Last Tuesday and Wednesday morning I accompanied two women from AED (the local AIDS clinic) as they went to homes of different members to check on their health and well-being. Each morning we walked for three to four and a half hours and visited several people who had been affected by AIDS in many ways. One of the people we visited was a lady who is taking care of her four month old grand baby. The baby’s mother died within days of the birth and left her sick child with no acknowledgement that she was HIV positive. The baby’s grandmother took the sick child to get tested and found that he is, indeed, HIV+. Fortunately, this baby boy has an attentive grandmother and a caring father who are making sure that he receives all the treatment that is available to keep him strong and healthy.
On Friday I went with a Kabiye man named Akala to visit patients who were hospitalized. The first patient we visited was a woman who was literally writhing in pain and semi-consciousness, they had her in restraints to keep her on the bed. She had come the night before but had not yet received any treatment because her sister (who brought her in) had forgotten her carnet (proof that AED would cover her medical expenses.) There was no sign on the wall that informed people of their right to receive treatment regardless of insurance coverage, this was not America. So Akala spoke with people at the hospital and another man who works part time there and part time at the clinic, and together they advocated for this woman to receive treatment right away while her mother went to search for the carnet. By the time we left, they were beginning to treat her, and I heard word today that they were able to treat her and she is talking and eating now.
Hospital experiences are different here. You bring your own sheets and towels, a family member stays with you and brings you food, you often bring your own medical equipment, and you stay in rooms with ten or more other patients. There is no privacy, no air conditioning, and often, very little dignity. Despite all of this, people who go to hospitals are considered “lucky”, which makes sense considering the alternative.
As I delve into the work at AED, my mind is trying to take it all in and make sense of it. One thing is proved time and time again, people who are tested, start and are faithful to the ARV regiment, eat well, and maintain healthy eating, drinking, and relationship practices lead happy and productive lives. Those who do not follow those treatment protocols or who live in denial end up sick, emaciated, and debilitated. Still, in the midst of all of this, I see God working to carry His people, and the fight against AIDS is effective and it is saving lives. The efforts made by my friends at AED are having a profound and vast impact on the people in Kara and the surrounding areas. God is restoring their hope and health. Please pray for these people and for the people at AED as well as those at their partner NGO, Hope Through Health. Lastly, pray for me that God will be with me as I seek to lift up a humble offering in His name, to those who have no street address nor PO Box, no email, no paycheck, no education, sometimes no father or mother, no one to listen when they call out, no means, and who feel like they are forgotten.
