Lists

Lists

Some delightful things:
Little girls plucking up courage to smile shyly and drop a little curtsy-bob to say “Goodmorning!” in a sing-song voice, (sometimes in the afternoon or evening) before giggling behind their friends, doubling up.
The warmth of the morning sun on my shoulders as I walk to work on the dusty road, the smell of eucalyptus in the air.
Large brown eyes of the babies on their mother’s backs, looking and looking at this strange white person.
The purple-blue blossom of the huge Jakaranda tree contrasting with the dark green leaves against the clear blue of the morning sky. Colours that look wonderful in nature, would look garish when reproduced by man.
Hibiscus flowers in bloom for only a day.
Freshly roasted local peanuts and cashews tasting warm, sweet and crunchy from the oven.
The wonder of children when looking through our binoculars.
Watching/hearing the cows wander home past our step at the day’s end.
The nightly song of the crickets.

Some beautiful things:
Full moon. Brushing our teeth at night under the starlit skies.
Sunset from “our” rock, even when obscured by firesmoke.
The strikingly elegant clothing of many of the young women who dress beautifully to come to hospital, often with their babies on their back.
The colour of freshly prepared passionfruit juice.
The view of Lake Victoria just as it appears from the road on the way to Kemondo Bay.
Smiles, which are readily given.
Colours.
People’s straight backs, measured walk and their skintone.

Some sad things:
A young father walking away from the hospital carrying a small bundle wrapped in a kanga, a stricken look on his face.
A malnourished child, too tired and feeling too ill to do more than just look at you.
Malaria.
Meningitis.
Lack of availability of appropriate medication.
Lack of the ability to pay for medication, sometimes lifesaving.
Lack of donated blood.

Some humbling things:
Being given food by the poorest of patients in gratitude.
The warm, dignified welcome received in humble homes.
Being given, in a dirty old bag, 6 ripe juicy tomatoes from an elderly, shoeless gentleman who had last week accepted, with great dignity, a papaya from me when we had a glut. (We sometimes meet in the market or on the road home and discuss the way of the world. Or at least he does and I try to!)
We are often being thanked for “being here and helping us”.
How we consider the food/transport/commodities to be so “cheap.” And most people can only afford to walk....
No urgency.

Some irritating things:
Unreliable IT connections.
Our enforced reliance on IT for communication.
Bureaucracy. In triplicate … x 5!
Dust
Mud
No urgency

Some delicious things:
Mangos. Papaya with fresh lime squeezed on top. Kagondo pineapples. Tilapia fresh from the Lake. Ripe, sweet tomatoes. Ripe, sweet young carrots from the sisters’ garden. AnnieMarie Morales' okkra fritters. Spicy samosas from the Rose Cafe. Likewise spicy chai from the Rose Cafe. Supu wa Kuku. Sweet banana fritters. Even, occasionally, my home made bread, fresh from the oven…..

Some funny things:
At an outreach clinic recently, I carefully wrote on a new baby’s vaccination/growth chart his name, as I heard it: Tainaibara. Mmm, must be a Haya name, I thought. However, when the mother discovered what I had carefully written as the “name” my mistake caused hilarity, thigh-slapping mirth, and much delighted discussion of this ignorant freigner.....It transalates as: “I haven’t yet named him”!
Our attempts at speaking KiHaya.
Believing it when told I would be fined by the police in Bukoba for having a dirty car!