24th
April 2015
Gideon wants to be a pilot flying long distances to America and even the UK!
In
August 2003 I spent an afternoon with Mrs. Sianga who at the time was
a nurse working in “Home based care”. This meant visiting
patients dying as a result of AIDS. She had no anti-viral drugs, just
a few paracetemol tablets and some comforting words.
She
took me to see some of her patients. Although I had been in Monze for
a week or two, this was the first time that I had entered a house of
one the poorer residents. Typically the houses comprise a single room
made of bricks – sometimes the houses use 'burnt' bricks and other
houses are made of simple mud bricks. The houses have no electricity
or running water.
For
me it was a humbling experience but one which made me feel very
privileged. The people I saw were all dying – some very close to
death. Yet, I was welcomed into their houses and was able to
understand a little more about the huge challenges they had been
facing. I remember that one lady was waiting for her young daughter
(her carer) to return with a little sugar that she was begging from
neighbours to go with her mother's maize porridge.
That
afternoon changed my life! I think it was the experience of meeting
these people, of their amazing generosity in sharing their lives in
such vulnerable circumstances, that made me want to share my life
with the people of Zambia.
I
was talking to a friend from church the other day. He spent some time
in Zambia in the 70s during a gap year after university. He was
saying that he would love to return. He wondered what happened to
some of the people he spent time with. I am fortunate that because of
my regular trips, I have been able to maintain contact with many
people – some who I met in 2003. People such as Jennipher's
daughter Sandra who is a nurse in Livingstone, Diven, whose many
adventures over the years have kept me busy, and many others who will
greet me again when I return in June!
Mrs.Sianga
also became attached to the families of her clients. I don't know
what happened to the young girl who was looking for sugar. Her mother
will have died within a short time of my visit. I am sure Mrs. Sianga
didn't forget her. Maybe she became a student at PIZZ School - like
so many of the children of those patients.
Fortunately
anti-viral drugs are now available, there are still huge numbers of
deaths from AIDS related diseases, but there is some hope.
I
feel blessed to have had the opportunity to share my life with the
people of Monze. Mrs. Sianga has dedicated her life to some of the
most vulnerable people in the area and deserves every help she can
get. PIZZ School is reliant on the funds that Hands Around the World
can raise and obtaining sufficient donations is becoming difficult.
The
more people who are willing to engage with the project, the better
the chances are to ensure the long term future and development of
PIZZ School.
Please
forgive me for reminding you that Mike Daly is supporting PIZZ School
by running the London Marathon this Sunday – every penny raised
will help PIZZ School – if you want to donate you can do so online
using this link Mike
Daly's Marathon - supporting the children of PIZZ School
Of
course donations can also be sent to Hands Around the World at
P.O.Box 117, Monmouth NP25 9AR. UK.
Chris
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