By Arthur M Fournier, MD
Although I’d picked out an entirely different book to read this week, I passed this story of AIDS in Haiti and was compelled to pick it up. The topic of AIDS has long been important to me, but as the disaster unfolds in Haiti, I’ve realized that Haiti, the country, the people, their suffering should be important to me as well. I found myself frustrated with those around me talking about Haiti as if they had any authority on the matter, as if they’d been there, seen the poverty, knew the people, knew the struggles. Yet I was in the same boat. I knew nothing of Haiti except what I’ve heard from my husband, and his stories are ones of fear and Voodoo. This book seemed like the perfect way to feed my mind through the eyes and experiences of a doctor charmed by this nation.
The title conjured up images in my mind of AIDS patients, wasting away, not really living, yet not quite dead. People terminally ill, lacking any quality of life, yet still hanging on. Certainly there were stories of hopelessness, despair and isolation. But I found so much more in Dr. Fournier’s memoir. He describes his own awakening from the zombie curse as he toured Haiti for the first time, saying that he was “Cursed by naiveté and enslaved by conventional thinking”.
I find truth in his experience, not only for myself, but for my friends and family. At some point we’ve all been enslaved by what we feel we should do, say, look like, think, believe. But I’ve experienced my own enlightenment, found something beyond my own little bubble of existence. I’ve watched as friends travel to third world countries and come back different people, suddenly and profoundly aware of life outside of their hometown, their state, their country and striving to make a difference in the lives of others. Dr. Fournier’s truth is also my truth. It’s Dusty’s truth. It’s Anita’s truth. It’s Nathan’s truth. It’s the same truth, yet different words, a different country and different circumstances.
It is that truth and the spark of illumination that I found beautiful.
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Heather- So great to read your review. I am on my lunch at school, but just wanted to shake my head in agreement pertaining to "the bubble." I sometimes find myself, even though I have left my comfortable homeland, getting away from remembering that illumination in it's fullness... getting caught up in the day to day activities of working, mothering and living life, that while I will think of Ghana daily in our prayers and mean those prayers, I sometimes find myself getting disconnected from the lessons I learned. I still sometimes wonder why the trip to Kosoa never happened for me- we were going to go and going to go and it never materialized. Truly, with all that had happened in that crazy, frightening time, I think not going might have been a blessing for me because there was already so much ugliness and sadness. I am not sure if I could have taken in much more, especially in regards to my own children's personal suffering.
ReplyDeleteA good friend of mine just came back from a Cambodian dental mission and has gained that new knowledge for herself and I am reminded of the similarities of the struggles of all of those that live in a poverty we just simply do NOT have here in the US. Yes, we do have a poverty level, but compared to developing nations, well, there just IS no comparison. But, that hopefulness that seems to be common in those that are living this type of life is a strength of faith that embarrasses me in my own modest faith sometimes.
Thanks for sharing, it sounds like it was a difficult read in some ways, but one that still offered hope. Without hope, how would those that suffer go on?
Much love,
Amy
I think you've hit on something my friend. Perhaps I seek out these memoirs of third world travel as a way to renew my own enlightenment as it begins to fade.
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