Amanda’s Journey

The first time I saw Amanda, she was a very sick little girl. Joyce had invited me to accompany her on a home visit, to see why Amanda hadn’t been at school for a while. We found her lying listlessly on a dirty rug on the red earth outside the small mud brick, dirt-floored, windowless hut shared by her family and one or two others. Her step-mother had a small baby in her arms, and wasn’t interested in caring for this sick girl as well. Joyce made sure money was provided for her to take Amanda to the local medical clinic, and made a note to follow up to make sure the child was receiving appropriate food and treatment.

I came home to Melbourne soon after, but Joyce kept me informed. Amanda happily tested negative for HIV, but sadly, had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Over the next couple of years, the ALMS staff helped support her trips to the capital, Lusaka (a 4-6 hour bus ride) for radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The next time I saw Amanda, she was embarrassed to be bald, a result of the chemo. I told her that some supermodels shaved their heads to show off their beautiful bone structure…

The last time I saw Amanda, she was a poised, willowy young woman, speaking at a large Zoom gathering of school supporters all around the world about her hopes and dreams. She was just finishing Yr 11.

The next time I see Amanda, I imagine it will be at her university graduation – hopefully, in person!

Written By: Merryl Blair

Amanda has her hood on