Graduation!

We ended the training on a super high note! Our closing service had lots of singing and dancing and was fun for everyone. They loved the aprons that the women from Washington had so lovingly prepared for them. Our one man, Browne, was pleased that extra fabric had been sent for him to have a shirt made to match. The bracelet kits sent from the California women's retreat were lovingly made and the product proudly worn. They all proudly wore the HealthEd Connect shirts that we had given them the night before. They especially loved the shirts because they're not use to the cool nights by the Lake and they helped keep them warm.

Jac gave a short talk telling them about his first visit to Malawi before the church was established. They now have 61 congregations! A good little history lesson for them. They had written and sang a little song about me and my first training session with them in Malawi. They were all excited to receive the all important signed certificate saying they "graduated" from the training.

Our first activity together at the beginning of the week was to hang a large cloth with a picture of a baobob tree. There's a traditional African story that when people have a problem or want to plan together they gather under the baobob tree for discussions. Each of us taped a small colorful ball to the tree to signify our week of discussion together. As we ended our service the women sang and danced in a line while each one went to the tree and took her circle off to take home with her. They are now planting the fruit from our discussions.

Women's Secret Family Planning

We had a very lively session on Family Planning! When I began training in Malawi 20 years ago there were lots of giggles and whispers of embarrassment and few would ask questions about family planning. This time we couldn't shut them up! What a fun group.

The first person to offer a definition of family planning said, "The husband and wife sit down and discuss how many children they want and when they want them to be born." I said, "Do all of you have the cooperation of your husbands?" The room erupted with chatter and everyone taking at once. The bottom line was that virtually none of them felt their husbands wanted family planning or would even discuss it. When I asked how they handled that, they said by doing "Women's Secret Family Planning." Angela, one of our long-term workers from a very poor area said, "I just tell my husband I'm sick and need to go to the clinic. Then I write a letter and sign my husband's name to take with me saying he wants me to get family planning. At the clinic I choose a method he won't notice." There were lots of heads nodding that they do something similar. Some of the most popular methods were injections and the loop. One of the Sinkhani said a good method was to take a rope and tie 6 knots in it. You then put the knots around your waist so your husband has something to play with. When I asked "Does it work?" Everyone started laughing and said "No" but it is a traditional belief.

When I asked if condoms were common, they shook their heads no. Someone then said, "The men think that's like eating candy with the wrapper on."

We had a good follow-up discussion on HIV/AIDS and the role that condoms play in preventing the transmission. Lots of laughter and open sharing. What a long way they've come in the intervening years since the first training.

On the shores of Lake Malawi

We have 30 very excited health workers gathered for training at the shores of Lake Malawi. Very few of them have ever been this far from their villages so it is a BIG deal! We gave them the little paper bead-making kits that the women at the California Retreat prepared. They were very excited and are all proudly wearing their creations today. It took us 2 hours for each one to make 4 beads but we finally made it. We have one man Sinkhani, Brown. Interestingly, he was one of our best bead makers.

At church yesterday the pastor told the story of Moses calling the 70 men to help him. He said, the job is too big in Malawi for Jac and Sherri to do alone. That's why they are training the Sinkhani to help. One of the women said she was hoping to live a long time so she could be a Sinkhani for a long time. One of the Sinkhani brought her baby along and he began vomiting last night. I was eager to find her this morning to see how he was doing. He is an adorable 6 months old! I started talking to him and he cooed and smiled and babbled some more. I was relieved to find him bright eyed and alert.

The lesson today was on pre-natal care. They shared lots of beliefs that we discussed as to their validity. Examples were, "If a woman eats 2 bananas that grew together, will she have twins?" "If a woman eats an egg when she is pregnant will she have a bald headed baby." And my favorite, "If a husband is unfaithful while the wife is pregnant, will she have trouble with her delivery?" I told them the mother's happiness during her pregnancy is very important for the baby. Tell that husband to not mess around!!

Greetings from Malawi

Well, folks it looks as though internet access will be few and far between! Fortunately, there is all good news to report from here (except Jac's suitcase still has not arrived!). We had a smooth trip over, made all connections, and had a good time walking 10+ miles in London waiting for our evening flight. It rained almost the whole time but that didn't dampen our spirits.

We are now in Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa. We visited our Sinkhani health workers in Chisemphere, a very poor rural village, yesterday. We were 4 hours late arriving due to transportation problems but they somehow managed to have a hot meal of nshima and chicken cooked over charcoal ready for us. Today we met with the Sinkhani in Mzimba. Their stories are amazing. One told of a young girl in her community that had 3rd degree burns on her arm from a pan of hot cooking oil. The parents started to rush her to the hospital and the neighbors said, "take her to the Sinkhani if you want her to get better." So they did, the Sinkhani used some neosporin ointment which is not available anywhere in the country even at the hospitals, and the girl is now doing fine. They told of children with severe diarrhea that they first gave the ORS (sugar, salt, and water solution) to and then made an herbal remedy of soyo. They said it always works. One of the Sinkhani ran outside and picked some leaves to show us what it looked like. We took a picture so we can do some research to find out what they're using. They have now been volunteers since 1992 -- truly amazing people!

Hopefully we can get another email to you at some point. So don't give up!

We're Off!

By the time you read this we will be high in the friendly skies on our way to Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa!  Miracle of all miracles we finally got all of our goods packed in our trunks, immunizations up dated, passports and visas in hand -- and out the door.  .....well, sort of out the door.  We had a new cement driveway installed last week and it hasn't cured enough to drive on yet.  I guess that's when you walk across the lawn and literally get curb service for a pickup!

Sinkhani health workers in Chisemphere, Malawi

We're excited to see our African friends again!  What I most want to share with you are the stories about the people who are being helped by the HealthEd projects.  Getting the details is a real challenge!  I've designed a simple little form to take with me this time that will gently prod folks to record stories so I can share them with you.  If only I could speak Tumbuka or Chibemba, Swahili or any number of other languages, I could visit with so many interesting people who have great stories to tell!

Treatment for Measles

Crossing the LuapulaRiver  into the Congo

We're having a great time revealing the Secrets in the little books!!  According to the Traditional Healer booklets from the Congo, measles are diagnosed and treated as follows:

D. MEASLES
1. CAUSES: Tiny virus
2. MAIN SYMPTOMS:
Rash on neck, ears and body, fever, cough, diarrhea, red eyes, white spots inside of mouth.
3. IMPORTANT POINTS:
-Can cause blindness.
-Children die.
-Isolate children to avoid spread to other members of the family.
4. PRECAUTIONS:
-Keep patient clean, wash him regularly.
5.  PREVENTION:

a.       Roots of NGOLYOLYO, make some powder and cut tattoos one in the forehead, one on the neck and last on the chest.

A suggestion for treatment when "Spots Fail to Come Out" was to "mix groundnuts [peanuts] with onions and pound them, smear the baby all over the body."

The diagnosis is right on target but the treatment of cutting tattoos on the body to prevent measles would never pass the CDC in the U.S.!

Secret remedies in Congo

Thanks to Michelle Mahlik, we now have electronic copies of the first section of an incredibly interesting and unpublished document of Traditional Healer remedies in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Several little booklets were entrusted to me several years ago on one of my visits to the Congo (then Zaire).  The young Traditional Healer who gave them to me said he and his cohorts wanted to share information in the hopes they could verify or improve their treatment practices.  An excerpt from the first section reads:
[Note: grammar and spelling has been preserved as written]
"When a traditional healer is using the herds to heal the patients, people look at him as a devil and illiterate.  He is not even accepted neither could he mix with members of certain congregations.  The reason why these traditional healers are rejected is that they scare people with their type of dressing they put on.  They even stop using Bemba, a language everybody understands, but speak something else people fail to understand.  This makes I difficult for the patients to know the type of medicine the traditional healers use, it is their secret."
Stay tuned for the next installment!