On Friday I spent the day with Julie, my closest PCV friend here, as her community celebrated the opening of an NCP (neighborhood care point for the care and feeding of orphans and vulnerable children) the building of which was, in no small part, due to Julie’s hard efforts.  The day was also an opportunity for the community to bid farewell to Julie, as she is leaving a little earlier than the rest of us because her grandfather, who has loved her and written her faithfully, every week of the 2 years, has fallen quite ill recently.  Julie has been the quintessential PCV, investing herself fully in the PC experience.  She lives in a very isolated area, one and one half hours by old and unreliable transport and by dirt and rock road, to the nearest town, thankfully mine.  She planted herself firmly in the community and learned to speak siSwati fluently.  In so doing, she has certainly touched lives more profoundly than many of the rest of us have done.

 I couldn’t begin to count the numbers of people, including more than a few children, that Julie has brought to the hospital in Hlatikhulu (my town is her nearest clinic) for HIV testing and treatment, as well as for a myriad of other problems.  And her efforts have had far reaching effects: One of the first women Julie successfully got on ARVs, and then saw through a horrendous allergic reaction to the drugs which causes the skin around the mouth and eyes to blister disfiguringly, has since become uncharacteristically open about her status and has encouraged many others to test and seek treatment.  And after months of seeking help for a small boy, barely 7, who was orphaned, HIV+, neglected, and sick, the boy is now doing well and will be situated at one of the few wonderful community based orphanages in a rural area, where he will get the attention he so needs.  That he has been schooling this past year is solely due to Julie’s contributions.  To see them together brings me near to tears.  And there are so many more stories and occasions where Julie has put her community and her neighbors before her own needs, sometime to the point of near self neglect. 

So, it was due and fitting that she be honored on one of her last few days at site.  Important dignitaries were there from the community, including the chief, and a film crew from Swazi TV.  Julie delivered a moving speech in siSwati, swallowing back the tears at points, and I noticed that more than a few people in the audience were wiping their eyes as well, including men for whom showing emotion is unheard of here.  The most poignant moment came when Julie acknowledged her “counterpart” and dear friend, Mpumi.  Mpumi was assigned as Julie’s “swazi counterpart” in her community.  The PC asks the community to identify someone who will work with the PCV in the community to act as a bridge for the volunteer and to help with the mitigation of the HIV crisis.  Julie and Mpumi have worked closely together for two years and have become like sisters.  Mpumi is now employed as a community HIV outreach worker by World Vision, a position she would not hold were it not for her work with Julie.  As Julie acknowledged her Swazi sister, Mpumi sat a couple rows back, head bowed, tears streaming.  Mpumi’s been crying for weeks.  This is a very difficult parting.

The older women in the community did a wonderful song and dance for Julie after which they gifted her and dressed her with traditional wear. 

We all ate; a cow had been sacrificed- again, a great honor.  I stayed the night with Julie and was glad to be with her on such an important day.  I was struck by how genuine and deep her experience had been, how she exemplifies what we all should strive to be.