Last Entry (July 27, 2006)

Last night the team traveled to South Africa once again, this time to say farewell to Johan who ends his year here on the 31st of July. Since June, almost the entire Canadian team has changed hands. The clinic has said goodbye to four key Canadian members and will welcome three others in the upcoming months. The ‘goodbyes’ have been occurring from the inception of the clinic in Dec. 2004. Russel, the team leader, ends each farewell dinner with the same toast, “To friends who have left us and to those we couldn’t save.”

I hugged everyone today. Even my son who is usually quite stoic had tears in his eyes. How do you say goodbye to people you have shared such an experience with. As I hugged Elizabeth I said, “I used to define my life around my mother’s death- my life before her death and my life after. Now I will define it as my life before Africa and my life after.”

I left a copy of ‘Velvet Elvis’ by Rob Bell on the reception desk at Tsepong. In the front cover it reads, “To the staff of Tsepong, I love you all. This is what I believe. Love Anne-Marie” I believe it more now than ever. This is my favorite quote from his book:

“I am convinced being generous is a better way to live.

I am convinced having compassion is a better way to live.

Fighting against famine, debt, poverty, oppression, despair, death, slaughter, injustice, loneliness and suffering for all mankind is a better way to live.”

At this moment, on this planet, in the face of the greatest humanitarian crises of all time, this is the only way to live.