Just another day at the office

Today began just like every other day. I got up just as the sun was rising, (around 6:15) and went for a run. I think. I had some breakfast and was on my way to CAMS in time for class at 7:55am. Today I was teaching from the unit called “Urban Environments.” So boring. I mean really boring. Talking about the layout of cities, and the new monster-size shopping centers being built outside Manchester, UK. Speaking of monstrosities, I tried to describe WAL-MART to my students. I got really worked up and described it in such a negative manner I think I scared them! Haha…oh well, they’re use to the crazy American teacher giving the most random and rambling examples…

Then I was off to work. A nice 15 minute walk from school to town. As I pass older people I give the proper greeting, (for those superior to myself) and they give me their response. To some I decide to try out one of the Chigogo greetings I know. (Gogo is the native tribe to the Dodoma region). There are many kids wandering around as well—selling boiled eggs with salt (200 shillings--about 17.5 cents), or mandazi or peanuts.

I cut through the area behind the Cathedral. Under the tree over there a man has set up two benches and his supplies for repairing shoes. He’ll fix your shoe for about 50 cents.
Over there off to the side a bit is the bike repair shop—or rather a bunch of bikes and some rubber strips and a bicycle pump all parked under a tree. To the left is an older lady with her bananas and oranges on a colorful kanga on the ground. Then comes the car wash. There are usually 2-3 taxis being washed with dirty water from a relatively small bucket and a tan-colored cloth. More banana/orange/papaya carts. Then comes China town. 3-4 carts filled with random stuff. Small, large, plastic, useless items imported from China. Things imported to Tanzania from China are of much worse quality than the Chinese products we import into the US. maybe I’m just bitter about the toothpaste and the toys. Hmmm…there are strainers, flip flops, ugly shoes, tupperware, cell phone covers, knock-off phone chargers, panties, water heaters, blenders, cups, buckets, candy, toilet paper, water, toothpaste, toothbrushes and plastic bags. And actually most of the water is bottled by Coke. When possible I buy the Tanzanian water. Oh! and the purple or green toilet paper is definitely made in Tanzania. Along with cookies called "Glucose." Yum! Imagine trying to market those in the USA...

Crossing the street to Mckay House, (the Diocesan Headquarters) I have to make sure to look both ways, (right first!) so as not to get run over by a bike, a cart full of mattresses, or a motorcycle. Somehow these smaller vehicles always blend into the background.

I climb the steep, rickety steps along the outside wall of the building to the 3rd floor. According to the British it’s just the 2nd floor though. Either way, I walk into our torquise green office where my three male, Wonderful Tanzanian colleagues greet me warmly. Good morning! How are you! How did you sleep? Welcome! Good Morning!

So here we are. Just another day at the office.
Yay! The internet is working! Great!
Oops oops oops, There goes the power.
Oh! Yes! It’s back on!
The electricity has been pretty reliable…for the dry season anyway. What luck!

“Oh, Kelly, don’t forget to write the parish in New York and let them know that one of their Carpenter’s Kids died last week.”

Oh. yeah. Don’t forget to write that email. And let them know the parish committee will soon chose the next most vulnerable kid to get a uniform, etc...

And so work continued. Typing this and emailing about that. Researching distributors for mosquito nets. Trying to calculate how much it will cost for each child to get all the medical care they need—should we include the testing of HIV for the guardians? How much will it cost for ARV’s? Isn’t it more complicated to treat kids? Will the local government health centers in the villages have enough malaria treatments and antibiotics for all who need it?

Awww…that girl is so cute. My other colleague, Willy, the man in charge of organizing the shoes for distributions, gives her a new jumper and a shirt and shoes. The bishop’s wife just gave us a few boxes of clothes and shoes that came in on a container.

There are always people in the office. Priests coming to chat, mama lishes coming in to collect their money to make breakfasts for the kids, others coming in from the villages to write their bi-monthy email to their link parish in New York. There are always people coming and going. I smile and greet them, stand up to shake their hand, but I never really know what’s happening. They talk too fast for me most of the time.

Mmoti, our brilliant, gorgeous finance guy, (who also does a million other things for the program), asked me for 20, 000 Tsh. Sure, no problem. I think nothing of it—the line at the bank is always so long; and we try not to keep much cash around the office. I’ll just have to get my housemate Audrey to buy my lunch today.

I come back from lunch and see the little girl and her mother, (actually her aunt) in the hall again. I greet them and tell the girl in my broken Swahili that she looks nice in her new dress. She hides behind her mother’s leg.

I get to the office. Mmoti pulls me into the other room.
She is HIV positive.
What?
Who?

The little six year old girl in the new grey jumper.

He showed me the small white paper with light blue ink. For just under 3 dollars she received her HIV test. It came back:

REACTIVE.

Monday we will go together to the hospital for additional screening.

Please keep Mina* (name changed for privacy) in your prayers. She has already lost both her parents.

This weekend, be mindful of all those who have lost their parents...and all those who have lost a child...to circumstances that can be prevented or at least improved, with some help, education, and energy.