AMAZING GRACE

Good morning Team, What an amazing time! I am here in my office imagining you all covered in that red dust after such a wonderful experience. All of our love here is with you all in Tanzania. I cannot wait to welcome you all home and hear of all the gracious work. Thank you for keeping us posted. I miss you. Stay strong and well, Leigh

NET DISTRIBUTION KICKOFF CELEBRATION in GETAMOCK village

Posted by Meghan Ray

Wednesday we departed after our morning reflection to Getamock Village about an hour from Karatu town. We heard last night from Dr. Slaa (Karatu member of Parliament) that preparations were well underway and that they expected more than 2,000 villagers to come to the ceremonies!! Wow! We arrived at Getamock and parked in a big field. In front of us was shaded structure for the guests of honor. The villagers were putting the finishing touches on the decorations as we arrived. We are not sure if the pink fabric along the roof was in honor of Breast Cancer awareness month, but who knows? A few of us went to the dispensary to deliver some supplies before the ceremonies started. Dr. Cunningham worked with Agnes, the nurse midwife, to show her how to use the blood glucometer. When we came in January, Agnes shared her ideas about attracting more patients to her dispensary. Because we couldn’t deliver a TV to her waiting room, we settled for bringing some baby blankets instead!

As the ceremonies started at 10:00am, villagers were still lining up to see the festivities. By this time they were stacked 10 deep along the ropes. The colors and patterns of the traditional dresses were vibrant and beautiful. Seated against the ropes were hundreds of schoolchildren dressed in their uniforms and ready for us to begin. The ceremony and pageantry in Tanzania is unlike anything most of us have ever seen. Each sub village presented a song or dance to the honored guests in brightly colored clothing. Drummers kept the beat while the dancers chanted and moved in formation. All of these songs represented a welcome to Getamock, gratitude for our gifts and daily life in the village. Some of the dancers stomped so hard that the ground shook under our feet! It was spectacular! After about an hour of song, we began the speeches. The Bishops from the Catholic and Lutheran dioceses were there, a representative from USAID/US Embassy, Charles Llewelyn, Dr. Slaa, Representative from the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, Mr. Mliga, and they were joined on the dais by John Tolmie, CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center and Kirk Dignum, CEO of Mercy Regional. Since this was such a special occasion, each representative talked (mostly in Swahili) for quite some time. It makes speeches in the US look fast! Each speech emphasized the importance of bed nets and using them properly to protect against malaria. “Kataa Malaria” is the Swahili phrase for Kill Malaria and we heard that often. This day is so important to the health of the village. With a free net, people can immediately begin to protect themselves. Since we delivered the nets to the village, people didn’t have to make a 3 hour walk to town to redeem a net voucher that is too expensive. Our partnership with the government, CHI, St. Joseph and all of the Village Wellness workers means that people will be able to enjoy an immediate benefit to their health and well-being. The nets we ordered from A-Z textile mills in Arusha have packaging with educational information printed in Swahili to instruct in proper care and usage of the net. During our ceremony we blessed all of the nets and also had a bed and nets prepared to demonstrate how to sleep under a net

The ceremonies continued with more song and dance and also gift giving. The Mercy, St. Joseph and CHI team were presented with traditional African fabrics. John Tolmie presented the Bishops with commemorative books from the Basilica in Baltimore signed by Cardinal Keeler. After the ceremony ended at 1:30pm, we were treated to a traditional feast of rice, vegetables, plantains, beef, chicken and potatoes and very special cake. For those of you who do not know, traditional Tanzanian cake is a GOAT. Not goat in the shape of a cake, but a whole entire goat carried into the room with leaves stuffed in its mouth and carved right in front of you. Before you eat this goat, it is blessed and presented ceremoniously to the guests of honor on a plate. Then you take a piece and pass the plate to the next person. If you don’t enjoy eating meat that was just carved from the animal sitting next to you then it is advised to look like you do anyway to be culturally appropriate. Some of our group mysteriously disappeared as the goat entered the room. I wonder why…? ;0) Our hosts also prepared traditional American yellow cake with frosting which complimented the goat quite nicely.

As the afternoon sun got stronger and the goat digested, we mingled with some of the villagers, especially the children. They are so curious to see us and say hello. Many of them giggle when you wave or say hi. Taking photos of children on digital cameras and showing them the picture results in hysterical laughter. Some of them have never seen their own reflections! The children that weren’t following us around were sitting up in the trees watching the music and dancing that was still going on.

We finished the day witnessing the net distribution procedure. People were so excited about receiving nets that they did not want to wait until tomorrow. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the nets retrieved from a shed, get blessed and carried to the sub-villages for distribution. Each village has sub-villages and a chairman who is responsible for representing the families within it. After careful thought by Tony and the Village Wellness Team, this process was determined to be the most efficient for distribution, education and tracking. Watching bales of nets carried through the crowd was pretty spectacular. How amazing to watch the generosity of so many people at St. Joseph Medical Center, Mercy Regional Medical Center and CHI impact people’s lives like that. The people of Getamock and Karatu thank you. ASANTE SANA.

We arrived back at Kudu Lodge, happy and tired from this amazing day and also covered in layers of red dust!

Tomorrow, net distribution continues in Slahhamo and Ayalabe villages.

Visit to Karatu Lutheran Hospital (KLH) and Rhotia Health Center

Posted by Meghan Ray

Monday we visited our friends at the Karatu Lutheran Hospital. Dr. Awai, a physician at the hospital, extended a warm greeting to us in the Chapel. Our group met with hospital staff (John Kulle, Dawson Daati, Dr. Kimaro) for about an hour to talk about the current status of the hospital and some of the health programs. Unfortunately, they have had very little rain in Karatu in 6 months and there is a water shortage. However, the Village Wellness Program provided a water collecting vessel from which the hospital can draw water in situations like this. The diseases that they see at the hospital for inpatients (in order of volume) are malaria, TB, diarrheal diseases, skin/eye infections, diabetes and hypertension and trauma. They treat outpatients for blood plasma, bladder infections, skin infections, STDs and some psych cases. They also do testing and counseling for HIV/AIDS twice a week in the clinic there. It is separate from the main hospital to protect the privacy of the patients. The hospital faces many challenges. Drugs are often out of stock because only 60% of what they need is available from the government and the pharmacy is subsidized by the government. Moreover, they do not enough money to conduct needed repairs and they face some of the same difficulties we do in the US – nursing shortages!

We have brought some supplies from St. Joseph to donate to the hospital (sutures, blood drawing kits, sterile gloves, face shields, cast shoes and more). Supplies that are slightly past expiration date and would go to waste in the US are accepted gladly here.

We took a tour of the facility. Patients who come to the hospital are usually accompanied by family members because the hospital cannot provide food service. The families cook in an outbuilding and help care for their loved ones. They do not have an ambulance at KLH so patients have to take a taxi (very cost prohibitive) or walk. Some of the villages are very far away. It’s hard to imagine walking such long distance when someone is so ill.

KLH is situated in a beautiful area in stark contrast to the suffering, disease and illness inside. I think that we were all amazed at the deep commitment, sincerity and hard work of the staff who work tirelessly to take care of their patients in extremely difficult situations.

We presented mosquito nets to the entire KLH community for the patient beds and the staff quarters. Hopefully this will keep the caregivers and the patients they serve free from deadly malaria. It is also important for villagers to see the same nets that they received in use at the hospital because it reinforces the importance of using the bed nets to protect themselves in their own homes. During the mosquito net preparations, KLH was also the storage facility to protect the nets for the rest of the community until distribution at all villages is complete.

Tuesday afternoon we headed in the opposite direction about 20 minutes through Karatu town to visit Rhotia Catholic Health Center. Sr. Verona Hutter and her colleage, Sr. Blasia, run a wonderful clinic. True to her Swiss upbringing, Sr. Verona runs a tight ship! The health center is clean and bright and welcoming for patients. The Village Wellness Program provided funds last year to assist in a water project that would create a pipeline for Rhotia and to the surrounding villages. Unfortunately this project has been delayed several times. They are ready to go with all of the equipment, now they just need power! As demonstrated by the rolling blackouts later that evening, it seems that the electric company is having trouble. Also, it just seems to take a long time to get things done in Karatu. In contrast, Sr. Verona just started construction on another building in JULY and it will open in two weeks! She and Sr. Blasia are amazing.

We interviewed Sr. Verona on camera so hopefully some of you will be able to see for yourself her warmth, sense of humor and sincere commitment to her ministry for the people of Karatu. We are proud to support the work of the sisters at Rhotia.

Notes from SJMC

Hi SJMC Team Members in Tanzania: I'm excited for all of you, but also for me. This is my first blog! It's 4:35 PM, and I'm sitting here in the FANS office wondering what your day was like today in Tanzania. I can only imagine the sights and sounds you are experiencing daily. I've read your note, Meghan, and am totally mezmerized. I can actually see the images you describe. Now I understand the comment people make when they return from Tanzania -- "that the experience changes your life forever." Your SJMC Family is proud of you and the work you are doing for some of the poorest of God's People. I'm certain He will bless you and watch over you as you continue to bring hope and healthy change to the people of Karatu and surrounding communities. Stay safe. Nancy Ashwood

Peace and all good be yours in this wonderful journey! Give joy, give nets and godspeed a safe return home.

A great salute from the spiritual team at St Joe's. I can not believe we can talk so freely across the wires of the world. It sure does make our concept of the world seems small and very personal. Our prayers and spirit are with all of you as you minister to the people of god in TZ. It gives such joy to share the wonders of your experience . It is great to know our love for humanity is shared through the work of your hands. Blessings and love.

St. Joseph Medical Center

What a wonderful thing you are doing for those less fortunate than we are. I would love to learn more about this and other projects like this. How does one get involved in these projects? God Bless you! Kelly Felo