In the northwest of Tanzania, not far from the Ugandan border and next to Lake Victoria, lies a peaceful, green, African town, Bukoba. Its inhabitants, supported mainly by the area’s rich banana crops and small fish in the lake, are particularly friendly to foreigners, which is partly explained by the long-standing presence of several missionaries in the area. The activity of Orthodoxy in the area began a few years ago and continues to this day with many difficulties but also with special efforts by the African Metropolitan of the region, Mr. Hieronymos (Holy Metropolis of Muantza). A beautiful place on the periphery of this poor town was chosen by a non-governmental, non-profit Greek organization, KEDAS (Centre for International Development and Cooperation) to establish a hospital unit to serve both the residents of Bukoba and the population of the wider area. Today, after about ten years of over effort by the members of the organization to achieve the best possible outcome, the YA UFUFUO YA KANISA (Resurrection) Hospital is able to provide primary and secondary medical care to the patients who visit it. Although the goal is to become a permanent fixture in the African community, the lack of medical personnel from the indigenous people forces KEDAS to organize short term missions with Greek health professionals and more, resulting in occasional full operation. We took part in one such 9/member mission that included doctors, nurses and medical laboratory specialists and we are grateful for this. We started on April 24 from Athens and after a long but pleasant journey of almost two days, with stops in Cairo and Kampala, we arrived at a host house of the Orthodox Metropolis where we were to be accommodated. The two weeks that followed passed very quickly with most of the day spent in the hospital, which we immediately loved and set out to care for. News of our arrival spread quickly through the area and from the very second day patients began to arrive with their children walking long distances. Some of them had to wait for many hours, showing remarkable patience, hoping that the white man in the white shirt would solve the problem that had plagued them for days or even months. While the doctors were struggling, with the help of some local translators, to explain to them some basic hygiene rules or the treatment regimen of the most common diseases that seemed to plague them (malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS), some of our delegation were busy organizing the pharmacy, the auxiliary rooms, the storerooms and the hospital’s surroundings. But what concerned all of us the most was the communication with these people who were so troubled but at the same time so carefree. The laughter of the children as they ran after our little van lost in the dirt road and the thoughtful gifts they gave us with such joy and gratitude are enough to convince anyone that such efforts deserve to be started, encouraged, continued and supported in every way and effort.
Ariadne Prantzou
Nurse – Theagenio Hospital of Thessaloniki
Regular Member of the Brotherhood
