Thandalethu Care Center - Launch May 25

On Friday I attended the launch of the Care Center. Thankdalethu means "Our hope." It is the culmination of a dream of ten years on the part of Flo Mandlala. Many town officials - councillors, and representatives of the Mayor of Lamontville Town Ship attended. The local priest gave the opening prayer, and a UCC minister who works for Global Ministries gave the benediction. Scott is supported by UCC church dollars when we contribute to OCWM through out church Outreach budget.

The Care Center is based on the model of the Living Center in Boston. It is a place where people can get medicine for HIV and for TB. It also provides meals so that people will take their medicine with food, and are more likely to keep taking it. At the launch we heard 2 hours of speeches interspersed with singing by the care-givers who have formed a choir. There are 20 caregivers - who are people who go to visit people with AIDS in their homes. Their voices were strong and their message was very uplifting. One of them is HIV+ himself and he spoke. His talk was in Zulu but I could tell that people were very moved. I felt fortunate to have been here for this occasion.

The speakers included a businessman from Durban who contributed to the center, 3 city counsellors, a local doctor who spoke about the deadly combination of TB and HIV. He stressed that TB is preventable but when you have both and fail to take the medicine, it is a lethal combination. Mrs. Hall who has been one of my hosts, also spoke at the launch, as a representative of the Trinitarian Church in Concord, which has supported this AIDS Care Center with their Christmas Offerings.

Following the program we all toured the facility. I have two pictures of it. The garden provides patients with fresh food, and the beds give sicker patients a quiet place to stay, and a hot meal when they are sick all day and no one is at home. The whole event finished with a hot luncheon for all 150 of us. I had visited the center earlier in the week and given the director a small cross. I was so touched that she wore it yesterday.

I continue to be impressed by the great need here and the ways that a little of our support can do a great deal and make a real difference.

Susan