Mount Sinai Day

27/03/2010

Hello again!

We have had a busy last two days. Yesterday, Nicole and Genny spent the morning at Family Hope Sanctuary (FHS) helping out with the school activities. The kids were wild and energetic since it was the last day of school before the weekend. There were about 30 kids, and since it was our third day there, they had gotten to know us pretty well. They would climb into our arms and on our backs and everywhere we turned there was another child who wanted a hug. They knew we usually had treats with us, so they would search our pockets for candy. We had a busy morning at the school, but before we knew it, the morning class was over and had left to walk home. Annie, Mary, Linda, and Queen spent the morning running errands and getting ready for Mount Sinai Day. They picked up $1,300 worth of formula to be handed out to the HIV+ mothers registered with Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai provides formula for HIV+ mothers who have HIV- infants, so that they will not breastfeed and risk passing the virus onto their babies. The Center provides formula to the mothers until their children turn one year-old, then they provide food parcels until the children turn two. Though we are excited about our ability to donate formula, we know that the amount we gave to the Center will only last for one month. We all spent the afternoon putting together food parcels with the food we bought on Wednesday. We made 300 food parcels for the mothers registered at the Center. It was extremely hot and sweaty work, but we had 7 of the mothers from the Center helping us do the work, so we were done very quickly. Everyone here is extremely helpful, and wants to lend a hand in any way they can. Solomon and Danny (two of Mary’s friends) have given us rides, picked up last minute supplies, and even helped us count and bag vitamins for Mount Sinai Day. We went to bed tired and ready for the next day.

Mount Sinai Day started for us at 6:00am. We got to the Center and got to work. We set up tents and chairs, starting making peanut butter and jam sandwiches for breakfast, and organized the clinic area. Before we knew it, the women began to arrive. Mount Sinai does a pick-up day once a month, where the mothers come to get formula and food parcels, weigh-in themselves and their babies, and receive ongoing education. The Center is run by Christa, though she always says that her mothers do all the work. She works night-shift as a nurse and can only spend mornings at the Center, since she is not paid to run Mount Sinai. Christa welcomed us to join in on the pick-up day., so we could run our women’s clinic. We checked blood pressure and blood sugars, made and served breakfast and lunch, brought in a social worker to talk about rape and domestic violence, and handed out the food parcels and vitamins. Most of the women were registered with Mount Sinai, but some of them were from the community and had come to the Center just to visit the clinic and get a meal. It was amazing to see all the women and children that came to be a part of this day. What was even more amazing was looking at the large group of women, and knowing that most of them were HIV+, and then looking at all the children running around and knowing that they were HIV- thanks to the work that Mount Sinai has done. After a long day we arrived back at Rivendell around 2:30pm and chose to relax for the rest of the day. We all took our first swim in the little pool near our rooms. It was extremely cold and felt amazing on our sunburns. We ordered pizza (African style - a.k.a. - no tomato sauce) and sat in the shade, reading and relaxing.

We’ll go to bed soon and tomorrow we leave to spend 2 days on the coast in Swacopmund. We’ll spend that time strictly as tourists, before getting back to work preparing for our next two medical clinics taking place next week, and for our Easter party for the kids at FHS. We’re all looking forward to a few days break, since we packed a week’s worth of activity into four days. Everyone has something they want to do in Swacopmund. Though Linda would love to be going skydiving, Nicole is actually the one who will be jumping from the plane. Linda instead is looking forward to walking on the beach, feeling the ocean breeze. Annie is excited to see the Namib Desert again, which is the largest desert in the world. Mary will be watching the sunset on Dune 7 and cannot wait to see the ocean again. Queen is looking forward to having a weekend to just kick back and relax. I will be four-wheeling in the sand dunes and buying more souvenirs than I can fit in my suitcase. And we’re all looking forward to seeing the local crafts and visiting the wood market as well.

Check out the pictures! We will update again soon. Thank you again to everyone who has helped to make this work possible. Food is hope to the Namibian people and you are present in every outstretched hand that we are able to fill. Keep us in your thoughts, there are many more days ahead.

~Annie, Mary, Linda, Queen, Nicole, Genny

More Pictures!

More pics from Mount Sinai!

Pictures!

Pictures from Family Hope Sanctuary (FHS) and Mount Sinai

We have arrived!

25/03/2010

Hello friends and family!

Let us first apologize for the delay. We have run into a few problems in the last few days that have prevented our first update (flat tire, late rental van, attacking lions - just kidding about the last one). So, here we go!

We have arrived safely in Africa! We walked off the plane onto the tarmac (felt like movie stars) at 10:00am. After a few lines and one lost bag, we walked out of the airport extremely tired, but glad to finally be in Namibia. Mary's friends picked us up and drove us to Rivendell, where we will be spending our first 10 days. It is beautiful here, everything is green and though it is hot, there is usually a nice breeze to cool us off. We have begun planning the medical clinics we will be doing next week. There are many details to work out, but thanks to everyone who donated funds or supplies, we feel very prepared. We have a lot of shopping to do - buying food for our food parcel donations, buying candy for the kids for our Easter celebration, buying formula and bottles for Mount Sinai, and so much more! Also, don't worry, we got our lost bag back! :-) It was full of medical supplies, so we were very concerned that it wouldn't make it's way back to us. But it arrived and nothing was missing. So the supplies will still get to where they are needed most.

Many things are different here. We bring treats for the kids, and if we do not have enough, there are no cries of "unfair!". Instead, they are simply hopeful they will get something next time and are happy just to be with us. Some kids walk 5 miles or more to get to the school we help at, since they know they will get a hot meal and their families do not have to pay for them to attend. We watched one child eat half of her lunch, and then take out a container and pack up the rest to take home. She could not have been full from that little amount of food, but she must know that her family needs to eat too.

We are working diligently to prepare for our medical clinics next week. We are organizing our medications, trying to round up additional volunteers, and renting tents and chairs. Advertising for the events is hard, but we know that the promise of a meal will bring many people. We worry that too many people will come, and we will have to turn some away. We will help as many as we can, since many of these people have never had a health screening before. In Namibia, there is one doctor for every 7,000 people. Though that doesn't seem like a lot, it is one of the higher ratios in Africa. But in rural communities, there is little to no access to health care of any kind.

Annie and Mary are glad to meet up with old friends, though there are some faces that are gone from the last trip of 3 years ago. They spent the first day calling all our Namibian friends and setting up times to meet and plan our different events. We are so lucky to have connections throughout the community, as it has made planning our events much easier. Everyone remembers Annie and Mary and are so excited that they have come back (and brought friends!). It is hard to believe that we have only spent 3 days here. Each day is so packed that it seems like much longer. Though we have only been here for a short time, people are already asking us when we will be coming back. We still have many days ahead, but we know it will not be enough. So, we are already wondering when we will be able to make our next trip too.

Goodnight everyone!

~Annie, Mary, Linda, Nicole, and Genny

(Pictures will come soon!)

Tangi Unene (Many Thanks to all!!!!!!!!!)

On the Rocks in Fish Hoek, South African
Receiving drawings from the children..... Thank you/goodbye notes for the children.

-The group of women (careteam) from Hakahana Community that works at FHS.we also supplied a lot of them with food hampers and watercards.
-The women lined up to begin the festivities!
-Recieving food hamper (many danced and gave thanks)










-Field Trip day group................ Handicapped Bathroom at hospital... Playground happenings.




-Annie and the kids!
-Recieving our certification of appreciation from abigail.
-Ouma dancing...

- The girls (Annie & Gift, Abigail, Foibe, Mary)









-GROUND BREAKING!!!!!!!

This is our final letter home. We are now in Cape Town relaxing before we make our way home. A wonderful couple donated a week stay on the Indian Ocean for our last week. We are truly blessed! Time to walk on the beach, pray and reflect about our last 5 weeks in Namibia. I am feeling guilty about staying in such a wonderful place but extremely appreciative to have this time to put things in perspective before returning to my life in America.
So I want to update all on our last week in Namibia. Mary and I were constantly being torn between Mt. Sinai and FHS. We both said that next year we should focus on Mt. Sinai- that was Friday night and then Saturday AM we went out to Hakahana (FHS) to distribute food hampers and water cards to the families that we sponsored. When we arrived they had planned a big party for use!! It was so absolutely heart-warming. The children sang and danced for us. They wrote letters of thank you and drew pictures. And as if that wasn’t enough, then the mothers dressed in their traditional Ovambo dress, danced and sang the ‘thank you’ & ‘goodbye’ songs in Oshivambo! They had made beaded gifts for us. Mary and I were both brought to tears- we had not expected this and it was a bit overwhelming. We both joined in with them and danced and it was decided right there and then that we could never just focus on Mt. Sinai because we have out little community at Hakahana as well! I also want to have a 3rd annual Easter egg hunt for the kids. So we left the center after well stocking them with food for all our little starving ones! We even bought porridge so that they can start feeding them breakfast. We have a videotape of the special day and I am exited to share it with you all!
Next is Mt. Sinai. Christa’s dream is still going strong and we will continue to fundraise and it is my hope that with some hard work at both ends we can build next year. We were able to do a ground breaking ceremony and begin to clear the land. As you know the land that was donated by the municipality was a dumping site so clearly the land turned out to be a bigger project than was expected. On the day we broke ground we had invited the press from “The Namibian” newspaper. Hopefully, Mt. Sinai’s story will be in the paper as well as a picture of all of us sitting in the arm of the bulldozer! We also worked very hard in trying to get a container to place on the land. A container holds all the building supplies so that no one can take them while they are in the building process. These containers turned out to be extremely expensive so we did a little networking to see if CAA (catholic Aids Actions) could assist us with the use of one of their containers. Once we are able to build Mt. Sinai, it will be a place that international volunteers can come, work and stay there as well. So lets build it and then you are all invited!! Mary and I talked about how awesome it would be if we could get Habitat for Humanity to come to Namibia and build Mt. Sinai! I wish we could have cone more for Christa, but we did discuss a plan of where we go from here. We got Christa connected to the internet (or she will be- there is a waiting list of about 3 weeks in Namibia) so we can better communicate. We are going to work on resubmitting Mt. Sinai’s proposals to every available organization, NGO and yes Oprah (again). Christa read about a person who spent more than 25 million dollars to go into space and can’t imagine why someone would do that when they could help so many babies and children with that money!! We Americans can be so foolish in our spending!
We were also able to stock Christa with food hampers for the kids on ARV treatment and we built another wall of formula to stock in her kitchen, hallway and dining room! We also helped her some of the financing of her truck. Her truck is so needed to transport the mom’s and kids back to the settlements. Some walk more than 10 miles to her house. The truck is also useful to pick up the food and formula. I really can’t imagine how she was able to transport all of that with out her truck. So the actual building of Mt, Sinai is still a dream but we have faith and hope that it will become a reality within the next year.
My little friend Saki (the boy with the growth on his face in previous pictures) was admitted to Central Hospital and he was seen by the pediatric surgeon. They were keeping him in the hospital until they find out when the German plastic Surgeon will arrive to see if he needed to be put on the list for an operation. I worried about Saki being lonesome and sad in the hospital but after visiting him and talking with the nurses, I realize that he is in a good place- 3 meals a day and a bed to sleep in, other children like him to play with and even a television set! This beautiful child must think he has died and done to heaven! We left one for Saki’s family to use for taxi to the hospital (the walk is over 10 miles).
The most difficult of our trip was saying goodbye. It nearly broke my heart to leave Foibe and Gift. Mary and I both felt sick to our stomachs the last few days because goodbyes here are so painful. Where did all the time go? It was so short how could we leave them? How could we leave Namibia? It is like leaving behind a part of my heart and soul. We will miss it greatly!
As this is one of our last letters from Africa, we want to thank all of you for your support with donations, prayers and love. It was because of all of you that we were able to:
*Feed hundreds upon hundreds of children
*Give families water cards
*Provide formula and food hampers for HIV+ mothers and their negative babies as well as children on ARV meds.
*Host an amazing Easter party for over 200 orphaned and vulnerable children
*Assist families with medical, school, and food expenses
*Provide clothes and shoes for children
*Give children educational experiences
*Amazing memories and so much more!


THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS!

Just because we are coming home does not mean the work stops. It is a continual process in which we strive for on a daily basis. Only a small number of children could be helped throughout our trip (which we are very grateful for) but there continues to remain millions upon millions of children, more so orphans, that need your support. It is through such programs like Mt. Sinai and Family Hope Sanctuary that we are trying to make a difference, but as many of you may know, there exists many programs out there that need your help as well. So please, continue to become aware of the existing problems that face our world and hopefully one day we can all say that we tried our very best to leave a world where future generations will be cared for no matter their circumstances.

In the City..........

Outside the Museum explaining the rules
Playing after lunch at Zoo Park
Shoes and Ice cream




Up the escalator.......Down the escalator...... more icecream!

Eating Lunch at the Park................Last of the food hampers for families at Family Hope Sanctuary.............. The one and only Remarchell at the BNC

Today was an awesome day! We took our children from Hakahana into town to the museum. These children are all orphan or vulnerable kids who live in the informal settlements. They had never been out of their community so this was a new experience for them. None of these kids are in school, but they are all in the school readiness program at Family Hope Santuary. We hired a truck to bring 20 children to town and Mary and I met them at the museum. We were unable to get a guided tour as the woman was busy so we went on our own, which was better. I was a bit worried about my wild , undisciplined children but really had nothing to worry about. They were angels!! They were so completely enthralled with the museum that I don’t remember ever being that excited myself as a child. They loved every moment and were so quiet and absorbed by every display. The museum had a display on each tribe of Namibia. They would look at the displays behind glass and they thought they were real! Most of our kids were Ovambo, so when we got to the display of Ovambo women preparing the mahungu many of the kids tried to enter the glass to help the (fake) women!!! They would bump their heads on the glass and we had to tell them that they were not real!!! It was quite funny and also very sweet! They sat quietly for 30 minutes watching a video of a Bushman hunting. When we finished, they wanted to go around again!!
We then took them to the park in the center of town and they played at the playground while Mary and made a lunch for them. We knew that this was an experience of a lifetime for them and none of us wanted it to end so we walked through the center of town—down through the mall –and decided to take them through the town square and ride on the escalator. The escalator turned out to be better then Valleyfair!!! They were nervous and a bit afraid but we held their hands and got on and went to the top then turned around and went back down- then repeat-up then down! Such a simple thing and yet I don’t think I will ever be able to ride on an escalator again without remembering this day and the joy of these children.
We then took them to the Pep store and bought each child a pair of shoes. We ended the day with an ice cream cone for each child. The ice cream turned out to be a bit of a disaster as many were unable to eat it fast enough before it melted and they were reluctant to throw it away, so they would hold the melting ice cream in their hands! What a mess! Luckily we had wet ones to wash them up before getting back into the truck for home.
After most of the morning and half of the afternoon was gone; Mary and I had not had our fill of children, so we got into a cab and went across town to play with the kids from the Catholic AIDS Relief center or the BNC (as they call it).
A day filled with children-hugs, kisses, laughter-----it doesn’t get any better then this!

Yesterday is gone, but today is here.....

Handing out formula to a mother and her child

Mother and Child ........ Triplets that Christa has been helping for some time

Mothers Lining up for soap/clothes.....more babies and mothers


Christa Counselling....

FOOOOOOOOD!

MORE FOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!


FORMULA!

Sister and Brother Carrying Water from the pump... Notice the trail of water.. they had to keep walking a little while down and up the hills.

This is a new water meter that has been put in, but has not been turned on. They took out the old one and replaced it with this but the people cannot use it and have to walk to another pump that is a far distance from this one... New but not functional?????????

Today is Sunday, what most people call a day of rest. But to millions of people out there struggling to find food and water for their families it is anything but a day of rest. It becomes another day that is filled with hunger, another day filled with despair and sickness. It is not easy to sit here in my quiet guest house that is only less then 10 miles away from some of the worst poverty that inflicts this world. There is no welfare system here, let alone a viable excuse of why people are living in such conditions especially when you see ministers driving around in Mercedes Benzes and a second state house that could fund an entirely new health care system that would provide basic assistance to the majority of the people living in poverty here. The gold gates that guard such a place are there in vain: they represent the greed and inconsideration of the Namibian government that ignore the many social problems that plague their beautiful country. It is hard to sit here and witness what is actually happening on the ground and try to compromise it with the inactiveness of the government although the promise to try to reduce poverty and all that it entails (access to education, health care, work, water, food etc…) The misinformation rumoring around among the people who should have the exact facts straight in the first place is a travesty especially when it has to do with such life threatening issues such as access to water.
One thing that is hopeful (which is important to include) is how I have met two region council members that have close relationships with both Christa and Abigail. It is nice to know that there are some people that care and the bureaucracies that plague this government have not yet infiltrated everyone. At times, it is important to keep a professional demeanor when one is a government official, but it is also equally important to be able to sympathize with your people. If this cannot be done, one can get wrapped up in the perks that come along with such a job. That is why, I believe, that corruption is many times overlooked in this country (and in general). “I scratch your back you scratch mine.” Well, what happens when I don’t have the fingers to scratch your back?? I suppose you wouldn’t even look my way would you? So what then happens to the fingerless people of this country? They sit there and continue on with what the have, which is very little. And who is the one paying for this? The children who are suppose to have a free education (according the constitution), the mothers who can’t afford to pay the N$40 a month for their ARV treatment as well as the much needed food they need to take such meds and to stay healthy. Christa starts to pay out of pocket to keep her program alive and continues to go further into debt, while the MP drives around in their fancy car with the air conditioning on full blast never having to roll down the window to smell the urine and feces that fill the air when passing the informal settlements (if they even pass them in the first place). So when you have regional council members coming to see what is happening with such programs, it gives me a little flicker of hope that something can happen. It is good to have people on your side that can somehow have a slight influence on the policies decided from above. But, if the policy makers are content with their life then it is hard to get through to them the imperativeness of the situation, unless, if for an instance, they will step out of their comfort zone and maybe, just maybe, roll down their windows so that they can feel the reality of the situation and not continue to go through life comfortably cool.
Last week we did many things. We bought a lot of food for both programs as well as a bunch of formula for Mt. Sinai. The mission is strong and I got to see first hand the effect of Christa’s hard work and determination. The area surrounding the outside of her house was already filling up with mothers when we arrived at just before eight in the morning. Women and their children, babies as well as toddlers, lined up and waited for their files to be passed out to them. After they received their files, the children were weighed and it was recorded by the volunteers as the mothers moved forward to receive soap and clothes. After that another line was formed outside the door that entered in the house and I as well as a few other volunteers sat on Christa’s couches while the mother came, we stamped their membership cards and determined if they needed formula or a food parcel. This is when I wish that I knew all the languages of the world so that I could thoroughly talk with the mothers and see how they are doing. It is very apparent by experiencing this whole process why Christa needs an actual center. Yes it works out of her house, but if there were to be a center to go along with her mission then this wondrous program would have a center where women could go for counseling and what have you, rather than having to wait until the food and formula hand out is done so that there is a space for them and Christa to sit down and chat about any issues they are having. It is going to be a great day when there is finally a center where women can go ANY time for a safe place, for counseling, food, formula and whatever else they deem necessary-even just a place to hang out and chat with other mothers who are going through the same thing.

Today Monday, we will be going out into the settlments to wrap up our family interviews. After that we will determine who needs uniforms and school fees as well as food parcels and water cards (that is if we even get them!!). We will be buying these things this week.

I am very grateful for the continuation of donations pouring in,especially from friends of mine who should be focused on being able to survive themselves in the US when there is no afforable healthcare or benefits out there for recent college graduates! So thank you to those that continue to give, it means a lot not only to me but to the children and families that are benefitting.

we have one week left here and we are going to do as much as possible and everything we have been wanting to do but haven't gotten to yet in terms of places to go.

Cape town is going to be beautiful, but the bus ride there isn't.. hehe.. Hopefully we will get a good spot on the bus so we can rest and be ready to roll!

More to come on the week as it goes by!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the sunshine!

Take care!

Much love to all,

Mary