Learning Patience

I have been in South Africa nearly 3 weeks and although I am enjoying myself greatly and learning lots, some of the excitement and romance are wearing off and I am finding myself frustrated at the small inconveniences. This morning was especially testing my patience as I spent almost 2 hours trying to get my email to work. As of now, I don't have access to facebook and I have limited access to internet. It goes out quite frequently and I hear it will more and more with thunderstorms beginning. So, if I don't write you back it is likely because I don't have access to internet. Being used to getting online anytime I want and having it go quickly, this is requiring great patience on my part. But in the end, it will probably be good for me. I really shouldn't be complaining with how wonderful everyone has been and with it being such an easy transition.

OK, enought venting on to the important stuff...

I worked with the TB nurse the past week at the clinic. I saw some very sick people. When you hear the word wasted to describe people with AIDS, it is very true. Many of the people I saw the past week looked like they were starving because their bodies were just skin and bones. They were also very weak. This made them look much older than they were and I was often surprised when I saw their date of birth in the chart and that they were in their twenties or thirties. I honestly thought one man was in his fifties, but he is only thirty. What is amazing is that many of them can improve greatly with TB and HIV medication. At times, I feel like we are only putting a band-aid on the problem because the real problems are poverty, stigma, lack of education, lack of women's rights, domestic abuse, multiple sexual partners and sex abuse, drug abuse and the list goes on. What people need more than anything is hope and to feel valued because without this, they give up and believe that their lives are worthless.

I also worked at the babies home on Saturday and it was great to get to know the kids. For those of you who knew about my work here 5 years ago, a quick update on the kids I previously cared for. All of them have been adopted except the four oldest who are living with a foster mom on the church property. They are doing amazingly and are healthy and happy. There is only one other child still at the babies home who was only 6 months old when I was here before and she will hopefully be fostered soon. I am hoping to start teaching the older kids swimming lessons soon. There is a pool on the church property. (I guess I shouldn't be complaining about inconveniences, right? :->)

Otherwise, I am getting know many of the people in the church and have been attending a few different life groups (home groups) and also getting to know the other volunteers better. Last night there was a scorpion in one of the other girl's rooms and so I am now shaking out my clothes before putting them on and examining my bed carefully each night.