If I didn’t know otherwise, I would have thought I was attending a good ol’ fashioned church picnic.
Alas, the reason for the gathering was quite different.
Sponsored by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) and a few private donors, one hundred and four pediatric HIV patients and their families celebrated a belated Christmas at the Moshi Club this past weekend. The patients receive care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center’s (KCMC) Child Centered Family Care (CCFC) clinic, where David works.
Scanning the crowd, it was clear people came to celebrate the advances in HIV treatment and the good work the CCFC does in providing care to this vulnerable population. Dressed in their Sunday finery, the group listened attentively to the carefully planned program. In his speech, the Chief of Pediatrics gave rightful credit to the Tanzanian government for prioritizing HIV treatment, and gratefully acknowledged assistance from “our American friends” in the form of EGPAF and the two Baylor pediatricians who manage the treatment of patients.
The five hour event included singing, dancing, patient-produced skits, speeches, sack races, coke drinking contests, chasing live chickens, (shhh, don’t tell PETA) and raw egg relays. Unlimited soda and a delicious hot chicken lunch was served to each individual. (For the majority, it would be the only meal they would eat that day) A live band played, providing a celebratory feel to the event. It was a day where patients (many orphans) could be kids, have fun, and forget about their health status for a while.
The crowd
Teen girls perform
sack races
Egg relay
Coke drinking contest
Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs
Chase the chicken
The proud winner!
Before guests departed, the Chief of Pediatrics presented each patient with a few parting gifts: notebook, pen, and a “new” pair of shoes.
Patient receives her parting gifts
Donated shoes
Thankfully, HIV is no longer a death sentence. These patients are living proof life goes on and it’s something to celebrate.
