Florence

So on Thursday, I took a child who is in my class to the clinic, as she had a really bad cough. What happens normally, is that I take them to the clinic, if they need medication, then they are sent home with a note saying to the parents to come to VOH Clinic. When I took Precious, to the clinic, I realized that we couldn't give a note to this child, as her mom is blind. I didn't really know anything about this child's life, only that her mom was blind and that she was her guide.  So I explained to Precious, that she had to bring her mom, not knowing that this lady would honestly change my life. That afternoon, just before 2pm, I saw Precious with her mom. I never really had any confrontation with a blind person before, so I walked up to her and said "encha" (Hello in Losi) not knowing this lady is fluent in English. I then told Precious that I will go fetch her medicine, and the Mom, then started speaking English to me, which surprised me. When I got the medicine, I realised how difficult it was explaining to a 7 year old and her blind mother how to take the medicine and when. But then Annie (A lady from the clinic), came to my rescue, and got a simple way to take the medicine. They then left, Precious leading her mom, thinking I would probably never see the mother again. 

The next day, I was at the clinic in the morning, helping with the health checks, on all the kids at the school. It was actually my class’s turn, when I realized that Precious wasn't there. Margaret ( the teacher who I work  for) was a little annoyed, because the mom probably needed Precious to take her somewhere, and not let her go to school. About 10 minutes later, Precious arrived to the clinic with her Mom. When I saw Precious and her Mom, I suddenly got really excited that they had come, so I ran outside, and said hello, and reassured the mom that she had met me yesterday, which she knew anyway. She had come, as her baby boy (Njamba) was sick, and she believed Precious had Malaria. So I told Precious to go and join her class and I will look after her Mom, and get her a nurse. The nurses treated the son, and told the mom that Precious didn't have Malaria. The problem, was that now, Precious had to take her mom home, and probably wouldn't come back to school. I suddenly found myself offering to go home with them and walk back with Precious. 

So we began the journey, first was to concur this massive hill, which, every time I climb (I climb this hill on average 4 times a day) I think I am going to die. Precious's mom didn't realize that I was with them, but then heard my foot steps and asked her daughter who it was. When she realized that I was coming with, she was very happy and seemed to be really excited. And was thanking me for coming to visit her home. The walk was about 1km away from the clinic. And what surprised me the most, was that she would say to me " look to your right, can you see that house being built? that's....." She is blind, yet knows where everything is and knows where all the houses are. I was asking her lots of questions, learning that she has 3 children, is currently married to a man who does not work and does not help around the house, went blind at the age of 10. Went to the school for the blind until Grade 9, but then her mom had died, and became an orphan. And the whole time  I was thinking, was that I have no idea how she lives this difficult life.

We finally got to her house, which is so small, estimating around 1.5m by 2.5m. Her husband was sitting outside, I felt bad because he was so welcoming and kind, yet I already disliked him, because of what I had heard. She was so excited. She took me into the house, it was tiny. It had one bed, a blanket on the ground where the kids sleep, and a few clothes hanging from the roof and a few pots. They had a mosquito net, yet it was all torn. I just couldn't really imagine living like this. Then I learnt that this was someone else's house, but they are living in it, till the owners come back. And in fact they are actually homeless. And this just made me think about my life, I have everything in the world, and this lady in blind, homeless and has no money. How can I relate???

I then said I had to take Precious home, I said my goodbyes, kind of feeling emotional. And then she asked for my name, realizing that we both had never told each other our names. I finally learnt her name, Florence. I said goodbye, I told her I would visit again.