testing stories

story #1:

at our event this past saturday i was hanging out listening to the music and watching the little kids dance. all of a sudden an older man, godfrey tembo was his name, probably in his 40's, came up to me and asked what the whole event was for. he seemed a bit drunk, sorta slurring his words and walking with a bit of a stumble. i almost brushed him off because i get harassed by drunk guys often at our events. but, i decided to humor him and explained that we were providing free hiv testing and whatnot. he had thought it was one of the phone companies and was hoping to get some free talktime or a tshirt. i couldn't offer him a tshirt, but i told him that if he got tested for hiv he would get a free bracelet (like a livestrong bracelet, but for grassroot soccer).

immediately he was sold and asked me to escort him over to the testing tents. as we were walking and talking, he explained that he didn't want to know his status, because "if i end up testing positive, then i will die," was his reasoning. i tried to explain to him that he had it backwards. if he tested positive, he would be able to get on arv treatment and live a healthy life, but if he didn't get tested and didn't get treatment, then he could potentially get really sick.

we make our way to the testing tents, he goes through the pre-test counseling where the counselor explains to him what to expect when he tests. moves to the next tent to get his finger pricked and then awaits the results (it only takes about 5 minutes which is amazing). in between each of these stages in the process he would come over and talk to me and explain how nervous he was to get his results. he kept saying, "i don't want to get my results. i think i will collapse when i receive them."

i kept trying to reassure him that whatever his results ended up being, he would be ok. if negative, then he can keep living a safe and healthy life. and if he ends up testing positive, then he can get enrolled on treatment and get healthy.

throughout the whole process, though, in the back of my head i kept thinking, "how will i react if he comes back from receiving his results and tells me he's positive?? what do i say to him?" i can't imagine what it would be like to receive a positive result, and i am in no position to try to pretend i know what he would be going through.

luckily, he came out of the results tent with a huge smile on his face and waving a piece of paper with his results on it. the paper read "nr" aka not reactive aka not positive! he was beaming with joy. 40 something years old, his first time testing, and negative. happy days. and he got a sweet bracelet to go along with it....the initial incentive.

glad i didn't brush him off like i had initially been inclined to do.

story #2:

as i was hanging around the tents waiting for godfrey tembo to go through the testing process, i got a chance to talk with some other people getting tested. normally i don't spend a lot of time around the testing tents because i don't have a role with the testing, and i feel as though i am invading their personal rights a bit hanging around and chatting as they are going through this scary process of testing for hiv.

but i was talking to one boy, probably 18 years old, who just found out he was negative. it was his first time being tested. his smile was stretching from ear to ear he was so happy. he explained that he was now going to apply to the army (which is a respected position) because he now knew he was healthy.

at the end of the day, as i was getting in the car to leave, he came up to me still smiling from ear to ear. he thanked me for making this the best day of his life (even though in fact i had nothing to do with it). but you could tell a weight had been lifted off him to learn his negative status. it is definitely something that looms over a lot of zambians' heads, but most are too scared to confront the fear and test. it was reassuring to see a young man testing voluntarily and seeing how it changed his whole outlook on their life.

story #3:

this 8 year old girl and her little sister, maybe 1.5 years old, came up and started talking to me. i was hanging out with them for a bit chatting and asking them questions. i assumed they were just passing by and stopped by when they heard the music. but then their mom came over and escorted them over to the tents to get tested. it made me really happy to see the mom willing to bring her whole family to come get tested together. it is so much easier to keep you and your loved ones safe if you all get tested together and know everyone's status at the same time.