Personal Journal from Volunteers in Mission Trip to Zimbabwe
Personal Journal from Volunteers in Mission Trip to ZimbabweJune 22, 2000
Today we started with a breakfast of toast, banana and cheese. The concern of the day is scurvy so now everyone is taking Vitamin C to prevent it. I think I already have it so it doesn't matter to me.
Then it was on to a tour of Old Mutare. We went first to the hospital which was amazing. The waiting room is outside on a porch. The intake room is pretty bare. They use a household scale 
to measure patients' weight and a common thermometer to take their temperature. There is a small examining room and the filing system consists of stacks of records held together by ribbon put into cubbies labeled by letters on a piece of masking tape. The pharmacy wasn't very big and was very sparse. We went into the women's ward, the men's ward and the children's ward at the hospital. I felt bad about going into the Men's ward so I didn't. One of the babies started to cry when we left the children's ward. I just wanted to hug him! We went to the maternity ward -- saw moms and their newborns (they stay in the hospital 3 days -- that's 2 more days than in the US). Then we saw the cribs with two babies who had been left at the hospital. Alice who was 5 months old and a 9 month old. They were so small but seemed to want a human hand to touch. Kisha reminded me I could not bring one home.
Then we went to the orphanage where we spent most of our day. The kids just wanted to be held
-- that was it. The first boy to befriend me happened to be known as the biter. I tried to keep him from biting me--when he tried I put him down and he got the idea but he was SO interested in taking my glasses. I escaped the morning without having anyone pee on me but I got a double whammy when I returned for the afternoon. The children don't have much but they are happy! Americans have too much stuff and that doesn't help them appreciate things.
I didn't take any pictures in Old Mutare -- partly because I didn't see an opportune time part because I'm not sure how I feel about taking pictures there. I guess its all in the attitude you take but I just feel as if I'm intruding on their lives by taking pictures. The children were awful cute though. The staff was nice. We met the pre-school teacher who was such an inspiration--she kept everyone's attention and the children loved her. Some students came from the University in Mutare to help out--I was struck by the young woman's response to Kisha's questions about their group. She said they are part of a group that does community service--like going to nursing homes and being with the residents. I was surprised because I had heard the United States was the worst country because they send their elderly to nursing homes and so I automatically assumed that United States was the only country with nursing homes -- taught me a good lesson in assumptions!
Tonight we met as youth and shared, as the group and shared, and with another group. I really liked our group sharing because we reflected and sang songs and shared in prayer. God of the Sparrow, God of the Whale; In the Garden (from Lauren's Grandma's funeral); Father, I Adore You; and Pass It On.
I was quiet tonight but its because I'm so confused. Part of me wants to question everything -- see how it all fits into the big picture--and all that. The other part of me wants to just act -- do something. How can we not help Tobias -- the student here for the summer--eat? I feel like we are making a lot of assumptions. Do I have the right to have my own children when there are so many children in this world who need a loving home? -- Just some things to ponder as Kate and I lost another good fight.
SJW
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