Bangkok where it was very hot and crowded. I thought about you guys and remembered you in my prayers. Malawi is sooo diferent from CAmbodia which is also diff erent fron Bangkok. I look forward to another trip and talking to you about it. How is Felicita – I hope her bike is still working
Cheers
Tom
Hi, Tom
Just back from a great trip. Chris can expand further. Chris did see Felicita and her wheelchair was needing some repairs which Chris is making arrangements to have fixed. Her photo I believe was put on the blog. If not, I can send separately. Glad you enjoyed your trip. Julie