Have you been tested for HIV?
This isn’t a question we in America get asked every day. So when I was asked this by a nurse in Swaziland, you can bet I was thrown off guard.
But let’s start at the beginning….
I had heard that some of the kids were being taken into town to go to the clinic. For what? I didn’t know, but hopefully it was something more serious than what I could take care of at the little clinic on the El Shaddai property. I had made no previous arrangements to go to town, but I showed up at 6:50am hoping they would allow me to join. And they did. So I jumped into the back of the truck ready for an adventure down the mountain.
When we arrive at the children’s clinic, I get out of the truck and wait with the kids. One of the Aunties tells me that the truck is going to town and for me to get in. I was like “No, I wanted to come to the clinic with you if that is all right.” She smiled and said yes. Something was lost in translation when they originally told me I could come along. So into the clinic we go. And by the way, this clinic blew my expectations of a Swaziland clinic out of the water. It was big and clean and when inside you would think you were in an American clinic/hospital. No lie.
The Aunties check in the children and then we wait for our number to be called. I went with an Auntie and 3 of the boys and our number was 32. My ears were peeled for this. When our number was called we stand up and usher the 3 little ones toward following the nurse and into an exam room. First there was a lot of talking in SiSwati and then all of a sudden the nurse is speaking in English to me. This was when I found out the reason for our trip to the clinic today: HIV testing.
Each little boy’s finger was pricked and blood was put onto a test strip. A clear liquid was then added to the strip. I asked the nurse how long until we have the results and she said 10-15 minutes. Talk about quick testing. While we were waiting for the results, she was writing stuff down (as all nurses and doctors seem to do).
The nurse asked me my name, age and the most important question:
“Have you ever been tested for HIV?”
My response: “…No I haven’t.”
Her next question: “Why have you not been tested?”
My attempt at an answer: “Well…uh…I am only here for a short time and that is not something we do in America.”
The conversation ended with: “Okay.”
I don’t think I have ever considered being tested for HIV before. I know I have been tested for tuberculosis and it came back negative (Praise God) but HIV is not something on the radar where I come from. But for those in Africa and for these little boys sitting in front of me who just had their fingers pricked, this is a reality.
After 10 minutes or so, the nurse begins to tell me the results of the tests. Part of me was really scared for some reason. What if one of these boys’ tests comes back positive? I know they are not my kids and only orphans living at El Shaddai, but at that moment, it didn’t matter who they were, where they came from or what has happened in their past, but only that my heart went out to them. I squeezed the arm of Sizwe who was the closet one to me. The nurse continued on (in a scary monotone type of voice) and said, “The results of the tests were all HIV negative. The tests showed that they do not have HIV.” (My insides were screaming as loud as they could: HALLELUJAH, AMEN, PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU FATHER!!!!!)
The nurse went on to explain that the clinic we were at was only for HIV positive children. And though these boys were HIV negative, since they were here, the doctor would still see them. As we went back out to the waiting room to wait for the doctor, that sentence kept rolling through my mind, ‘this clinic helps children who are HIV positive.’ So I look around at the children in the clinic and all I can do is pray. HIV has infected these children, the communities, this generation and this country. And it saddens my heart like never before.
Masoja went to the clinic with us, he is my favorite and also is HIV negative
