Today was particularly hot. We left early to try and beat the sun, but by 9am the sky was very clear and the sun already hot. Between the Doxycycline (malaria prophylactic) I’m taking that causes photosensitivity and the radiant heat and UV bouncing off the galvanized metal roofing sheets, we felt like we were frying.
However, no sooner had the last nail been driven in to complete the roofing on the shelter than it was occupied by a number of women and children. At last, they said, they had somewhere to sit and talk without being fried by the sun. And from a completely selfish angle, Isaac and I now have shade to talk with the management committee and to sit with the people, but before mzungu could sit down a grass mat had to be brought, it wouldn’t do for him to get a dirty backside, but it was great to be able to relax together under the shade and ‘talk’.
The purpose of building the shelter was immediately fulfilled, that felt good, and all for about USD 600.00.
As we were leaving a mum, baby and young girl (about 9) asked if they could get a lift into town. The young girl was shivering and obviously in a lot of pain – Mum wanted to get her to the hospital. Of course we took them with us, and along the way I was informed that the girl had a sore mouth, and the girl was told she should show mzungu. The poor kid had a gaping hole in one of her back teeth that was obviously infected which was causing her gums and mouth to swell. I’m not sure what mzungu was expected to do, other than grimace in empathetic pain, but he gave the poor girl two Panadol, which she swallowed with the dirtiest water you’ve ever seen, prayed for her and took her to the hospital.
What chance do people like this stand without clean, safe water, adequate sanitation and other luxuries that I take for granted? This village will get some of those things, but what about the thousands of other people, here in Rwanda and around the world, who haven’t been so lucky?
