Memories from a Medical Mission to South Africa
an article by Laura Wilson,
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

The Partners in Christian Ministry sends medical teams regularly to the Third World. From July 8-23 I was part of seven person team working near Johannesburg, South Africa. Our agenda trained home care workers in nursing, HIV/AIDS, treatment of TB, and basic counseling and nutrition. We met with about 100 home visiting para-professionals, working for so little and walking great distances to meet with stroke victims, TB patients and the much stigmatized HIV/AIDS victims. We also made home visits and did staffings on a variety of patients.. In these rural areas, the Venda and Sotho people make up the major population.

This central part of S Africa is a yin/yang of beauty and tragedy. With nearly 40% of the population infected with HIV, there is an overwhelming health crisis, producing orphans, and more and more people who can do little more than face their death with dignity. The big challenges are obtaining the funds to purchase anti retroviral medicine for those already sick, getting folks to go for a test, and getting men to use condoms.

These problems will not get solved in my generation, but we can keep up the energy thru international teamwork. The grassroots workers we met were enormously enthusiastic; many health care workers are volunteers; the staff of the closest orphanage is all volunteer.

All of us can continue to help thru the United Nations, WHO, CARE, Catholic Relief, Save the Children or your own local groups.

Schools are another big concern; the two I visited had no printed materials let alone supplementary supplies. My host family's mother taught in a local public school; her class had 50 kids. Although apartheid is officially over, problems of segregation remain in housing, education, and crime.

If any one wants to contribute anything at all, let me know: school books, supplies, money - English language is fine.

Each of us on the team has a special memory of the program. I bring back so many from this trip. The sunset over Venda country, the arid, rocky soil interrupted by acacia bushes and the singing of children, dancing to one Venda drum, rattling their costumes of beads and stamping their feet on the clay-colored ground.

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The following article by a Japanese professor  introduces the importance of the movement of World Social Forum and the role of Japan in Iraq.  It was sent to us by Takehiko ITO of CPNN Tokyo.

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Kinhide Mushakoji: World forum in Mumbai shows Japan the way

The world does not need the so-called global standard that serves only to widen the gap between rich and poor. It was wrong of U.S. President George W. Bush to invade Iraq and cause suffering to innocent people for the weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist.. . ...more.

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