Extreme poverty can mean extreme danger

I asked Norma to arrange a trip with the Missionvale caregivers into Missionvale township.  Because it was the last day that the service froup was going to Missionvale (because the conditions become more precarious around election time), I had to miss House today But I was prepared to miss one day at my normal service site to have the opportunity to visit patients’ homes and see how the care givers operated.  I ventured with four care givers and six students past a flooded lowland acting as a water source for cows and goats, covered with mounds of garbage, through countless, nameless smells, and arrived at a home with a single, HIV positive patient  She complained, “How can a person live like this?  With water running in the house with all the rain.”  I was about to ask her for a picture while the nurse took her blood pressure when things got a bit tense.

The care givers normally encourage us to take pictures and spread that word about Missionvale Care Center.  Some guys asked Heather to take pictures and one care giver, Bella, immediately became tense.  She said, “Oh no, not those guys.”  She started packing up and told us that we were going back to the Care Center immediately.  My emotions were heightened and tingles ran up my spine.  Bella said that those guys have stolen laptops, cellphones, and cameras every day.  She said they would spread out and try to surround us to take the cameras.  She said they would follow us until we were safely in the care center compound, and while we were out in the community, the volunteers were her responsibility.  She was probably more nervous than us.

We walked back as a group, vigilant of our surroundings.  I asked her how she knew those guys, and she said that she lives in Missionvale and knows the people.  She said that they wouldn’t be able to go out the rest of the day because the guys would find them and ask them where the Americans were.  The greatest danger came from the lack of law enforcement in the township.  If the men were to attack or rob volunteers, the care givers could not report them, because they would be in danger the next time they went into that area of the township.

I was sad not to have seen more patients and experience a normal care giver visit.  Usually patients prepare for the caregivers’ visits and entire extended families are often present to greet them.  Patients are often eager to tell their stories and especially share their perspective on their surroundings and conditions in Missionvale.  The volunteers have never been threatened like we were today.  But, that is all part of the volunteer experience as well.  I am happy that the care givers were keen enough to know when to split.

As we left Mark, a SJU student said, "It's one of those times when you try to be nice [by taking a picture when they ask] and you just can't."  It's an unfamiliar concept that by being nice, one becomes very vulnerable.  It's really sad to think that reaching out meant danger.  It's reality though.

Some men right in front of the Missionvale Care Center

A sickly looking chicken

The patient's home

Another view

Safely back at the Care Center.  Heather modeling the food parcel that people can pick up.

Britney at recess with the kids who go to the school at Missionvale Care Center school

At recess

The kids lined up at the end of recess, and as a good-bye gift, the CSB|SJU volunteers gave them cookies.  As the girl in front is showing, each child got three cookies.  They were very excited.

After recess, the volunteers went to take some pictures of the garden plot they spent weeks clearing from weeds and overgrowth.  The organization couldn't miss this photo op.

If you can see, this home has burglar bars.  Norma, the program director wanted a picture of a house which as she described, "Has burglar bars, but the house looks like you could just push it over."

A woman working her plot in the garden.

A woman in another plot.

The fruit stand (which also sells regular and fire hot Cheetos) in front of Missionvale

The garbage heap/pond/flooded lowland from all the rain, on the way to the first visit.

Kids hangin out on our way to visit the patient

Can you see the pigs across the way?

This home was moved to dig a post-hole for a new power line.  Can you see one wall is papered with magazine pages or news clippings?

Cows (black) meet goats (white)

The care givers

Baby-mama's at the Care Center

Kids in line for their cookies

Picture in the gardens they cleared

A toddler outside the Care Center