(This posting is from Thursday, January 26th)
My heart is a little heavy tonight as I write this......we went to work at our first SACCO today.......
We spent the morning at the Karonga Teachers SACCO, with their Manageress, Mrs. Itai Msiska. However things were quickly put into perspective for me when I learned that she had been up all night and had not had any sleep as her young daughter was sick. Itai looked completely exhausted, and it made my own sleepless night (as the electricity had gone out and we did not have any air conditioning) pale in comparison. However, Itai was still there at work and eager to meet with us and answer all of our questions, even though she had to be worried for her daughter.
As the day progressed Itai received word that her daughter had become quite ill, it was confirmed that she had Malaria and she had been taken to the hospital and she left work to be with her......for me, as a parent, my heart really went out to Itai and it put things into perspective how very different our worlds are......
I am so thankful to be a Canadian and to have access to excellent medical care - if one of my children needed to go to the hospital they would be readily accessible and I would not have to pay a fee for excellent health care....and that I live in a country where I would never have to worry about my children catching a potentially life threatening disease from a simple mosquito bite.....
I said a prayer for Itai's daughter tonight, that she will fully recover, as many children in Malawi die from Malaria each year........
Heidi in Karonga
P.S. I miss you boys and wish I could give you a big hug & kiss...xoxoxo Mama
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