Difficult day

Had a very difficult day yesterday in Gugulethu. I went at 10.00 to help with the food parcels but none arrived as the lorry broke down. I left at 12.00. There was a misunderstanding between H. and P. (you met both of them). This calmed down and then at the afternoon meeting things erupted again between three other ladies. Two of them had made the others HIV status known to people in the community and the third one was very upset. She had also lost her daughter that morning. I thought she meant the girl had died but she really had lost her. The daughter went to the toilet at 7 and hadn't been seen since. I took her to the police station where they weren't much help until one of them took us through to Social Services who were excellent. Anyway the girl has been found (unharmed). I think she was kidnapped but I'm not sure of the full background yet. I must seriously concentrate on learning Xhosa as its such a handicap.
(uit een mail van AF, 11/03)