A Compassionate Outreach------ repost: Nov.2007

Dear Friends
I have only just returned from an adventure of a day and have decided to write about it while it is still fresh in my mind .Today was the third HIV Testing “Outreach” we have done with the donated Rapid HIV Tests from Dr. Kevin Diekhaus, the American Infectious Disease Specialist who was brave enough to actually ask me what he could do to help our HIV Program (smile)

We didn’t drive very far , but to an organization called “Compassion” which is an Anglican Faith Based organization that has several programs, one being to help AIDS Orphans. They had requested we test their children, so with Tests in hand we arrived and hopping over puddles and climbing up a steep rock hill, we set up shop in their church.
I was equally nervous and excited because it would be “children’s” little fingers I would be pricking, but all of these children, like our Saturday Program, had lost one or both parents from AIDS and needed the follow up.
Also the Lab Tech who had gone previously was “in charge” and liked it that way, often leaving me standing around wondering what to do. Today, I would be in charge, working with a Lab Tech. new to the “Outreach” experience, but certainly not new to the actual testing procedures themselves..
I really prepared for this “Outreach” being mindful of the disorder in the two previous ones and coming up with ideas I hoped would turn potential chaos into order.. I made up cards with duplicate numbers giving one to the child while we kept the other to then be marked “R” for reactive or “NR” for non reactive, as the case may be.
Mr. Stanislaus, our head counselor, took their information , gave them a numbered card, which they brought to the table., so although he had their information, in a log book, Confidentiality was maintained.
I bought thin felt tip pens to write the numbers on the tests, as the marker pen we used in the past smeared.. That, unfortunately, was not successful (numbers faded into nothing) but the masking tape I had brought with no purpose in mind, ended up being the perfect answer; easily applied to a strip of tests, easily written on by any pen and simply discarded into the trash with the Tests at the end of the day.
I was concerned about testing children because of “fear” issues and wondered how to comfort them and still get the job done, but God already had that covered by sending two lovely young Swedish women to help. Neither I, nor they, knew they would be helping but when I met them this morning at the AIDS Orphans Saturday Program, I lightly said ”Sure wish you could come along” And they said “We’d love to help, just tell us what to do” Well I am not particularly known for my shyness and had no difficulty “ordering” them around. (smile).
It was a total success of a day and Eva and Lina are one of the reasons why. All I had to do was name the challenge and they either thought of ways to solve it or simply did what was necessary to fix it. For example: since it rained hard off and on all day, the darkness made it difficult to work effectively, so we picked up and moved closer to the opened door where light could stream in.. Both young women are leaning toward careers in Social Work and both are warm, friendly and great with children. Eva took the role of “distracter” while I prepared the sample, cleaned and, pricked the finger and dropped the blood on the litmus paper. She asked every child their name, how old they were, were they in school or on holiday etc. Whatever it took to get their mind off of what I was about to do.(Ha).
Lina’s job was to entertain the other children, so they would not be peeking around the corner to see what I and Phillip, the Lab. Tech. were doing to their friends..
It all went amazingly well and in less than 3 hrs. we had tested 86 children between the ages of 5 and about 15 years old. There was only one Positive, which was confirmed with a second (different) test. The Childs Caregivers with be notified and treatment of Septrim (Bactrin to us) will be started to prevent Opportunistic Infections, while a work up is done to determine where the child is in the disease process and if ARV’s are indicated..
So it was a ‘good” day in many ways, certainly ones of those days when I know what I am doing here in Uganda, so far from all things familiar and Giradelli Choc and Pink Canada Mints-Ha

..Last night at 11:30pm , as I walked home from feeding Michael, I was in awe of where I am in my life, both physically and emotionally. The moon lit up the pathway in such a fashion that I didn’t even need to use my torch (flashlight),. The sounds were mellow and there was an unfamiliar scent of a bush or flower that filled the air.: not sweet like honeysuckle but slightly musky and clean. In any case, I trod along the path minus light feeling sooooo blessed to be here in this beautiful temperate country. We have no air conditioning or heat and rarely a need for either. There is a good bit of rain and the mud puddles can wreck havoc on your shoes and permanently stain your feet with dirt, but it is a small price to pay to be surrounded with such beauty. My Call here was God’s and Lay Mission Helpers idea, but the work I am doing is becoming very signature, very much a personal thing between me and God and the beautiful people of Uganda.

----GOD LOVES THE WORLD THRU US ----Mother Teresa

Tomorrow, Sunday the 25th , will be my” Thanksgiving”. After Mass, if the rain has stopped, I will pick up Baby Michael for a days outing with me in my home. Then I will prepare a roast chicken dinner, make an attempt to fix stuffing, Irish Potatoes, most likely baked, as I don’t have a masher and canned corn. ------OK, it certainly won’t be anything like the Thanksgiving meal you probably had, but with Michael in my home and my arms (when I am not cooking, of course) and Fr. John’s company for dinner, I anticipate a wonderful day!
----HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!