New Beginnings

Rwanda- the land of a thousand hills

Moraho Neza!
It's been a while since I've blogged, life has been a whirlwind adventure. Since I last wrote I have backpacked through 4 of the 5 countries of the East African Community, climbed an active volcano in Congo, swam across lake Kivu in Rwanda, stayed with my friend's family in a Maasai village in Kenya, did the Waka Waka dance next to Sipi Falls in Uganda, and said farewell to my family in Burundi. I have since planted myself in a small village in Rwanda with an organization with a huge mission. Gardens for Health International. (GHI)

Bush Shower in Isara, Kenya

GHI: It was started in 2008 in an effort to close the gap between food aid for the treatment of malnutrition and relapsing cases of malnutrition. Through sustainable, organic agriculture and education we EMPOWER PEOPLE to become healthier. We work in the community identifying malnourished individuals and families, educate them, and create home gardens while providing ongoing support & follow ups. In addition we work with 13 cooperatives with over 4,000 People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). We help them get land, create cooperative gardens, set up markets to sell extra crops, and provide lending of tools and seeds. It is a truly unique project.

I came here to start a new program which has since be entitled "KUVURA" (to heal) and our mission is gufasha abantu kwivura ubwabo "helping people heal themselves."
There are 5 elements to the program- nutrition, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, natural/traditional medicine, and health promotion/disease prevention. The Kuvura Program educates everyone that is a part of GHI to help prevent and fight disease and eradicate stigma. Just yesterday we finished a 4 day long training for 100 community health workers about nutrition and malnutrition. They raved that it was the best training they've ever had and it was the first time they did not feel inferior to the trainers- they felt equal and it made them feel empowered. My heart was glowing when I heard this. By living the belief that we are all just people, we are able to create strong bonds and human connections in a way that power and superiority inhibit. We now have 100 abajyanama b'ubuzima (community health workers) armed with education and empowerment- they are ready to end malnutrition! The Kuvura Program focuses on healing the body, mind, spirit, and environment of the individuals and communities we serve- an innovative approach to health and wellness that people truly appreciate!

My Traditional Medicine teacher, Enock. His family has been healers for generations!

Community Health Worker Training: Puzzles of malnourished kids

Community Health Workers: Protein builds muscle!

We are a small team with big hearts: 3 Americans and 12 core Rwandans (plus the new baby, Blessing). Julie is our fearless leader, Mama as she has been titled and Johan is starting the Food Security Program with the name Buttercup as he is the butter-making guru. We have Sunday, the star translator, who's coming out of his shell while wearing incredible clothes like red pleather jackets and a black, mesh blouse with sparkles...it's his thing and we support it! More stories of other staff members to come later.


Rasta Baby Blessing.

At night our home is one of the few houses with lights so kids from the village come to do homework, it started with one boy and just a few minutes ago 6 eager and enthusiastic students left to go to bed. Our murugo (home) becomes a place of learning and sharing of ideas. Julie takes the english, Johan has the math dept, and I do the science- we are quite a team.

We also make food so if you ever want to do donate some $ to the snack fund, feel free- these are kids who only eat one time a day so we are doing our best to keep them nourished.

Life is rich and fulfilling. I frequently find myself stopping and just taking in the moments. We are at the front line of these problems and in a pivotal position to make REAL change happen. None of this, bureaucratic bullshit- we build gardens for families and educate community health workers. We identify malnourished kids and take them to the clinic for life-saving treatments. We go to orphanages and teach nutrition and start up organic gardens. Change is happening.


AIDP Orphanage- Ruhengeri, Rwanda

but...we need help
Trainings cost money and supplies do too.

- Help a home garden grow
- Support the after school snack fund
- Cash for community health workers to get tool kits so they can be a stronger
front-line force in the community
- Sprout Seeds for the people

If you are feeling a little tingle in your heart and want to make a contribution please email me bradleytsnyder@gmail.com

Donate to GHI in honor of someone you love or give a gift in their name
(Holidays are coming up...supporting this mission will touch a lot more lives that that H&M shirt or those Gap jeans)

Show the people here "Turikumwe" (we are together)

(oh, and I booked my roundtrip ticket home:
DECEMBER 21st-January 20(somethingith).

To sprouting love, digging for solutions, and cultivating hope!
*Brad

This time for Africa!

and we're back!
Sorry it's been so long, things have been crazy here on the mountain/I've been lazy.

This past month has been jam packed with everything from the Peace marathon in Kigali to the World Cup! The dry season has begun here and the weather is perfect! There's a constant cool breeze and the temperature is in the mid 70s. Of course the lack of rain has the potential to pose some problems for watering plants and vegetables, hopefully the rates of malnutrition (currently about 40-50% of our population) will not increase.


I will try to make this blog concise with only the highlights.

KIGALI PEACE MARATHON

meet Peter IT

Have you ever had the opportunity to live someone's dream with them?
Peter IT, IT manager for the clinic, has always dreamt about being an athlete. Ever since Highschool he has wanted to run but being a professional runner was not really an option. He took a more conventional path going to seminary school then getting an IT degree from University of Burundi. Here in Kigutu he would always run through the mountains and exercise giving him the zest he craves. Someone learned about this marathon and Peter was immediately interested! Helen, a nurse who volunteered here a few months back, was incredibly generous and funded Peter's trip. Basically, she allowed him to live his dream. Now 32, Peter IT finally got the opportunity to do what he has longed to do ever since he was a child! We arrived in Kigali and you could feel his spirit and energy radiating as we embarked on the journey to Kigali, Rwanda. Supporting Peter as he lived his dream brought a sparkle to my heart and made me more grateful to have him as a friend!

We arrived in Kigali to register and when asked where we lived Will and I said Burundi. We were informed that African citizens run for free and because we lived in Burundi we therefore did not have to pay the 35 Euro entrance fee. We explained that we really weren't Burundian citizens, but the man didn't care meaning- WE RAN FOR FREE!! (unfortunately Will had an eye infection and felt it best not to run so he in turn became "the mom" complete with a mom bag, inspiration, and snacks.

Peter Ran the whole 42km (26.2mile) marathon! An injured butt, aching hips, and far-less-than-perfect shoes impaired his stamina but he still thrived! I was convinced by Will, the VHW agriculture specialist, to run the marathon. I knew there was no way to run a whole marathon so I agreed to do a 1/2. This was the plan until arriving at Kigali, meeting up with some friends, and realizing, "shit, 13.1 miles is really far and it's REALLY hot, let's just do the relay."

The 4 of us (Julie, Matt, Amy, & Me) each ran 10.5km under the team acronym BAMJ or Bad (Brad) Ass (Amy) Muzungu (Matt) Jamboree (Julie). Obviously we're "Bad Ass" because we were running a marathon (my first), Muzungu is "white person", and Jamboree is a party- that basically defines us!

The competition was fierce! Many varieties of athletes were present including men running in small white underwear, children running barefoot with their shoes on their hands, people running with lollipops, people running in sweat suits in 90+ degree weather.

Competitors included:
"Spiderman"- he told us these wings were "spiderman." Amy and I agreed that they looked like Lady Bug wings but if he wants them to be spiderman then I'll support!


The "Old Man"- he ran the whole race and beat us...enough said.


There was discussion of team uniforms so Amy & I took a stroll around Kigali in search of the perfect uniforms for the team... We found this outfit but the price was definitely "Igichiro chu Muzungu" (white person price).


Even without matching uniforms we Stretched and Prepared our Bodies, Minds, & Spirits for the Challenge!


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There was all this "hype" about the Kenyans... People from Burundi and the USA were very adamant about my inability to beat the Kenyans, apparently "the best runners in the world." Well everyone I'm here to prove you wrong!

(note the Kenyan BEHIND me) (also note Will's mom bag)


Race Highlights included me running and Rwandese children deciding to join. At the peak, 10 children were running the race with me! A police officer did not like this and pulled the children away from me despite my efforts in broken Kinyarwanda to allow them to stay (2 children persevered and stayed with me).

In this photo we have Will and his Mom bag, the 2 'escapees', Me, and Amy on her phone- we took the race VERY seriously...


The BAMJ finished the RACE and got a MEDAL (for participation) but a medal nonetheless.

Peter finished the RACE & got a Medal as well, which he wore all night!!

That was the KIGALI PEACE MARATHON!

Another fun fact is that we stayed with our friend Julie who works with Gardens for Health, a great organization working towards sustainable agriculture. She lives in a big house in Kigali that is formerly known as "Hotel Exotica." An ex-brothel, this lavish estate is complete with numbered bedrooms and plenty of open floor space for dancing and... I will return to Hotel Exotica with Jay when we begin our Rwandan adventure!

Clinic News

We received A LOT of supplies and food from UNICEF, World Food Program, & World Vision. We had to rent a truck to deliver all the supplies from Bujumbura to Kigutu... It's wonderful to have so much support (but don't be fooled, there is still a lot more work to be done).

Gorilla. Spear. Scrotum
We currently have a patient- 32 year old male, who was severely injured. He noticed a gorilla eating his beans so he grabbed his spear and ran after the gorilla. While he was running he tripped and the spear went through his scrotum and out his back. Writhing in pain villagers came out to see about the commotion. They pushed the spear out but no one thought to control the bleeding. A friend took him about 1 hour away to a clinic where the staff refused to see him because they were certain he was going to die. His friend and he proceeded to ride public transportation (a 15 passenger mini-bus) to Bujumbura (2 hours away) still bleeding. Their arrival in Bujumbura brought 2 failed attempts to get care. At the first hospital they found no physician because well, it was a weekend, but they found a nurse who bandaged the wounds. The next hospital they again found no physician but there was an X-ray tech who took an X-ray. The duo decided to take another 2 hour trip via public transport BACK to the mountains to our clinic (45minutes from where the man lives). Even though it was a weekend, we still cared for him. Astonishingly, no organs were damaged and he was alive! He is now receiving wound care once a day and doing extremely well. I'm convinced that this man is destined to do great things, something kept him alive...

What goes in: (scrotum)


Must come out: (back)


Another Burn
In February you met Clovis, a 4 year old boy that fell into a pot of boiling water. On Friday, June 11th Joseph was brought to the clinic after falling into fire. His whole left leg is a third degree burn.

We learned that the burn actually happened 1 week ago but the family decided to try to heal it using traditional medicine first. Because they waited so long he began to develop infection and have many other complications such as electrolyte imbalances and fluid shifting causing edema (swelling) throughout his face and body, and the muscles in his leg basically 'locking up' from disuse.

Twice a day I (along with a team member) do burn care on this little guy. He is in agony and I completely empathize as I was severely burned with boiling water when I was 11 yrs old. He is doing better Buke Buke (little by little) and we'll see how his recovery turns out.

I try to make life as good as possible with an iPod, a book, and a finger puppet given by my dear friend Genya (he doesn't take it off his finger, it's like his security blanket).


Cooking on the open fire inside the small house poses a plethora of possible injuries and illnesses including burns and respiratory complications. It's a huge problem that we must address...

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USA & World Food Program work together (along with other countries)
to provide emergency food to those who need it most.


WORLD CUP
Everyday literally hundreds of people gather in the community center to watch the World Cup matches. Men, Women :) and children all sit around and watch! They CHEER when good things happen and do the "Burundian tongue click" (created by tapping your tongue against the roof of your mouth) when things go bad. For most they don't care which team wins they just love the excitement and energy, which is really refreshing. It's also the first time for most of them to watch or even know about T.V.
There's something special about watching the first African World Cup in Africa....
(can you find the muzungu?)

Updates:

-Jay arrives to Burundi in 6 days and we will begin our 2 month camping/backpacking/exploring adventure through Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, & Kenya.
I'm SUPER EXCITED!

-Many people have been asking about "Life in Burundi" I will post another blog with pictures of Bujumbura (the capital city) and Kigutu (the clinic).

-Also I'm going to have to make a separate "Cute Kids" blog because there were waaay too many this month to add to this blog...

-This is currently the theme song throughout Kigutu...literally, I walk through town and people are humming & singing it. "WAKA WAKA" theme song for the World Cup. We are in the process of making a music video with people in the community dancing to this song! Stay Tuned


Cultivate Peace.
*Brad

Let your heart & spirit guide you

It's been about 2 weeks since the last blog.
Lots has been going on- new music, new patients, new projects, new adventures, new people...the list goes on.

Updates:
-The MARATHON in Kigali, Rwanda is May 23rd! Yesterday I ran (maybe it could be classified as a jog but whatever) for 1 hour...the longest I've ever run in my life! Buke Buke (little by little) is the name of the game.

-Jay & I are planning to take June-August to explore Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, & Kenya: hiking, playing outside, camping, eating, exploring, having grand adventures, being cheap!
I'm excited!!

-New pediatrician Peter is volunteering for 5 weeks. From L.A., he has a big heart and brings a lot of knowledge and new perspective to the clinic...He's also obsessed with the kids, which is a mandatory requirement in order to be a volunteer.

So Here's What's Been Happening in Burundi:

Surprise Babies...poppin' out all over the place!

Last week my roommate Alli and I planned to have a skype date. I woke up @ 6:00am (midnight her time) so we could chat. As we said Hello I notice a patient in the hallway...in active labor!
I ended up delivering a baby and having to rescheduling our skype chat...
Baby Girl! She's healthy & doing well.
Sorry Alli, we'll talk soon.
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This weekend I was doing laundry by hand in a bucket. A very relaxing experience with the mom's from the malnutrition ward. I looked over and saw this stretcher being carried by community members:

A woman was on her way to the clinic to deliver her baby but didn't make it to the clinic in time...she delivered in the road! Achel (another nurse) & I sprung into action and took care of this new mom and her baby. When they arrived into the clinic via thatched, grass stretcher the baby had dirt and leaves on it (pictured)- that was a first for me!

The baby girl is healthy & doing well. It was quite the experience. After the chaos and commotion we got to relax with mom & baby and do some breastfeeding-bonding time.
Talk about spicing up an afternoon!

FAMILY PLANNING- choice. strength. empowerment
Family planning is not talked about in Burundi. It is viewed as sacrilege by most religious institutions that are immersed in this culture. It is taboo. It is stigmatized. It apparently has no place among these people...until now! 47 women attended a family planning talk that Hilarie (an incredible nurse & human being) & I introduced. These women have never had a safe, open space to learn about or discuss family planning- something that is crucial to the development of a healthy society. 12 women, about 1/2 of the eligible (non menopausal) women got some form of birth control on this day. It was a truly remarkable!

-In a place where women are compliant and do only what is expected of them we gave them choice.
-In a country where women are viewed as weak and are under appreciated we gave them strength.
-In a culture where women are viewed as inferior and most of the time appear subdued, we gave them empowerment.
(to read my journal entry from this day visit (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/note.php?note_id=10150161243930431)

This is the first woman to try out our version of Cycle Beads, Naturally Family Planning!
We'll see how it goes...

Bujumbura- City Livin'
A view from our office/residence in the capital city Bujumbura.


The Little Drummer Boys
Every Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday Peter IT & Mandela (2 employees of VHW) teach the boys in the community the traditional drumming past down by their fathers and grandfathers. It's a powerful experience and the whole community gathers to watch, cheer, sing, and dance!
I am learning how to Ngmoma (drum)...stay tuned.


Music is the Culture
Claudine (an employee at VHW) writes songs about HIV, hygiene, and health and teaches them to the girls in the community. They gather in the new community center and fill the clinic with joyful music and dance!


Our Wise Buddha

Emmanuel (in red) came to us last month with severe malnutrition. His progression was astounding from not talking and barely able to walk to a 10y/o with the wisdom and spirit far beyond his years. His inner peace and gentle smile radiate to us all and the love he gives warms the soul. I'm serious- this kid inspires us all to be a better people.
I'm convinced that he cannot hate. (disregard the michelle obama eye in the picture)


True Friendship
Before this event only 3 people in the world (Nora, Lauren, & Jay) have bonded with me in this way. ...and now Hilarie. Yes Ladies & Gentlemen Hilarie trimmed my pit hair!

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Before

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After

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This is how you know she's a nurse

Getting to the Root
Sometimes life teaches us lessons in tricky ways like with this 'demon child'
Every time I would walk past this girl she would death grip whatever part of my body she could grab! I literally could not 'peel' her off of me and it got to the point where I had to dodge her.

After going to Hilarie for help, she talked to the girl and it turned out that she was just hungry and wanted Plumpy Nut (the supplement we give to malnourished kids).
After I gave her plumpy nut she became and angel.

LESSON: Don't take things as they are on the surface, a 'demon' could just be a hungry kid.

World Food Program
We received food from the World Food Program to distribute to people living with HIV/AIDS, pregnant women, and malnourished kids. So now they get immediate care at the clinic, food to go home with, and the education/seeds from the food security program.
This project has great potential!



Photos...
Yesterday We got a 50 baby chicks! Part of the food security program for the community. These little cuties will live here with us until...well (food security) so you know.
But I will enjoy loving on them in the mean time.

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HERNIA... (this is why you turn your head and cough, so this doesn't happen)

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Kids in the Kigutu Kommunity


To finding that inner, playful spirit that infuses us with essence of the divine!
Try to keep life light, fun, and free...

Much Love & Liberation!

Things to FEEL GOOD about!

The last few blogs have been difficult to write and I'm sure just as difficult to read.
Even amongst the hardships, sadness, and pain we eventually accept what has happened, learn, cope, and move on- not forget- but just move on.
Together, we help each other heal.

THIS IS WHAT HELPS US TO FEEL GOOD & HEAL!



Thanks to the Clinton Foundation & our dear friend Felicia, we were given a
Portable CD4 Machine-PIMA!
This machine will allow us to determine the correct time to treat patients living with HIV.

HIV treatment is started when the CD4 count (part of our immune system) gets low OR when certain infections appear. NOW we can test people and start them on treatment early instead of waiting for them to get sick.

This is an incredible asset & will change the lives of people in our care!

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Unfortunately Alex left Kigutu to head back to Oregon. We will miss him but his last night here ended in a BANG (and an IV the next morning to help the hang over from local beer).

We keep it classy in Kigutu!
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This is a just a little taste of a video we're working on... It's going to be fantastic!
Our friend Amy, a professional documentary filmmaker/ producer came for a visit and helped.
You'll probably have to wait until I get back home to see it (i don't think we can put it on YouTube).

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Anna, our lead janitor and STRONG,WOMAN Community Leader!
She has survived a genocide, been a refugee, and now uses her love and wisdom to change people's lives. (you can see the wisdom in her eyes) She never stops smiling...

One day she enlightened us with tips on how to live a good life:

-Respect Yourself-
-Respect Your Partner and Friends-
-Respect Your Elders-
-Take it Slow, Don't Rush--
-Smile-
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There were some days when we didn't have breakfast, don't worry Chipatis are back!
2 4inch triangles of Flour & Water fried in palm oil...Breakfast of Champions.

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Home Visits into the Community are a little different than home visits in Baltimore ie, crossing a river with an armed guard (don't worry family and nervous blog readers, it's just standard operating procedures) then hiking 1 hours up a mountain! IT'S GREAT!

Home Visits allow you to run into adorable tiny children eating oranges...

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Doing home visits creates an opportunity to run into past patients like Divin. He was written about in a previous blog. We were certain he wasn't going to make it, due to his host of complications from malaria and malnutrition. But he did make it and as I was leaving the house of a patient I felt a little person squeeze my legs. "how cute," I thought, some child wants a hug. I looked down and Divin looked up and we both got the BIGGEST SMILES on our face! He held my hand as we walked through the town. It's amazing to think that we actually saved his life.
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And we killed another goat to celebrate Alexi's farewell from Kigutu.
I thought I overcame my apprehension the last time I tried to do this but clearly from the look on my face...that is not the case.

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Some of the Fam...

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Hilarie, our cherished, sole female Burundian nurse, is incredible.
Her intelligence, compassion, humor, and beauty make her one of the most amazing people I know.

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The Laundromat. Will & I always get shit from the mom's in the malnutrition ward because we don't know how to do laundry "Burundian Style." It's too intense so we've created our own 8 step system, it's quite revolutionary.

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We really are a family.
Melino & me. "in it together"

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ADORABLE KIDS...I mean seriously, do they get any cuter?
This whole "don't bring a kid home" thing is really a lot more difficult than you think.

A new, fun game is asking Will, "ok, which kid is cuter?" To which he replies in a frustrated, confused, and frazzled tone, "WHY DO YOU MAKE ME CHOOSE?!"
sometimes you have to make your own fun in Kigutu.
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If you know Bryon Sellman, I'm pretty sure the kid on the right is him when he was 3 yrs old.
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Liesse, one of the patients at "Hotel Kigutu" has been here for months and is learning to walk. Everyday we all take turns helping her take steps. She is another child who the team thought was not going to make it...now she cruising around, getting into trouble! ...and we love it.
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Hussein & his newly discovered twin Hassein...no words.
Hussein was admitted with malnutrition and comes back regularly with his remarkable grandmother Germaine!

Amidst the challenges there is always light.
Amidst the chaos there is always peace.
Amidst the despair there is always hope.

...remember to create a life to FEEL GOOD about!