A Universal Language

Our day has come to an end as we have arrived in Choma, Zambia after two days of hard work in Misisi. We treated about 450 sick children and adults total. I have already learned so much from these beautiful people. They are all very ill with malaria, stomach worms, fungal and bacterial infections, HIV, tuberculosis and various chronic diseases, yet they are so happy and thankful to be alive. The living conditions in Misisi were extremely poor, as the children were so covered in dust and soot that at times they seemed to blend in with the ground. Nonetheless, it was difficult to find a child who did not have a smile on their face. I know everyone says that a smile is a universal language, but now I truly understand what that means.

I fell in love with every child that I held, every child that I saw. The most capturing aspect of these beautiful children was their eyes. They all gazed at me (and everyone else) longing to be loved and cared for. One little boy today stole my heart in 30 seconds flat. Phiri Breada was a 3 year old twin that came to me with sores behind his ears and under his arms along with a raging eye infection and stomach worms. He sat in my lap quietly sucking his dum-dum while I listened to his lungs and inspected his skin. He was one of the few children who did not crack a smile. I quickly collaborated with Dr. Robert Littleton about the plan of care and sent him on his way to pharmacy. For some reason his face stuck with me all day and when we were finished and packing up, I went to find him. He was with his twin brother and I immediately made it my quest to make him laugh. We played a few minutes of tickle-contests and finally he began wailing with excitement and joy. I spent the rest of the day with P.B., his brother and his 21 year old mother. God moved me through them and I will forever keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

Around 1:30 we packed up and left Misisi. We grabbed our bags, ate a quick sandwich and boarded the bus for a 5 hour trip to Choma. The trip passed by quickly because we were all enthralled by the 2 hour sunset. I've never seen so many colors in the sky at once-the entire sky was literally a rainbow. Erin and Will were able to take some absolutely breathtaking photos. As soon as the sun went down, we became enchanted with stars that seemed to touch the ground. Harold pointed out the Southern Cross constellation shining overhead.

At the start of the trip in Misisi I remember asking myself, "Where is God in all of this?" Now I am seeing that God is everywhere, but most of all, He is most evident in the spirit of the people of Africa...



Katherine Watson