Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.— It is possible that our doctors have turned into kinds of Good Samaritans who travel around the world showing, perhaps, the most - compassionate face of our country - although not the only one. And this face, which neither belongs to a single woman or man, but rather to countless women and men, is present in the hundreds of stories of people who for some reason or another “know us” and “care about us.”
Kervin Raymond, for example, is one of these Zimbabweans who shares ties with Cuba. In 2008 he stepped onto Cuban soil for the first time, there to study at the University of Medical Sciences in Pinar del Río, which welcomed him with open arms; bringing with him perhaps the most important of all his possessions, a bundle of hopes.
He studied Radiology-Medical Physics, and graduated with honors after six years of hard work. Today, Kervin works in the United Bulawayo Hospitals and despite the fact that the health system here is very different from Cuba’s, various lessons have taken root, such as putting the patient at the heart of the public health service and working to meet their needs.
He commented that, in Zimbabwe, it is the small number of medical professionals who are usually the focus. Kervin however, is trying to bring the training and values he received in Cuba, which today distinguish the island, to the facility where he works.
Of the many things he admired and continues to admire about Cuba, Kervin notes “It’s free and universal healthcare,” “profound humility,” “lack of unnecessary protocols and artificial hierarchies between doctors and patients,” “inspiring ability to help other countries,” and above all “its eternal defense of just causes.”
And if sometimes daily life makes us view these qualities as normal, with no apparent need for pride or praise, Kervin highlights more factors about Cuba which confirm to him that the island “is my second homeland, there I learned the principles of solidarity, there I participated in students movements and took on the precepts of internationalism.”
He dreams of seeing these values instilled in his country’s healthcare system and hopes that one day such services will be available in the places where only Cuban collaborators are currently working, “whose influence is without a doubt positive for Zimbabwe.”
Quoting Nelson Mandela, Kervin notes that (…) “Cuba has shown that it is not just a question of size of a country, but that its policy and the caliber of its leaders is important,” a sentiment which given the island’s acts of solidarity is reaffirmed almost daily for the young radiologist, “because it is amazing to see how the Cubans have been able, without practically any economic resources, to provide lessons of solidarity and generosity to the world.”
CUBA AROUND EVERY CORNER
Strollingalong the streets ofBulawayo, wider and less hectic than those of the capital Harare, we bump into David Munuawy a photographer who “recognized us” and in just a few minutes recalled various images of Cuba, those of its dedicated doctors, the ties between Fidel and Robert Mugabe, and the island’s continual solidarity with Africa.
Sarah Nyamukondiwa, a Zimbabwean like so many others hurrying along with their children, almost with out stopping, told us that Cubans are “good people, above all the doctors, who have kind hearts.”
“The doctors at the Mpilo Hospital are particularly good. We love all Cubans, and appreciate everything they do. Thank you Cuba,” stated Mindu Tafadzwa, a publicist who tried to explain to his small son, a little timid because of the cameras, that there was no reason to be shy “because we are among brothers.”
Nomalanga Dube’s knowledge of Cuba is directly linked to medicine, as she is one of the many Zimbabweans with relations trained on the island. “My aunt went to Cuba to study Chemistry, Biology and Applied Sciences, that’s how I learned that Cuba is a great country of good people.”
We could continue on like this until sounding redundant, because at least in Bulawayo, the second most important city in Zimbabwe, we find references to Cuba around every corner, surprising in their spontaneity and diversity. These opinions although not solely related to them, have a lot to do with the 11 Cuban collaborators who have been saving lives here for some time now.
AFRICA: AN INTROSPECTIVE
The prophet
According to locals, hundreds of amulets and canes hang in front of his house, left there as proof of his healing powers by people who called on him in search of a remedy for their ailments, one which they apparently found.
They say that a prophet need only put his hand on the head of the afflicted, recite a couple of prayers, and suddenly, the person is healed. Some people who have come to him in wheel chairs have left with the ability to walk.
Walter Magaya is relatively young and is not the only prophet in Zimbabwe, but is perhaps the most celebrated, so much so that his fame has even reached neighboring countries.
Many speak of his last visit to Botswana where he was received by a large crowd, one which many heads of state would envy. Around one million people have come out to see him in South Africa, while some 500,000 gather in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare to attend every one of his masses.
His “miracles” have reached the ears of ambassadors and government officials, who have reportedly sought and received his help; their problems disappearing “as if by magic,” as they say.
Magaya opens his doors to his followers every Sunday. Both entry and consultations are free of charge, but the people make donations as a demonstration of gratitude. Magaya, however, has other sources of income. From his plots, he sells “protective amulets” and “healing” almost “miracle working” oils, and the people believe and buy, including the non-believers. This “blessed” man is now rich and even has bodyguards, although, as they say, no one who speaks in the name of Jesus Christ does so to get rich. Nonetheless, he is rumored to receive large donations, 90% of which he gives away, leaving only a small percentage for himself. This could be true, but the majority of people aren’t concerned about that; they just want to believe, they need to believe. And when Magaya is gone, another will come along, because Africa has always had its prophets.
