Nothing could have prepared me for my journey today into Maseru inside Berea Government Hospital. The sole purpose of the visit is to witness the work Global Fund provides in the hospitals and clinics and to send some time with the mothers and children hearing their stories……
As I approached the hospital grounds, many people were outside, laying on the grounds, and ill. They did manage to smile, and many wanted to be photographed by myself and my counterparts.
The first woman interviewed “Makamohelo” was with her husband. The couple has 2 children, had dated for many years and she stated he usually used condoms. She was feeling ill and decided to get tested. Her results came back positive for HIV, and her husbands are negative. She then started crying. Her mother had died of AIDS and she stated her husband has always been very supportive of her. She has chosen not to tell her family or friends, because she does not want her children "shun within the community."
Tears once again began streaming down her face as she mentioned other medical problems:
She has problems with her vision and needs glasses but cannot afford to buy them
She suffers from a mental illness often triggered by severe mood swings
She is also HIV positive
“Sometimes having a spiritual belief helps more than medication. I lift my hands and ray that god will just see me through this.”-Makamohelo
The next interview was of a single mother and child.
This mother and 9 month old little girl arrived at the clinic at 8AM. This mother and her baby come once a week to receive treatment and counseling. After the interview, we drove her home from the clinic. We did not realize she had walked from her home (approx 8 miles), in low heels and her daughter swaddled around her in a knapsack. As I stared at her shoes, her heels looked worn and her ankles swollen. She may have only owned 2 pairs of shoes and those seemed to be everyday wear. At first glance, she looks like she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders but you would never know it from her spirit.
Her home was situated in a rural part of Maseru and to get to it, there was a steep downhill climb we walked in order to view her home and photograph her. The rocks were very jagged along the way and one misstep would cause severe injury. The approximate size of her home was about 200-250 sq feet. I could not believe how small it was and kept looking for more, an attachment, a basement, something, but that was it. I remember her smiling the entire time, never complaining through her interview or about having to walk everywhere. Her smile was in a way “infectious.” She stated she goes to treatment once a week at the hospital rain or shine. It usually takes her about an hour each way holding the baby the entire way.
As we made our last visit of the day, we stopped at a small secluded house. Inside was a grandmother of 5 orphaned children whose parents all died from HIV. Her name was Cecilia Mda. Her face was weary and her bones seamlessly tired. She was frail, and looked to be in her mid 70’s. She told us her story of how she struggles to provide for her grandchildren. Sure I’ve read similar stories and even watched some videos, but nothing hits your heart like a healthy helping of reality staring you straight in the eyes. She then invited us to view her home and photograph her and the family. This grandmother with 5 children along with a daughter and another child were all living in a small home no larger than the average size garage. There were no toys present, no games, no candy wrappers and the children were not playing outside most kids do. Instead, there was a simplistic presence of curiosity among their faces. They enjoyed being photographed and found us rather intriguing.
I will never forget her face for as long as I live. She often smiled at me and all I could see in her eyes was “hope”. Hope to decrease her struggle, hope to continue to provide for her grandchildren and hope that her grandchildren would one day have a better future.
When I think of her “infectious spirit”, her unwavering soul shining through her smile and those eyes, “hope” will never be lost.
So when I look back on my day and these 3 beautiful women, one word comes to mind: “phenomenal”. This word has a deeper meaning than anything any of us could ever fathom.
The next time any of us complain about walking a distance, think of the mother and child who have HIV and walk in record temperatures sometimes more than 8 miles at a time for treatment. The next time we are “tired” because our kids are overactive, think of the grandmother who now mothers 5 young orphans all of which have HIV on little to nothing every day. And the next time we complain about working, think of the mother who can’t work, because she cannot afford glasses, has a medical condition, has no one to turn to in her family and oh yes is HIV positive.
This life changing trip has humbled me in a way I never thought possible. And yes…. I am “infected” in every since of the word…….
By Keeper Monique Griffin
