Chodo has been invited to work with the staff of Island Hospice Service in Harare, Zimbabwe during the last 2 weeks of September. Island Hospice, Africa's first hospice, is currently engaged in a national effort to expand hospice care to thousands of Zimbabweans in need. Over 1,200 people mostly women and children, are dying in Zimbabwe every week from HIV/AIDS. In addition, there is a significant disease burden from cancer and other life threatening illnesses.

This effort is being undertaken in collaboration with The Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa. Phil Di Sorbo, Director, Grants Management & Partnership Support for FHSSA, and Christine Swann, who serves on the Board of Directors have assisted with the planning of Chodo's upcoming work project.

Island Hospice has strong social work and nursing teams and an eminent and active bereavement program. It does not have chaplains on its staff and works with a multi-faith panel for referral to pastoral care.

Dr. Dickson Chifamba, the Executive Director, suggested a Chaplaincy visit for mutual learning after visits to his USA partner, Community Hospice three years ago and after meeting Chodo and Koshin here in NYC last year.

The work project will be a sharing of skills and experience between Chodo and the professional staff of Island Hospice. Chodo will be immersed in multi-disciplinary patient/family care with children, adolescents, and adults infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. He will go with the staff on their visits to high population impoverished settlements surrounding the capital city of Harare, to palliative care adult and pediatric clinics throughout the city, and to rural village clinics and homes. Chodo will also participate in the hospice team meetings each week.

Chodo and the Island Hospice clinical staff will discuss their experiences. He will also discuss his observations with the leadership of Island Hospice and FHSSA. Chodo will describe his current chaplaincy work in the USA and the mission and work of NYZCCC.

The hope is that this visit will provide an opportunity for learning for all involved and will be a way of contributing to the national expansion of hospice care in Zimbabwe.

Chodo and Christine will then go to South Africa, another country struggling with the ravages of HIV/AIDS and many other serious diseases. They will spend time with Tapologo Hospice, and with the Tsholofelo Community, both of whom provide care in a large, mainly rural area which includes several squatter camps which are poor, under-serviced and largely without access to medical care. For those of you watching the World Cup Soccer, Tapologo and Tsholofelo are close to Rustenberg. They are in Phokeng township where the Royal Bafeking stadium is actually located.