On Tuesday we visited the Lamottville Thumbalethu Care Center. It is a project started by Flo Madlala, the woman in the first picture who is standing there with RuthAnn Hall. This center is based on the model of the Boston Living Center. It is intended as a place for people who are living with HIV.
The nurse in the picture to the left dispenses medicine and a meal to people who come to the care center to take medicine for AIDS. I met one of her patients and talked to him.
The women above are all home visitors who were meeting together to work. They go out from the center to see patients in their homes.
Most people who are HIV+ stay at home while the rest of the family goes to work each day. That means that they stay in smalldark houses all day alone, many too sick to take care of themselves, too sick to cook a meal and too sick to get the proper medicine. So the care center has been a dream of Flo's for over 10 years. She has been very persistent in pursuing this dream, as she had to struggle to get funding and get a lease and raise awareness of the problem.
But the center opened in January and it is a place of great hope for the people who live here. That is what the nameThumbalethu means- "We are full of hope." Certainly the feeling there was hopeful. The care givers were singing as they worked together. Their music was infectious and I found myself singing too.
I had brought a cross from Bethlehem to give to someone here and I gave it to Flo.
1 comment:
Susan,
I loved the picture of the zebra in yesterday's blog. Can't imagine that you were that close to him/her. It must have been a thrilling moment.
Today's entry was so wonderful. It must have been a goosebump moment when the women began to sing as they worked. This nurse deserves a medal and all the support in the world for envisioning and then creating this center. Reminds you of how dreams, when combined with determination, can and do come true. Inspiring.
Can't wait to see the rest of your pictures when you get HOME!
POC
Post a Comment