Having been responsible for visitors and students for the previous five years, it is now a different joy and refreshing change for Judith to come back to Kiwoko in her capacity as Occupational Therapist. In practice this has involved working on the wards alongside the physiotherapy team. It is a steep learning curve adjusting one’s expectations and western mindset, and providing therapy that is appropriate to the local cultural context and environmental conditions.

Kato, a truly gentle and humble man has lost all movement and function from the waist down secondary to TB. His upper half is also weak and he has difficulty sitting up with no support. In a western context there would be a lengthy list of items that would be required in order to facilitate his return home and management at home. At the very least a wheelchair and a good bed. But Kato is going home to his one roomed thatched mud hut that is no bigger than our bathroom. He shares it with his wife and five children. Such items would only be a hindrance. So he goes home to be nursed on a mattress on the floor.

How did he get home? On the back of a motorbike, sandwiched between the driver and his wife with his lifeless legs strapped to his wife’s legs to prevent them from dangling into the wheels. On a follow up visit to his home with Solomon the physiotherapist, Kato’s caring wife describes the journey home with laughter.

Whilst I find myself feeling somewhat helpless and thinking this is all very unsatisfactory, I realize how different our expectations are. Despite all the pain, anxiety and uncertainty, Kato must be passing through, his only request is a photo and he simply smiles and thanks us for caring.

How often do we find ourselves in situations where we wish we could wave a magic wand and make everything better. The inability to do so can make us feel inadequate or worse still can cause us to shy away from the person or situation. Yet, like Kato, so many just long to know that we care by simply being there alongside them.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the work and people of Kiwoko.