First Day at Panzi- Wednesday 15th April

We are in a makeshift garage area of the Hospital grounds. There are women doing the laundry- mainly the sheets form the wards. The smell of urine is high in the air. The men are fixing a couple of trucks and there are small kids in awe as they see the drums begin to arrive. It is Wednesday the day that ASO the youth drummer and drama workers come to be with the women and kids at Panzi. The members of ASO and Juvenile their leader begin to form a circle in the bright morning sun- slowly as they start a call and response of each person name we see women start to arrive- they are hearing the call of the drum!


Soon we have a circle of maybe 30 of us playing name games and follow the leader games- they clearly are delighted at my inability to get the foreign sounding Congolese names – I am mildly embarrassed and make a show of being the Muzungu clown! (White woman clown!) The smiles are infectious and I find myself making connections with the women and feeling the delight that I have with them. Over time there are more and more of the women and their kids arriving- their faces are excited- this is a rare form of celebrating, release, joy and community for them I am sure.

ASO the drumming group are amazing! As they start to set up the drums they enroll some of the patients to come and drum and take percussion instruments and soon we have a great drum circle happening- and I am on the outer edge- I can’t help but start to dance and soon I am dancing with the Mamas and we are all together learning moves from each other. I am of course a spectacle- tall, blonde and dressed like an REI model- amongst all the color and brightly flowing materials that the women are dressed in - these bright beautiful women. The energy is building and more women join- some clearly just post op- and still suffering with incontinence and others who are more recovered. Some are removed and distant- but still stay close to the edge listening and watching, whilst others are dancing now more and singing. I glance to my left and see an old old woman – maybe 80? 90? She is walking with a big stick, she flashes me toothy grin and starts to dance with me – grabbing my hand and laughing all the way- I am touched and in this moment totally taken by her spirit of joy. She laughs again and moves on towards her destination….She is one woman who I am lucky to meet in the spirit of the dance. This is my favorite way to meet people.

ASO are incredible group seeing the way that they have been able to take their art and turn their own pain into the power to create with others is so beautiful. I am developing a deep commitment to wanting to support them in their work and to find the way to have them not only continue but deepen the work. I am so happy that we get to spend three days together and of the training.

I am touched by this experience and by seeing the faces of the women change from closed, guarded, and suspicious to open smiles and enjoyment. I go to bed with the sound off Jambo Mama in my head (hello mama).
Elayne