Made it to the Canaan Health Clinic in Buziicka, just outside Jinja! I have no idea how to begin explaining this place. We will start with the ride out here from Mukono. There is life everywhere a constant show of people on the street, motorcycles driving as if on a suicide mission. All the roads are red clay, cows and goats tied up outside shacks. The main highway that we traveled on was the only paved road; as soon as we turned off to Buziicka we began our off-roading experience. It was dark and down pouring; Basil had to weave, on this single lane road, to miss major holes and to keep an eye out for oncoming traffic. It was the ultimate game of chicken. Once we arrived at the center we were admitted entrance by armed guards. As soon as the van parked children came running up happily screaming and banging on the windows; soaking wet from playing soccer in the mud and rain. The children barley let us climb out of the van, they kept reaching in one by one to touch us and scream welcome. The workers here immediately came in hugging us and telling us they loved us. Everyone is so grateful and I haven’t done a thing yet.
I am living in a dorm type of place, there are only three of us girls here so we each get our own room with a bed covered in mosquito netting. M and L. Sleep was comical, I fell asleep to the sounds of a bar until 1am and then at 3am dogs began fighting outside, at 5am a cow started mooing, this cow actually sounded like a dying man, at 7am the monastery that abuts the center started blasting music and the pastor began preaching while the cow intermittently mooed. The day began! M., who has been here for two weeks, took us around; everywhere there is dirt, animals tied up, clay shacks called home and water tanks that collect rainwater. The center has their own farm to provide food for all the orphaned children. These children sleep in bunkhouses, with tattered mattresses and sheets. There is liter strewn everywhere. The clinic has inpatient rooms with mattresses that are torn, old sheets and ancient supplies. I highly doubt any procedure is sterile as evidenced by the workers never wearing rubber examination gloves when working with patients. (There is a very limited supply of rubber gloves here). This place could be very depressing to see people live in such poor conditions, yet everyone is smiling, reaching out to touch and hug and say I love you! They call us Muzingo, which means visitor.
We went to the school today, walking through the village with children smiling and waving, their potbellies sticking out. (These potbellies are caused by worms and can easily be treated with a medication that is so cheap for us. It costs $1 to buy enough medication to treat 10 children!!!) At the school we were greeted as if we were royalty the kids standing up as we entered, huge smiles on their faces. As the principal introduced us the children interrupted with huge cheers when they were told I was a nurse. I did not think that being a nurse was such a big deal, I have never felt so appreciated; it was a humbling experience. The classrooms looked straight out of the days of the pilgrims, with long wooden benches and wooden tables. The children were being taught in English (I am expected to go back to the school to educate the kids about health). We got to watch the children during lunch. This involved the kids taking plastic ware, rinsing it in a tube of water, then standing outside in the rain to get a bit of porridge and then find cover along the building to eat. They do not have a cafeteria or a shelter to eat under and cannot eat in the classrooms to avoid mess. A shelter could easily be built with brick and cement and a tin roof for $2,000. This was shocking for me but all these children were smiling and laughing and playing. They have so little, yet are so joyful.
The children of the orphanage have horror story lives. Family members have taken advantage of them in the past or when they were infants they were tossed down toilet holes to be disposed of. These children are working through broken souls with the love and guidance from the people who work at this orphanage and a strong faith in God. Our job as volunteers here will be to provide healthcare, teach in the school and open our arms to hug and cuddle and help mend some souls.
Find joy in the little things in your life!
Gypsy RN
