HIV/AIDS: everyday learnings

Ednah ( first from left with women of the village)

When I was given the obedience of going to Karamoja to work as the diocesan focal person for HIV/AIDS I was not very sure what being a focal person meant. I kept asking myself, 'How do I feel about AIDS?  What might be painful for me in my work with HIV-infected people?  What are the strengths and qualities in me for working with people with HIV/AIDS?  What are my limitations?

Like Mary, I prayed and pondered in my heart.  For sure, HIV/AIDS is a new and serious problem, so it is natural for people to have strong feelings about it.  Most people are frightened.  Those who know they have this deadly disease feel many different emotions, among them shock and anger.

Truly, no matter how much you prepare, it is a shock to learn that you have HIV/AIDS.  You feel confused and you don't know what to do.  Some think everyone is looking at them and talking about them, and this makes them want to hide.  Some feel rejected by other people or they reject themselves; they feel guilty.

Allow me to share my experience of one particular but typical working day. Once a week I have to follow up and monitor the activities carried out by the counselors, so I organized to meet one of them so that we could visit her area together.  Unfortunately she did not turn up, so I decided to return to the office.  On the way I met a woman who talked to me and welcomed me into her small hut.  While we were talking, a boy of about 11 came in and told me that his mother would like to see me.  I went with the boy.  I could not believe what I saw!  A tiny person was lying on the bed, so small and helpless I thought it was a child, yet to my surprise the voice was strong.  I could hear every word from her mouth as I stood stock still, speechless with shock.  The woman had visited different hospitals, different Churches, even different witch doctors but nothing had helped.  She was rejected by relatives, friends and neighbours.  She knew that she had AIDS.  I talked with her for a while, then I saw her opening her eyes and asked if she had eaten any food.  She said she had no appetite. I felt the first step to take was to go with the boy and give him food.

On my way I met the seminarian from the diocese who asked me where I had been.  I shared with him that the counselor who was supposed to accompany me had not turned up and he generously offered to take me to the village I was supposed to visit.

Immediately as we entered we met an old man of about 80 sitting outside his house making knives.  The man was full of fleas and with sores all over his body.  One of the neighbours came near and told us the whole story.  Inside, the house was terrible, full of bedbugs.  I decided we were not going until we did something, but I was shaking!  We had to enter the house and pull everything out, helped by some of the neighbours.  When bedbugs are exposed to the sun they spread in different directions for refuge, so they were all over the compound and the neighbours blamed us and shut their doors!  We then burnt everything, mostly sacks used for bedding, and tried to find new, clean sacks.

That night I dreamt of bedbugs, for I had never in my life seen so many! From that day I learned that we are called to be aware of our neighbours, to share their problems.  Then you can bring hope and joy.

Ednah Khandah rscj
Province of Uganda – Kenya