3-11-13

On a Monday

   Thought I would be spending the night at camp, unlike my son and daughter in law who are now going back and forth from base camp to bush camp daily. (about a 45 minute bumpy drive)  But as it turn out  it was decided I would be returning to base camp as well. My teacher friend wasn’t feeling well and had remained at base camp.

   Returning to base camp was a change of plans I welcomed. This would give me more opportunities to hang out with the other staff members, plus my son and daughter in law. And, of course, at base camp I got to do more of the things a grandmother loves to do–helping out in the care taking of my grandson, plus having more time to spend with him so that he could hear my voice and get use to me. Hoping those baby memories of this time will linger and I won’t be such a stranger when next we meet. 

   Only one more night left at bush camp. I remember sitting on the side of the top of the mountain where the bush camp sat on my last day there. It had recently rained and the air was cool and moist without the dry dust and smokey smell (from the burnings) it usually carried. It was quiet and I could hear villagers in the distance singing. It was a peaceful moment and from my vantage point, it was hard to imagine this being a burdened land with violence and depravation. I wondered what sounds I would be hearing if the animals that once grazed this formidable land were still roaming about. (If they did, I might not be sitting here, actually)

   One of the team member’s daughter (6 years) has come down with malaria. She nor her mother would be returning to bush camp until she was well. Especially, since her younger brother came down with malaria a short while thereafter.

   Malaria seems to be a way of life around here. That is due I’ve discovered to a combination of factors. The type of mosquito which exists in this area is itself very efficient at spreading this disease, while local weather conditions (hot and rainy) allow transmission to occur year round.

   But using mosquito nets, which we were faithful to use at camp, and having access to medicines to treat malaria minimized the breakouts. If malaria is diagnosed and treated promptly those who come down with it can experience a complete recovery. Such was the case with my little friends!  

   One more night at camp and I held my breath that I nor my son or daughter in law or my baby grandson would be affected by this disease. 

Advertisement