drowning

31 Jan 2010

A boy drowned today. His name was Brian Mchenga. He was 17, but looked 13.

Beute came running. Kevin took off. I got Rory, Judy, Sean and we went running. Jumped in the lake with not much direction and started diving down, searching. Groping through murky water, diving, terrified of finding an arm, a leg, but terrified of not. Sean found him- doesn’t make sense that he did. Awkwardly got to shore.

Everything moved very fast and very slow. Linear time warped into play-dough, so we were slowly slipping and sliding along. Moments became as memorable as highlights of childhood—remained intact on the retinas as clearly as the smell of your mom’s baking apple pie.

His body was floppy—arms, head, legs, even torso. His skin was smooth and richly brown, taut over small abdominal muscles. We tried to clear his airway, do CPR, etc. Eventually he vomited, but there was no action—just greenish lunch emitting from his mouth. I kept looking towards his eyes, which were thankfully closed. Nothing….Nothing….Nothing…over before we began. His small body was screaming life and death. So many cells, organs, and tissues just waiting for life that won’t come. I was praying the whole time, and asked that we pray once we stopped. A local Shona guy began, and the mother started wailing.

Through the rush and the emptiness, Kevin hounded me to go take a shower and scrub so I don’t get schistomyasis. I wanted to say no. As I walked away angry hot tears came, which I shoved from my face with my palms. My steps were fast, but my breath was faster. As I got into the shower, I quietly sobbed.

beauty in the breakdown, glory to God in the highest,
Em