Armed with a few supplies from the local Nakumatt (Kenya's Wal-Mart), a group of us made our way to the Mbugoni district of Mombasa today to conduct a Teen Couseling Session at the local clinic. These sessions are held monthly for adolescents who are enrolled with the clinic, as a way of supporting and reinforcing the importance of their treatment. With children who might not have parents to help remind them to take their medicine or to drill into them the importance of taking their medications daily, the counselors at the clinic supported by AFCA take on this role, as we. They are amazing women and men who work with the kids in various ways, with this remote teen counseling sessions being one of them.
So it was under a shady tree that a group of 10 youth, ages 13-17 years, introduced themselves to us and listed off the medications they were taking. For me this was the moment of reality - these chlidren are infected with HIV/AIDS, coping with their circumstances and here to attend a support session where two new foreigners are sitting and watching.. I'm sure it was daunting.
Lucy and Sister Regina took the children threw a drawing session to bring forward some of the emotions and feelings that were being kept deep inside. I must say that each child had considerable talent... very expressive in their piece and what they drew about. They were asked to explain the significance of what they drew.
And then a couple of new Nike soccer balls were brought out and we played with the children for a while. There was enough time for me to show a couple of the young boys the famous Ronoldo step--over move. They seemed pretty amazed that "mzee" (old man) still has some fuel in the tank.
A very gratifying day.
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