Monthly Archives: January 2014

Botswana: The Jewel In The Crown Of Africa, Part 2

21 Tuesday Jan 2014

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These stories are not uncommon. Just over 10 years ago Botswana faced an epidemic of catastrophic proportion.  The response, from the beginning of the epidemic, both by the Botswana government and international donors and research institutions, has been unprecedented.

Besides investing hugely by its own government, Botswana has received aid from international donors and research institutions. The U.S. government was involved through the CDC and PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which was launched by President George W. Bush. The Bill and Melinda Gates & Merck Foundations have also been a vital part of seeing these statistics improve. 

Today, the plight of a Zimbabwean is close to what it was over 15 years ago. It was too late for the teacher mentioned in my previous post. But for the young woman, a citizen of Botswana, who got help almost immediately once the free program was rolled out in the country, it meant life for her. The Southern African nation of Botswana has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. Nearly 25 percent of all adults in the country are infected with the virus, with the Kingdom of Swaziland ranking number one.

But Botswana is also remarkable for its response to the epidemic. It has one of the most comprehensive and effective HIV treatment programs in Africa. Transmission of HIV from infected mothers to their fetuses and newborn babies went from 40% has now been brought down to just 4%.  A decade ago, Botswana was facing a national crisis as AIDS appeared on the verge of decimating the country’s adult population. Now, Botswana provides free, life-saving ARV drugs to citizens who need them.

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“From the beginning of the epidemic, there’s been tremendous leadership on the part of the government of Botswana to address the epidemic head on.” – Kathleen Toomey, head of the CDC’s office in Botswana

In 2002, Botswana became the first nation in Africa to launch a program to try to provide access to HIV drug treatment nationwide. Now, roughly 95 percent of Botswana citizens who need the medications are on them and living healthy, productive lives.  Botswana has had advantages in addressing HIV that many other countries do not have even though through ongoing infection rates it comes in at the second most affected country from HIV in the world.  Through education, both Moral and academically, the statistics are slowly improving. Though as large as the State of Texas or the country of France, its small population of only 2 million people, the effects on such a small population are substantial. The Botswana government now spends more on health care per capita than any other country in Africa.

Having lived in the country for more than 25 years, we have seen a turnaround in the effects of HIV/AIDS on our everyday lives. Funerals were continual, hospital beds were not enough, there was not one area of life here that was not affected by the scourge. Today, things are shaping up. With services offered by Government, with partnerships with NGO’s, with a society that wants to see change, hope is becoming a reality. I for one am grateful for all the efforts made, international and local, to see what was a death sentence for a nation, turn into a thriving nation that is headed towards Vision 2016 and continue to be a Model for all of Africa to see.

Photo: Bing.com

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Stats taken from: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/09/156375781/botswanas-stunning-achievement-against-aids

My 500 Words Post 21

Botswana: The Jewel In The Crown Of Africa

21 Tuesday Jan 2014

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Image This is the first in a series on Botswana. It is written for the international audience through the eyes of an American, but with the heart of an African who has lived here for over 25 years. Let’s look at it from the inside out.” As the title states, it truly is “The Jewel In The Crown Of Africa”. These next few writings will hopefully turn some heads towards this remarkable Country.

Part I- HIV & AIDS in Botswana

On her deathbed, a Zimbabwean teacher in Botswana, wife and mother, said, “But my husband was the only man I was ever with.” Months before, she suspected her husband might be HIV positive. She was pregnant when he passed away and the newborn baby struggled for life just weeks after the birth.  When the baby passed away it was almost more than she could bear. In just a matter of months, her health also deteriorated. Finally, she went for the test. Stunned, she then knew for sure, it was the worst news imaginable. She told her pastor’s wife, that she had lived faithful to her husband, unlike him who had multiple affairs throughout their marriage. They had one other child, a daughter, several years older, a product of happier days. What would become of her? The whole family would be gone in the space of one year.  After her mother passed away she was sent back to Zimbabwe where her grandfather lived and worked as a headmaster of a school.

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A few years later, there was a Motswana lady who came for prayer at our church.  She told me, “I am sick.” This carried a deeper meaning and as our eyes met, I knew what she meant. We prayed together and after that, through what has now become an official department on our NGO called Love Botswana, people were mobilized to assist and help her get back on her feet. She had been sick for some time, with no treatment options available. She was skin and bones and hardly able to walk.

It’s no good praying for someone and then not doing anything for them, if it is within your power to do so! First, does the family have food to eat? Second, what kind of shelter do they have? Living near a bar with broken bottles and trash everywhere, help came from the church. People from the church came to clean up the yard, put in a playground area for the kids, and rallied around her and the family to help in various ways from shelter, to food, clothing and school uniforms. Today, through the dedicated service of staff, local and international volunteers, many people are receiving help in their lives.

The Church should be the hands and feet of Jesus in our communities. Getting out to where the people are is critical. Most people will never step foot in a church unless there is a change in their paradigm of what church really is. A prayer is great, but here is what Jesus said about this kind of scenario:  “I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ Matthew 25:43

Further help came for the young woman just in time, as the Botswana Government was about to undertake something never before done in Africa in the fight against HIV/AIDS by introducing ARV’s for those citizens who qualified for the meds.  For this young woman, help was there. Over the span of just a few years she became healthy and strong, gaining weight and benefiting from the programs extended to her. She went on to finish her own schooling, taking classes after work, secured land, and built a house for her and her elderly family member.

Stats presented by source: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/09/156375781/botswanas-stunning-achievement-against-aids

Day 19 My 500 Words

A Black Woman In A White Body

20 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Inspirational Thoughts, Life in Africa

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  •  I am at a restaurant in Johannesburg, SA with my African Sister. The (black) waiter comes to bring the bill. He puts it in front of (white) me. But I am the lowly missionary guest of my high profile, (Black) Attorney sister/girlfriend.
  • I turn on the TV. There is a show on of fat bellied starving, sick and dying (black) kids with flies on their faces. I know that most of the African Africans, (not African Americans) cringe at the sight, are put off that this is how their Africa is being portrayed.

Africa is a big place. It is not all like that. And why is it usually a nice, clean (white) American who is lending the helping hand? (at least for the camera) What about the local workers on the ground who stay behind and feed, care for the sick and bury or nurse to health those poor dying souls? Where is their photo? Will they ever see the money raised on behalf of those in their care? Will their names ever be published as the ones who did all the work for the aid workers, mission outreaches, etc., to come and “serve” their people? Will they be noticed in time gone by as the true heroes of help?

Probably not. While their own children and families likely suffer at home in near poverty because they are working so hard to help THEIR own people, they rather look the other way as long as some good is coming out of it. “After all,” they think, “we need the help”.

Because then, what would the people who were doing these noble things by coming from their affluent America, say to the donors who financed the trip? “Yes we were really there. We saw it first hand. We came and really did something. The people were so grateful there, so warm and welcoming. We have to bring more people to help. They will die without our help”. It is called the “Savior Syndrome”.

We (white America) sees it this way: “shouldn’t they just be grateful we left our homes, came all this way, sacrificed to be here? After all, they are so blessed to have all this help. They must really love us a lot.”

Hopefully, I have sparked something in you through this. Don’t get me wrong. I am one of those Americans. I have spent over 30 years of my life in Africa working amongst some pretty big needs. But now, I am African on the inside and my eyes have been turned into African eyes. I cringe at my early thinking. I feel ashamed that (my) Africa is so patronized, exploited and pitied. I only wish that America and the rest of the world, could learn even a touch of what makes Africa rich in resources. Yes, there are resources of gold, diamonds, copper and the like. But that is not what makes Africa rich. It is the culture of respect, honor, the value placed on relationships that make her great. America is, in fact, impoverished in these areas. America needs Africa and Africa’s values. I am forever indebted to be able to embrace the true heart of Africa, barely skimming the surface of understanding just how rich I have become through being here.

This post from bytheirstrangeproof.com pretty much sums it up for me: “The ‘white savior complex’ is particularly strong when it comes to white aid in Africa. Often church missions have a concept of the ‘poor starving children of Africa’ and very little understanding of the self-empowerment and independence that can thrive in our absence.”   

See this tongue-in-cheek video on common pitfalls of media portrayal. How Not to Write About Africa – Binyavanga Wainaina – narrated by Djimon Hounsou

What feelings has this post stirred up in you? What have been your experiences,-on both sides of the globe, and what can we learn from them?

My 500 Words Day 19

The Lipstick Dare

18 Saturday Jan 2014

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Just a quick disclaimer before I start off: The is really a chic-blog but guys, you can use some of it for your takeaway.

 Every woman in Texas knows that a girl doesn’t go anywhere without her lipstick. My mama told me that even if I find myself in a hospital bed, no matter how bad I feel, or how hard life gets, always put on your lipstick! Well, I guess it stuck because I can be in the middle of the Kalahari Desert in a tent. I can be in a hospital, birthing or helping someone who is. I can be crying in my Earl Grey tea, but you will be hard pressed to fin me without my lipstick on!

 When I was little, I had a babysitter from across the street that I thought was so great. Until she decided one day that I had a mouth that needed to be washed out with soap! I thought she was joking, but I found out pretty quick that she wasn’t. Child abuse, plain and simple, but I never cussed around her again!

 I don’t know about you but my mouth can sure get me in a lot of trouble. The Apostle Paul compares the tongue to a bit in a horse’s mouth, a rudder on a ship and a spark in a forest. Here it is broken down:

James 3:3-11

“3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?”

So, the conclusion is this:  Eph. 4:29 29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

I looked in the mirror and gave myself a personal challenge, a dare. How about every time I put on my lipstick, I make a commitment to myself to try and let good stuff come out of my mouth; words that will lift and help others. Words that will speak life and not death. Words that will empower not destroy. With just a little effort, I can start to change my reality. Not all at once, but maybe, as much as I put on my lipstick every day, I can be reminded a lot! Girls, will you join me in my dare? We can cheer one another on!

If you are a guy and you made it to the end of this post-I admit, us gals needed this post more than the guys because we like to talk! But I dare you, too. You don’t have to put lipstick on, please don’t! But think about how your life would be different if your words were used more carefully.

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Let me know Let if you are “in” by liking this post.

Day 18! My 500 Word challenge

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Aside

Hippo Attack (Part 2)

17 Friday Jan 2014

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See part 1 here

My terror of hippos had subsided and the nightmares stopped. I heard stories of people who had fatal or near fatal encounters. I even knew a well-known lady in Maun who nearly lost her life and managed to save her leg over a surprise encounter with a hippo.

Several years went by and I went in a boat or Mokoro (small dugout canoe) and still had no nightmares. But one day I was with Rebecca, a friend of mine from Spain. I had been to that site many times before and there were always lots of hippo around. This time, as we started out with our guide, who guided us through the flood plains in the mokoro. We were peacefully gliding along the edge of the large pool of water. It was so pristine, and tranquil as the sound of the water gently brushed our ears. I was glad my friend could see the beauty of the Okavango Delta. The place I had spent over half my life. There were elephants and different species of antelope in the distance. The fish eagles were calling out with their magical sounds.Image

All at once, the grunting of the hippos in the middle of the pool interrupted the tranquility. They began a chorus that sent terror down my spine! I became paralyzed by fear. When we started out, it didn’t seem like there were very many of them. But I started counting and before I knew it I had counted nearly 80 of them! My mind got a little carried away and I started imagining hundreds of them and could almost see them chasing after us in our vulnerable little Makoro.Image

Rebecca noticed that the guide wasn’t a bit concerned about all the commotion. She looked at me, sitting behind her and she could see I was not doing well! I was frozen, white faced (even more white than my already white face!) and couldn’t do anything but pray. Later Rebecca told me that as long as the guide was fine, she was fine. She was a bit surprised at this veteran missionary carrying on like a scared cat in water.

Here’s the deal, nothing happened except a raging headache from getting so worked up! The truth is, these guides are brilliant in their knowledge and experience in the Delta. It is RARE for anything to go wrong. And it usually isn’t even tourists that are involved. (Generally speaking) So don’t let this stop you from coming to one of the most incredible places on earth!

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Why all of the sudden, after several years of being over my fear of hippos did it come back like this? Often in our lives, we grow in areas where there are weaknesses only to find we are dealing with the very same thing again and again. I had to go back in remember that it was facing my fear that finally stopped the nightmares and near heart attacks when I got close to a hippo.  Life will bring many opportunities to shrink back just enough to keep you from being all you can be, just enough to stop you from making a difference with your life. There will always be opportunities to give up, to freeze up, to become paralyzed by fear.

I want to encourage you to stay in the boat! Steady the course and let God help you overcome those fears that hold you back in life.

Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 12:9-13 The Message (MSG)

7-10 “Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, ‘My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”Image

I was able to send that fear out the door by remembering how God helped me overcome it. Simple trust and faith in Him to protect me. Maybe you are in a situation where you need to get back in the boat and by remembering how you came this far might just help you carry on. Can you share a time when you were held you back by fear and how you conquered it? You might just post it here so you can help someone else!ImagePhotos from Bing.com

Day 17 of My 500 Words