It was a warm afternoon in the OPD (outpatient department). There was still a long line of people waiting to be seen, yet I felt my brain had about reached its capacity. I just finished seeing a sick child and I looked up to see a young women, probably in her mid 20s, pushing a wasted skeleton of a man probably in his late 40s. He looked to be her father, but I quickly found out she was actually his wife. Actually she was his 2nd wife. His first wife passed away from HIV several years ago. She was timid, and made little eye contact, but had a warm smile. She brought her husband to be seen because he had a large neck mass, and lost the ability to walk over the last several days. He told her that he was recently diagnosed with HIV, and had just started taking HIV medication within the last month.
After spending sometime reading through his card I realized that he hadn't been honest with his new wife. He was actually diagnosed with HIV six years ago. He married this women knowing he was HIV positive, and didn't tell her, his diagnosis. This is actually a crime in Zimbabwe, as it should be. With the help of my translator we were able to figure out that he had actually taken HIV medication for several years that was not prescribed to him. The medication he took was actually prescribed to his oldest son who also had HIV and died 1 year ago. He didn't seek medical attention for his himself, so no one would know he had HIV and he could marry another. This man was lower then low! It took everything in me to continue to take care of him. He infected his 1st wife, and their 2 kids, and now probably this new wife and there young daughter. To make it worse he lied about all of it for the last several years.
His new wife learned all of this for the first time in front of us. You could see her already low self esteem just deflate even more. She wasn't educated, and in this culture women are essentially the property of their husbands. Unfortunately, without a husband, women our left to fend for themselves, and this can be quite impossible in this country.
He had an abscess in his neck and end stage HIV. His time on this earth was drawing to an end regardless of our medical treatments. We did drain the abscess and admitted him to the male ward. Although my concern was really not with this man, but this poor young women and her young baby girl. What kind of future would they both have? This question lingered in my mind much of the next day.
The following day, I had just finished seeing all the patients in the male ward and I heard a soft voice come from around the corner. “Chiremba, Chiremba (this means doctor in Shona) I want Bible?” This was the voice of the women! Her English was quite broken, as she had very little education. She had probably just learned that phrase. What an answered prayer! I awkwardly communicated with her, and then left to find a bible and a chaplain. We were able to find her a Shona Bible and that same day she came to know the Lord as her savior.
I thought this story was a great parallel of what Christ did for all of us. This woman's husband died several days later. She became a widowed HIV positive Shona women. This was as low and worthless as a person could become in this country. The reality is we are all worthless compared to the perfection of God. Thankfully Christ's sacrifice provided a way for all of us to become royalty. Now I along with this women will sit at the table with the King of Kings for all eternity! Praise God!
After spending sometime reading through his card I realized that he hadn't been honest with his new wife. He was actually diagnosed with HIV six years ago. He married this women knowing he was HIV positive, and didn't tell her, his diagnosis. This is actually a crime in Zimbabwe, as it should be. With the help of my translator we were able to figure out that he had actually taken HIV medication for several years that was not prescribed to him. The medication he took was actually prescribed to his oldest son who also had HIV and died 1 year ago. He didn't seek medical attention for his himself, so no one would know he had HIV and he could marry another. This man was lower then low! It took everything in me to continue to take care of him. He infected his 1st wife, and their 2 kids, and now probably this new wife and there young daughter. To make it worse he lied about all of it for the last several years.
His new wife learned all of this for the first time in front of us. You could see her already low self esteem just deflate even more. She wasn't educated, and in this culture women are essentially the property of their husbands. Unfortunately, without a husband, women our left to fend for themselves, and this can be quite impossible in this country.
He had an abscess in his neck and end stage HIV. His time on this earth was drawing to an end regardless of our medical treatments. We did drain the abscess and admitted him to the male ward. Although my concern was really not with this man, but this poor young women and her young baby girl. What kind of future would they both have? This question lingered in my mind much of the next day.
The following day, I had just finished seeing all the patients in the male ward and I heard a soft voice come from around the corner. “Chiremba, Chiremba (this means doctor in Shona) I want Bible?” This was the voice of the women! Her English was quite broken, as she had very little education. She had probably just learned that phrase. What an answered prayer! I awkwardly communicated with her, and then left to find a bible and a chaplain. We were able to find her a Shona Bible and that same day she came to know the Lord as her savior.
I thought this story was a great parallel of what Christ did for all of us. This woman's husband died several days later. She became a widowed HIV positive Shona women. This was as low and worthless as a person could become in this country. The reality is we are all worthless compared to the perfection of God. Thankfully Christ's sacrifice provided a way for all of us to become royalty. Now I along with this women will sit at the table with the King of Kings for all eternity! Praise God!
What a truly touching story Dr. Epperly. Wow you guys are doing such a great job! Keep it up.
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