Connection

Part 3/3 why I'm volunteering.

I've already shared with you 2 of the reasons I wanted to volunteer abroad. Here's the third: connection with others, myself, and the earth. 

Myself: I'm enjoying having some uninterrupted time for self-reflection and personal improvement. My life is great, but sometimes little things cloud my ability to see how great it is. I'm getting to read books! 

Earth: Even though I am surrounded by an urban landscape there is absolutely beautiful nature just a stones through away.  Over the weekend, my cousin took me on a very scenic drive through miles and miles of hills and tea and coffee fields. 

Others: Before coming, I was looking forward to connecting to the women I am working with, the other volunteers, the staff at my placement, my host family, my family, locals.... 

I spent this past weekend with my cousin and his wife. I'll post more about my family later! 

I have had a great time working with the students and the women at my placement so far. Today, I felt like I really connected with some of the women. Or, at least I am beginning to understand why I'm here. Two of the women shared some of their personal stories with HIV. It was heart breaking listening to them talk about their struggles and the stigma people who are HIV + in Kenya, especially the women, face. I'm still processing everything they shared with me. It's just so hard to digest. 

Some of the ladies 

The women are wonderfully supportive of each other and have become family to each other. One of the women shared with us how she seriously contemplated suicide when she found out her status. She said it was the women in the group who convinced her that her life was worth living. This woman has now taken in HIV+  orphans and is raising them as her own. 

The women are optimistic that with education, the stigma against people living with HIV will be reduced. There is still a lot of misinformation in the smaller communities surrounding HIV and how it is spread. These women are incredible. 

We are working on partnering with a community health worker to go into area schools to teach about HIV. The women are interested in coming and sharing their stories with the students. 

I'm really looking forward to learning more from the women and being able to share medically accurate information with the young people in the community.