Today I Met An Angel

Today I met an angel, his name is Josephus. When I told Esther (our house girl) that I had a problem with one of my students being HIV positive and that he was being beaten badly at home, she then told me that she knew someone that could help. She called her uncle who is also HIV positive and who runs a school and centre for children with HIV. When he heard about Jimmy’s story he immediately said he was on his way over. This man drove in from the village with a proper counselor to meet with Jimmy. I took him over to Nalusse and they have a private meeting just the 3 of them. Afterwards we discuss Jimmy, his situation, and a little about AIDS in general. This man truly is a saint. He tested positive for HIV in 1992 and is living very opening with it in a country that it is still taboo to discuss it. He is the local spokesperson in this entire district for HIV and AIDS and has helped many people. I arranged to come to his school tomorrow to check it out and see if it will work for Jimmy.

In the afternoon I went and bought a bunch of school supplies for a few schools I am visiting this week. I will be returning to the PACE project out in Seeta to see the new doors, windows and other changes we paid for last week. They are also in need of school supplies so I am bringing them a bunch as well.

There was a small glitch in the passport process today. We got the 3 LC leaders to stamp the passports and next was the mayor. Before he would sign there is a man who is supposed to check everything out and give a recommendation. Jessie took the kids to go see him and he to them to come back with their parents. He wanted to make sure that I wasn’t trying to steal these kids and that the parents were ok with them getting a passport. Jessie asked me to come back with all of them thinking that if a muzungu came the guy might be quicker about signing off. Jessie warned me that this guy was very rough and that he was ex military so I should be prepared. When we got there the man immediately asked Jessie why he was there because this was a matter between him and the parents. He also asked who I was and what I was doing there. When I explained that I was the person who invited the children to Canada he just told me to leave the room. The man was definitely scary. He had a chat with the parents and then told us to come back next Wednesday. Not sure why we have to wait a week, but I think he was just trying to show his power. So, we’ll see what happens next week.

That’s it for now.

Jenn