Sparkling Moments

Today marks one week in Tanzania. The overall experience can most acurately be described as “hands on” and I am certain that each team member’s perception of the world has been altered in some significant way.

I have had the remarkable opportunity to:

  • co-facilitate an HIV+ adult support group building a mutual understanding of the meaning and significance of “hope” in each member’s life.
  • participate in 10 home visits led by a small outreach group of HIV+ women. We walked for nearly 5 hours under tropical sun, through thundershowers, down narrow pathways, along back alleys, across fields filled with cattle and goats and over streams,calling on infected friends and neighbors. Most of those we spoke with were widowed women with no viable means of support, caring for children and grandchildren.Several were bed-ridden as a result of illness with HIV and/or malaria.
  • Facilitate an HIV+ adult group using play therapy with the purpose of providing each memmber the chance to be creative, have fun, and most importantly tell a story about themselves and their relationship with HIV/AIDS.
  • provide a creative, expresive and joyful experience for over 60 children orphaned by the pandemic of AIDS. The orphans painted, drew and created with clay thereby sharing a part of themselves and their world.

The many Tanzanian women, men and children I have met have touched my mind, my heart and my soul both personally and professionally in so many sparkling moments. I hope that in some way I too have had the ability to touch lives and make a difference.

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