Lessons Learned in Zimbabwe

Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” And if I had to use one phrase to sum up my time in Zimbabwe, I think Mr. Emerson says it best.

I know I’ve already been back in the US over a month, but it has taken that long for me to process everything I saw and experienced. To be honest, there were moments I found myself asking “what am I doing here?”. I think ,often times, we go on trips like these to gain answers; however, I came away from Gutu with more questions than answers and with those questions came a burning desire to truly make a difference… but how?  See, another question. 

So while there are some things in the works to help answer that last question (more details to come soon), today I wanted to share a few of the things I learned.

1. Joy is not dependent on any physical or material thing.

How do I know this? With this blog post I have attached a link for a video of photos from my trip. In this video, you will see photos of conditions that even the poorest of people do not experience here in the United States. Gutu is a very rural area of Zimbabwe that is approximately 2 to 6 hours south of the capital, Harare. Why such a wide range of time? Well, if the bus drivers miss a turn it can take 3 hours and if a bus breaks down it can take 6 hours, I know from personal experience.

Locals walked multiple kilometers to come wait in line for medical care. In fact, when we arrived, there were already people waiting who had been camped out overnight. Every night people slept out in the cold, waiting their turn to come into the clinic for treatment. Despite the conditions, these people radiate with joy! We were greeted with nothing but smiles and waves and the days were highlighted with singing and dancing. I would look around and think to myself “these people literally have nothing,” but the people of Gutu have joy. When I think I’m having a bad day, I’m quickly reminded by my memories that joy is decision, not a circumstance.

2. Serving others is just as impactful on the person serving as it is the one being served. 

While our team was in Gutu, we served just shy of 13,000 people… yes, you read that correctly, thirteen thousand. We provided medical care, urgent care, dental cleanings and extractions, eye exams and readers, child care, prayer, and even delivered 3 babies! While I know this care made a difference in the health of those individuals, it also gave me, a fresher perspective, a clearer vision, and a deeper level of empathy than I ever would have anticipated. I’ve seen things I can’t unsee and I’ve experienced things I can’t un-experience and I pray everyday that I would never return to the person I was before I stepped on that plane. When we know better, we do better and it is privilege to have that responsibility. 

3. Where we are weak, God is strong. 

In full transparency, I left for Gutu with the expectation that I was going to be practicing chiropractic the entire time I was there… when I arrived in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, I learned that my credentialing had not been submitted in enough time for my licensing to get approved. Long story short, adaptability is not in my top 5 strengths and I was devastated. While I did get to see a handful of patients (under the radar) each day, what felt like a huge disappointment ended being a bigger blessing. I was able to serve and assist in more departments than one person has ever done in one week before. I had the privilege of seeing the clinic from a variety of angles as well as interacting with patients on multiple levels. I prayed with people in the front lines while a local congregation leader translated, I ran the eye and readers department for a day and a half, I assisted the head coordinator of the medical tent, I taught the kids how to play musical chairs and volleyball, I stepped in as a doula for a young girl in labor, and I helped with the front lines. This allowed me to have rich conversations with local workers and patients and it showed me that I am able to adapt and do it well. Where I thought I was weak, God showed me He is strong and that strength allowed me to do more than I ever thought possible. 

While I could go on and on about Gutu, I will leave it at that. I hope you see the joy, gratitude and strength that I see in these images. And Zimbabwe… this isn’t a “goodbye”, it’s simply a “see you again soon”.