Ethembeni

“Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” James 2:5

I have officially been at the AE campus for one week. It does not sound like a long time, yet I find myself bewildered wondering what to write in this blog right now, for so much has already happened. Perhaps I will attempt to write more often as to avoid this predicament again. As for today, there is no possible way I can attempt to update on all that has been going on, so I will instead just share a little bit about my clinical experience this week.
On Tuesday and Thursday I worked with Ethembeni in a township called Mpophembeni. Ethembeni means “Place of Hope.” It is a non-profit Christian organization that works with community members with HIV and AIDS. They run a home visit program, a small hospice program, a child day care center, and they teach skills like knitting and gardening to community members.
I visited several homes each day. Tuesday I walked with a couple Zulu church volunteers beside goats, cows, and chickens, among other animals, over the littered dirt roads from house to house. It was scorching hot, but early on a couple community members offered us some umbrellas to help keep us cool. I once again was touched by how the Zulu people care for one another. The day did not go as I expected- It was cut short because the volunteers I was with were not feeling well and went home. So I then visited the kids for a few minutes, which was very refreshing. After listening to Zulu all morning and trying to work through language barriers, it was wonderful to be with children. Kids all speak a universal language of smiles and laughter. I was then sent back to the hospice center where I took lots of blood pressures and then had the opportunity to take lotion and massage a 28-year old women sick with HIV and Cancer. She was in tremendous pain, but fell softly asleep as I rubbed her legs. It may not seem like much, but I was overwhelmed with extreme gratefulness; I am so thankful that the Lord would give me the privilege of being His hands.
The second day was freezing cold and wet. It was over 20 degrees (Celsius) cooler than the previous day. One never knows what weather to expect here. It is always a surprise, but who doesn’t like surprises? Anyways, first thing in the morning I got to visit with the hospice patient from Tuesday and got to get to know her roommate. After taking the roommate to the restroom, I rubbed her back, and held her hand as I calmed and distracted her while she went through an uncomfortable procedure. I got to then sit, pray, and talk with her for a little while as we held hands. Holding hands is common while talking here, and important in building relationships. My love languages have been changing over the last couple years, and if touch wasn’t fully one of them before this trip, it sure is now. After getting to know the hospice patients better, I did home visits with a church volunteer and with the chairman of the board of Ethembeni (the doctor who started the organization.) We only visited two houses, but it was absolutely wonderful.
The first house was of a woman with HIV and TB who lives with her sister. When they visited her a couple weeks ago, she was extremely ill. Her sister was crying expecting death to come soon, just as it had happen to all her other siblings. This Thursday it was a very different atmosphere in the home. There was joy, lots of joy and praise. The woman is now being treated for her TB and is doing great, besides some lymph edema and some slightly abnormal lung sounds. She was full of energy and was all smiles. (She has a low count of 71, but will start ARV treatment once the TB treatment is done) We shared Psalm 139 with them and asked them what it meant to them. Tears flooded down the patient’s face as she recognized the depths of God’s love for her. We continued the bible study, then prayed for them, and on our way out gave them some food for the week.
At the second house of the day, we met with three different patients. They all live near one another and have formed their own little support group. I got the chance to talk to them about the stigma of HIV, why people are scared of getting tested or admitting they are positive, and what they have been through by openly displaying that they have HIV. The chairman told them about a woman who this week shared her HIV story at a factory and it inspired 11 people to get tested (9 of which were positive). We had a good conversation about how they think we can continue to de-stigmatize HIV, and encouraged them to share their experiences, support, and encourage those around them. Each one of us has a story that can help someone near us. It may not be as dramatic as HIV, but it still can make just as great of an impact. It could be as simple as you have struggled through the same class as someone, had relationship issues, busy schedules, anything! You can guide others focus on to Jesus and bring hope to them in their situation. You may not think you have a story, but you do, and it matters!
Anyways, we also jumped throughout the Word- Psalms, Romans 8, James 2, and the Gospel. One of the women testified that before she was sick she did not recognize her need for God, she could keep with drinking and dancing. However, once she became sick she realized how weak she is, how much she needs God, and her faith has grown stronger since. She is poor, sick, hungry and dealing with loss and various family burdens; however, like many I have met in the townships, she has more joy, gratefulness, selflessness and compassion then I have seen in the majority of the “rich” at home. At home we have so much “stuff” we fill our lives with. We replace God’s joy with the temporary unsatisfying happiness of things like television and Internet. We try to fill the holes in our heart with broken love from people who could never come close to having the perfect love and care for us that God has. We choose control and planning over surrendering to God and trusting Him with our lives. We may think our way is the best, but God promises that he has plans that are better than we could ever imagine.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, -‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

1 Corinthians 2:9 “…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Luke 9:23-25 “Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?"

After praying with the women we gave them food for their households and then I played with the children at the day care center. The kids here long to just be held. There were a couple different boys who shared sitting in my lap for about 2 hours. These kids are simple. They don’t need video games and fancy toys, but can amuse themselves with a stick they find on the ground. They are happy with the love of your smile, and the simple touch of your affection.

As I said before, this is only part of my experience from part of 2 days of this week. I wish I had the time to tell you all that God is doing here and about all the things He is teaching me. I hope all is going well at home. Sala kahle (stay well).