May 18, 2008
One of the difficulties of going back to the US after time in Africa is trying to communicate about life and work here. I am already feeling the tension of that very issue as concerns my experiences with the AIDS clinic. America is so far removed from this place where even the best medical care would not satisfy our standards. The stories of hardship and suffering that are status quo here are so far off our radar that they begin to sound like some over dramatized soap opera, not real life.
I guess it is impossible to really communicate what we’ve seen, and that’s why it makes such a huge impact when people come to visit. It is oftentimes life changing (it led Mark and I, and all of our teammates to raise our families here!) However, I can’t say all of that without also saying that the resiliency and joy of life that I’ve seen here is beautiful and inspiring. I count it as a great privilege to be here, work with the Togolaise, get to know them, and be a part of their lives.
Do you have any thoughts on these issues? I’d appreciate hearing about them as it might help provide clarity and perspective.
