Zambia Journal - Aug 20, 2005

On Saturday morning we visited a Roman Catholic Hospice in Kalingalinga. They had 3,500 people on their books that were being treated, most of which were AIDS related cases. Most of these were in some sort of home-based care typically done by the women we have seen in all of the compounds we have visited. They get ARV (Anti Retro Viral) drugs and 80% of them survive with 60% in good enough shape to work. I personally still found it distressing seeing the amount of money poured into the last few weeks of a few peoples lives when so much more could have come from that money by providing simple services in the compounds much earlier in this cycle of destruction.

After dropping off our departing friends at the airport, a review of ZANCOB’s books, and a final distribution of money to Bernadette the adults headed off for a trip to see Jane Ndolo’s farm about 30 km out of town. Chickens, pigs, rape, avocadoes, mangoes, tomatoes – all what I imagine is pretty typical of the small farms in Zambia that provide most of the food for the cities.

Everyone is winding down to the end of our trip. Homesickness has set in at least with me and don’t think I’m alone in feeling that my emotions are at overload with respect to the conditions in the compounds in general and the OVC in particular.