Settling in

          I have begun noticing something when I go to the grocery store that I never noticed before... people staring at me and the black children that I am with. I haven’t noticed it until now, probably because I was more interested in finding the best substitute for soy sauce and trying to decide what 1-ply toilet paper would be the softest and most effective (some stores only sell 1-ply toilet paper...). Now that I have conquered my purchasing dilemma’s I am free to look around while at the grocery store – only to find that a lot of people are looking at me and the little guy who’s pushing my buggy. In one isle Khamo and I were deciding what potato masher was the best to buy when I turned around to see a couple and two guys other watching us. The man noticing me noticing them asked if Khamo was my son...It was so bizarre! I am whiter than white and Khamo is really black.... how could he be my son?! I guess if I had adopted him... I so badly wish I had said, ‘yes,’ simply to see his reaction! Then walking down the isle with Thalita one lady actually stopped her and gave her this look like, ‘what are you doing with that lady?’ I ignored it thinking it was strange but not a big deal, unfortunately Thalita was completely confused about it and asked me why people were staring at us.... I don’t really know actually because it’s not as if I’m the only white person around. I guess I am just the first white person in a while to be in the grocery store shopping with black children.

           Remember when I wrote about the gentlemen that we tried getting to the hospital because he was diagnosed with Tb and was known to be HIV positive? Well here is a little update: We drove him to the clinic and he wasn’t able to get to the hospital that day as there weren’t any beds available so he went the next day. When someone is HIV positive and quite sick many are kept in the TB hospital for six months. They can be let out early as long as they are positive that they will be able to maintain their TB medications while at home. In this case, my client defaulted his HIV treatment once before so he will be in the TB hospital for nine months. Can you imagine nine months in a hospital?!  Here is a before and after picture for you. My client was resting on the couch and Zola, a counselor, was talking with him.

I was so incredibly shocked when we saw him in the hospital. He was honestly glowing. When he smiled I teared up a little because he was so vibrant. When we walked in he went straight for my hand and thanked me repeatedly for taking him to the clinic because he didn’t think that he would have gotten there otherwise.... Thank you to all you at home for helping me get here to meet such an amazing soul and in helping him get the treatment that has saved his life. I honestly thought he was palliative, but now he is chatting and smiling!