My day started off a little out  of sorts because I was late leaving for Port Alfred. I normally leave at 0600 and on this day I couldn't leave until 0945. We try and get there early because people tend enjoy their weekends and can begin drinking as early as 0800 in the morning. We didn’t get to Port Alfred until 1200. I was a little frustrated at the time we arrived because of the people we may have missed out on testing in the morning, but I kept telling myself that testing some were better than none. I met up with the counsellors that I work with in Bathurst, and we set out.

The first house that we went into had twin sisters who are 19 years old. Neither of the girls appeared very receptive to what we were saying, laughing when we asked about safe sex and condom use, then admitting that they are worried about HIV but won't use condoms. I become discouraged at times because sex, pregnancy, STI’s and HIV are really important and when young adults act so flippantly about it I become frustrated. South Africa has a staggering HIV rate, and if the young adults continue to treat it as a ‘non issue’ the problem will continue. So I was doing my best to remain neutral with their lack of interest when their test results showed that they were both positive. Twin sisters, 19 years old, both positive. To make matters even more confusing neither one of them said that they would tell their boyfriends, neither of them really showed any importance in the fact that they were positive and both refusing to start using condoms... what do you do in this situation? We are there to test and educate. I can’t drag people to the clinic for treatment, force them to use condoms or tell their partners their status... Okuhle and I walked out feeling pretty confused and a little baffled. 

The end of the day, everyone tired from going door to door.

Next house was a young 27 year old man. He was really receptive, asked a lot of questions, and listened to everything we had to say.... he is positive. He tests positive! Uh! I felt really bad for him because he told us of how he and his girlfriend were fighting and he thought they were broken up for good and he couldn’t talk to her about it. I walked out of the house feeling super confused... my first two houses and everyone had been positive... what kind of day were we going to have?!

Okay, well we’ll just go find his girlfriend's house and see if she wants to get tested. We walked up the street a ways and found this tiny little lady cooking food.  I couldn’t believe that this was his girlfriend for she was 17 – the only thing I was thinking was, “what is a 27 year old man doing with a 17 year old girl?” My brain couldn’t process how young and small she was, she had the smallest little fingers that I didn’t even want to pierce with the lancet. Siviwe and I were terrified that she was going to be positive and every second word out of our mouth was about safe sex, abstinence and condom use. When we completed her test I was praying so hard that she would be negative. I was even holding my breath when I checked her results – she was negative! Thank GOD! We couldn’t tell her that her boyfriend was positive but once again we educated her in the most convincing way that we could that condoms were a really good way to prevent HIV.  Siviwe and I left that house feeling like we were floating – we were so so relieved that she was negative!



This man's ID said that he was 100 years old... and I was testing him for HIV!

We then went into this man's house and tested him, a 100 year old man, for HIV. The main reason I wanted to test him was to talk to him and hear his stories -mainly to hear how he has managed to stay so healthy for so long! He was so spry! I also like to ask the elders to talk to their children and grandchildren to practice safe sex and stop the spread of HIV. The elders are really respected for their knowledge.

The last house of the day was a middle aged man who was really interested, and incredibly knowledgeable on the topic of HIV. When I asked if he and his wife used condoms he said, “yes, because my wife has HIV.” Oh!  We talked about his risk and about the possibility that he was positive. After his wife told him that she was positive they had begun using condoms, and that was five monthes ago. He told me that he was fully expecting to be positive and after five months of preparing himself, he was ready to be tested. Once again I was praying! I didn’t know what I was praying for because how could I pray for him to be negative when the chances of him being negative were so slim? So, I thought, I guess I just pray that he takes the news that he’s positive well... Seemed like a pretty week prayer in that moment... We sat and waited for ten minutes for the results, once again holding my breath because I was hoping he was negative but at the same time telling myself that there was ‘no way’ that he could be when his wife who he was having unprotected sex with was positive. The tests were finished and he was negative! He didn’t believe me. I didn’t even believe it myself. He was negative! I almost started crying, and he just sat there staring at me and at the test results. We sat there checking and re-checking the results in complete disbelief. He was ecstatic because he went into the test ‘knowing’ that he was positive, and here I was telling him he was negative. I will test him again in a couple weeks to confirm the results – but so far so good!


I try and get photos of cows for my nephew - he loves them..... I'm scared of them!



Homesick!

I was stuck by the homesickness bug just before Christmas and it has held on! The homesickness flu has been reaching septic levels ever since I came home from a family wedding in Mexico a week ago. Yesterday I came home feeling a little overwhelmed with how confused I am with work, I was tired after a long day, and was (in total) feeling more than a little discouarged when I heard this song in my mind:

Here I am, Lord

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.

Chorus

Here am I, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here's a pretty cute video of a girl singing the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNDXFzXD5PI&feature=related

This song has always been really special to me. When I was younger and wanted to volunteer this song was always like my theme song - my telling God that I wanted to go - and he just had to send me! Now, here I am - volunteering - and totally bummed out. This song started playing in my mind, and once I recognized it, it instantly gave me a wave of peace.

A simple reminder from a higher power that I am right where I asked to be.

Christmas

The CMMB office closed down December 15, with no work and a lot of time on my hands I headed to Cape Town. I was in Cape Town for five days and had an amazing time touring the coast – driving some absolutely stunning roads, taking windsurfing lessons and hiking table mountain. Table mountain was a highlight because I abseiled down 112 meters and then hiked back up a different section of the mountain. Yes! The picture is totally real!
It was a fun trip because I have never gone on a vacation by myself and had never stayed in a hostel, both were great. The hostel was fun because every night I sat and talked with some of the most interesting people: travel journalists, travel photographers, a women who is working in a hospital in Rwanda, three women working for the peace corp, talking with them was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. My trip did have one major flaw though, and that was getting the stereo stolen out of my rental car... I have laughed telling my family that I couldn’t live here permanently because I would be completely broke after getting robbed a lot... it’s so hard being constantly aware of your day to day things, especially when in Canada it is not the norm.

I celebrated Christmas with Mrs. Gwiji’s family and it was complete with cooking, eating and kids running everywhere. The turkey was roasted in a marinade made with coke and it was so good – I’ve definitely learned a couple cooking tips that I’ll be bringing home with me. 



Mrs. Gwiji's daughter Thembakazi

I was invited to Mrs. Gwijis’ nieces wedding. It was really great seeing a traditional Xhosa wedding. They held a “white wedding” day one at the family home where Mrs. Gwiji’s family cooked. “White weddings” where the bride wears a white wedding dress are becoming more popular as western entertainment becomes more and more popular. After the wedding we drove from where the bride lives to the husband’s home to deliver her to her new in-laws. The bride has to bring a new bed, pot, wash basin and dresser to her new in-laws as well, so we had to spend some time getting them organized. On day two as we neared the husband’s house I was amazed to see people lining the street singing and dancing – welcoming the new bride! It was so nice! As you may know I am a bit of a crier and was totally amazed and a little teary eyed at how beautiful it was. We got out of the car and the bride was covered with a blanket so that no one could see her face. The husband’s family were in a group down the road from us singing and dancing. Then we, the bride’s family, made their way down the road singing and dancing as well, in a sort of ‘dance off.’ It was so awesome! The husband’s family presented the Bride’s family with two sheep which were slaughtered and eaten during the ceremony... (poor sheep). The two families continued to have a dance/ sing off for the next couple hours.

The dancing and singing at the beginning of the wedding and the traditional clothing that the girls wore were by far my favourite parts of the celebration.