Zimbabwe

Below is a blog I wrote while in Zimbabwe, however due to lack of Internet availability, I was not able to post it until I returned to the U.S.

I will soon provide additional updates as well as information on AFCA’s relief plans.

I arrive in Harare during a time of great anxiety for most Zimbabweans, as a political battle is being fought for power over that beautiful country. Green and lush, from the airplane window, I forget for a minute the hunger, illness and angst suffered by many down below, not to mention the constant danger they face.  

I am traveling with Mary, one of AFCA’s founders and Board members. Our driver takes us to our hotel through wide, deserted streets because fuel is scarce and people are afraid to venture out. There is constant danger from the different groups roaming the streets. Our driver is afraid too and so he doesn’t  stop completely but simply coasts up to the lights, waiting for them to change to green, checking carefully before going through. A general strike has been called by the opposition government and a palpable worry covers the city. No one wants to talk much about the situation and people whisper their thoughts, afraid of being overheard.

I register at the hotel and ask to purchase a bottle of water, as I’ve been travelling a long time and I’m thirsty. “It would be best if you pay in Zimbabwean dollars”, I am told, “otherwise, if you pay in American dollars, the bottle will cost you approximately $440 USD”.  Inflation at this time is 100,000%. And so begins my relationship with 10,000,000 and 50,000,000 bills. What a challenge for someone who is not so good at math!

After we check in, we go out to meet with people who are making a difference in the lives of people living with HIV. Though most have left Zimbabwe, there are still a few groups and local Zimbabweans who are dedicated and willing to risk whatever it takes to provide assistance. The generosity is overwhelming. Here are some examples of what we did and what the people we met are doing:

Counseling and tips for nutritious cooking are offered by a group of wonderful people who understand the importance of helping each other. 

We visit doctors at clinics and hospitals to gauge the availability of medicine for HIV+ people and learn of the long waiting lists for those who need ARVs.  Pediatric ARVs are in short supply in most rural places around the country and even in the capital of Harare. People sit patiently, waiting to be seen, while nurses carry the load of caring for them.  Doctors are scarce, as many have left Zimbabwe for countries where they can get paid for their labor. 

People whisper as we make our way through the waiting rooms “who are they”?... “why are they here”?... and then… “Ma’am, how do I contact you so I can get some help”? I tell her that I am only a visitor and that I don’t have anything to offer. I feel so sorry to have to say that.

We visit with people who routinely give away the little they have –food, supplies, medicine – in order to provide others with something.

We meet an HIV+ couple who receive food from a charity that has reached out to them, helping through these difficult days.  He is smiley and grateful.  She is sick and not looking forward to the months of waiting for ARVs through the government-sponsored hospital programs.  The waiting list for adults can be 6 months long, too long for a person with full-blown AIDS.

I go to a grocery store to purchase milk and am faced with rows of empty shelves…one bag of rice is available, but the price is prohibitive for most people. I purchase two of the four bags of milk in the store and one of two available bottles of detergent.  The total  cost is $2.08 USD… double the daily earnings of your average Zimbabwean. Maize meal, the staple of Zimbabwe’s food, is no longer available due to severe food shortages..  There has not been any fertilizer in Zim for quite some time and that, coupled with flooding, has affected crops once again.  People who have worked to plant what they can are frustrated to see it washed away, unable to grow.  So, the shortage continues and food has become a political issue. (Much has been in the world press about this – see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/default.stm for some of the latest news.)

Everyone we talk to tells us that providing food for malnourished people is dangerous work these days because it is considered to be a political statement. Organizations who deliver food are said to be supporting the opposition government and it puts both the deliverer and the recipient in danger. Something has to be done SOON to remedy this situation!  There are so many thin, undernourished and malnourished people here! Police who stop us as we drive through town to check on the driver’s documents are paper thin. People peddling some of their homegrown tomatoes on the side of the road in hopes of trading for different food are skinny.   The sugar, powdered milk, rice and beans we brought were received with tears and gratitude and was shared with others.  I learned once again the power of generosity…those who have little keep sharing with those who have nothing.  What a powerful thing to witness!

I really don’t know how to feel…the sadness I feel over the daily situation here is balanced out by the determination of the people. Their sheer will to survive through this time in their history is inspiring, giving me the feeling that with a much-needed change in government and some external help, this country can again become the Zimbabwe of old. Here, people hold possessions lightly, I am told.  Holding on to hope, dreams and spirituality is the only way to survive here and I see it played out during my short visit.