6/20/10: “Nobody shows up on time here.”
Today was pretty low-key, except for the exuberant 2-hour church session that we attended. We were actually at the church for 3 hours (we were told the service started at 11) but no one showed up until about noon. The first hour and a half of the service was actually the most enjoyable religious gathering I had ever experienced. We sang for about 90% of it, swaying back and forth, and dancing, The singing was beautiful; the exquisiteness of the chorus of children, young adults, and the elderly that naturally sang in nearly perfect harmony was breathtaking.
There was no priest, reverend, pastor, or leader other than the older children and one woman who appeared to be some youth leader. Different teenage girls started the Basotho choruses that were familiar to the members, and beautiful to listen to and attempt to join in with.
It then came time for the members to recite events from the past week that were spiritual and revealed God to them. One of our students, Jackson, was present (the only student at that particular church) and believed that we were sent from God to help Letsie students. As much as I appreciate their beliefs, it is a pretty hard job to uphold. I do want to change the lives of these students. I want them to believe in themselves, be more confident, and honestly consider their success to be due to their own hard work, their own volition.
6/22/10: “Would you like to have one of my goats?”
Beverly and I decided to check out the health clinic near the Eloheim church that we attended on Sunday. We were not teaching today, and decided that it would be a better use of our time to check every health facility in Thaba Bosiu before deciding that there really was no use for us to volunteer our time in the health care setting. On our way, an old man crossed our path with about 3 dozen goats in tow. He smiled at us and asked if we would like to take one. Although we were flattered, we denied his offer graciously and kept walking. We were completely surprised by the reaction that we received at the Clinic.
Her name was Rebecca and she was one of the most amazing women I have ever met. Not only was she extremely intelligent and caring, but she knew exactly how she wanted to live her life and what her purpose was. That is one question that most humans struggle to answer in their lives, yet her mind was so clear, her direction so certain. She was happy, truly happy, and very peaceful. She was the wife of the pastor of the Eloheim church and a devout Christian. Rebecca believed that it was God’s mission for her to practice medicine as a nurse in the remote village of Thaba Bosiu. Good thing for us, for she was the only person willing to allow us to shadow her in her practice and enrich our current medical knowledge.
She gave us a tour of her office, which was no more than a tiny room with only one exam bed (if you can even call it that) and a wooden table with her supplies strewn on it. She knew that it was a modest practice, but also was certain that without her, many in Thaba Bosiu would be without quality healthcare. She sees 3 patients a day on average, but deeply enjoys her work. I hope to have that feeling some day in my life; to truly love my job and to always look forward to going to work. All of her records are kept in a regular notebook, with the patient’s name, diagnosis, treatment plan, and payment record listed.
She then proceeded to tell us about some of the typical cases she sees during the winter months in Lesotho. She gave us the symptoms of the diseases and how she treats them (which is essentially the same as in America) and then proceeded to quiz us on our medical knowledge. She even said, “As you study to become a doctor the books cannot teach you everything. Most of what I learned, and the most valuable things I learned, were from experience and being with the patients. That is why I would love to have you here and learn from me.” (or something very close to that statement; I cannot remember verbatim what she said) She was even so open as to take our phone numbers and call us as soon as one woman in the village, who was about to deliver at any moment, went into labor. We have yet to receive a call, but we are hoping that we can witness this miraculous phenomenon.
When she was done quizzing us and presenting bits of her extensive medical knowledge I asked her what aspect of public health here in Lesotho is extremely lacking. “Puberty!” she said. Children are not taught about the body and hormonal changes and are often scared and confused when these changes do occur. Because the Basothos are very religious people, they often attribute changes such as the acquisition of menses to punishment from God. They think that they have sinned or done something wrong. Rebecca is not afraid to teach the proper terminology, lessons, or physiology of puberty in Lesotho, a country where speaking of these things is generally considered taboo. Even though her husband was somewhat uncomfortable with their 10-year-old daughter receiving puberty lectures, Rebecca insisted that this knowledge was crucial for the complete understanding of what happens as she matures. Rebecca is so confident about herself and her beliefs that she is willing to enter into a socially considered taboo discussion about sex and hormones at the drop of a hat, and she has been known to travel all around the country to do so.
There is one aspect of Rebecca’s practice that I do not agree with, but that is a matter of personal opinion. Rebecca teaches abstinence-only sex education and will even turn away patients that wish to receive condoms or other birth control methods. In a country with a rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic on their hands, it is clear that methods must be taken to prevent its spread even further. I was told that premarital sex occurs here at a pretty considerable rate, and in order to keep everyone safe, I personally feel that methods of hindering the acquisition of STDs and viruses is the best way to proceed. Promoting abstinence-only methods of birth and STD control may work very well for some individuals, but I hold firm in my belief that someone should never be denied condoms when asking for help in keeping oneself safe.