Editor’s Note: When young Nelson came in contact with the electric line near his school in Mponela it shot 220-volts of electricity through his body in a hit that should have meant certain death. In fact, when he reached Kamuzu Central Hospital’s burn unit some staff members were convinced that he would not survive. The burns covered a large part of his face, arms and torso, and his nerves had been damaged to where he would probably never walk again, even if he survived the impact of the strike. There was a deep wound on his head and another on his hip. He was however, conscious, though confused as to what had happened.
Through gallant efforts by the hospital staff, strength and encouragement from mother and father, an unflinching positive attitude, and his faith that God would bring him through 16-year-old Nelson Bonongwe of Kasungu is not only alive, he is on the mend. The wounds are healing, skin graphs are covering damaged flesh, and he has started walking a few steps again.
When Suzi Stephens RN, from the Malawi Project, met him in the burns unit at KCH he wore a big smile that, in her mind, erased the scars on his face and hands. She also saw his optimism as remarkable under the circumstances of his struggle. It wasn’t long until he announced, “Tomorrow I will go home.” “He has been saying that for some days, as he struggles to overcome his traumatic experience,” Suzi notes. After their visit she had made such an impact on him, and he on her, that he composed the following letter to her. About her he wrote, “a real friend is not easily found but it is in this strange world that I found mine, which makes me one of the luckiest people alive. His own words seem to form an appropriate title.
“TOMORROW I WILL GO HOME”
by Nelson Bonongwe
“We are all born different.”
“Our mentalities vary along with our physical appearances. Some of us tend to appreciate our characteristics and acknowledge our self worth. Some don’t. But one attribute we all share is the inability to make our future as we would like it to be, perfect. Everyone encounters mistakes once in a while and usually choices follow, but there are times when some inevitable situations affect us in such a way that we cannot even recognize the right choice.”
“My story is a good example of such a time. I never imagined the possibility of acquiring a disability in a very short period of time, I just had to experience it.”
“I was unconscious when it all happened. The last thing I remembered was walking down a usual route to my dormitory on a Saturday afternoon at school.”
“I had no medical condition or a health related weakness, I was just a form four student preparing for the exams and in a blink of an eye I found myself waking up in the hospital. Surrounded by sympathetic faces in a strange environment, no sensation in my lower limbs and my mind full of unanswered questions. A blank patch in my memory, and the lack of strength to communicate, made my condition even more mysterious.”
“When I learnt of how I got electrocuted and amazingly survived I fell into depression. I could not understand how electric wires powering my school, several meters above ground, would attract me to them and transform me into a new being I could not recognize. The markings on my arm, leg, and face haunted my mind and unveiled unpleasant emotions. I could not accept the fact that the incident occurred and that this was my current self. I prayed for a miracle, a chance to turn back time and reverse just that incident that brought me into this new environment, far from home, and no hope of returning soon. Problem is, that power is reserved. The only option being endurance and a chance to adapt to the change though smiles are rare and expensive. All this happening in such a short period of time, life seems to be on its darkest side and nothing seems real; job, gratitude, smiles, love and dreams are all a myth, mysteries.”
“That was a perspective from myself as a victim. Depression engulfed my positive thoughts, my brightest side, and the pain during and after wound dressings did not make matters any easier.”
“Countless days elapsed and each one brought new experiences, which were either ignored or faced with a frown.”
“By chance one of them left more than just abstract memory making a real friend, who actually understood who I really am gave me hope. I realized I still had something more precious than what I lost physically and it gave me pride because it was recognizable.” “The accident affected my appearance but I was still myself in every other way and by allowing it to affect my mentality I was giving up the only thing that is real.”
“I later stopped focusing on my weaknesses and explored what I was still capable of doing and things progressed to change for the better. What I thought was hard became easier once I tried.”
“Slowly the pain lessened and I took a challenge to practice walking again, and every time I fell I stood back up and took a step knowing nothing can be achieved if no effort is applied. Despite all the darkness one thing managed to shed some light, a real friend is not easily found but it is in this strange world that I found mine, which makes me one of the luckiest people alive. From that and all the knowledge acquired during this time I learned to appreciate life and the markings that come along.”
“It is amazing what influence you can get from a fellow individual, that influence led to new hopes and dreams for me.”
“Life is unpredictable.”
“So from now on, I’ll stay calm and see what tomorrow brings. We never know.”
Well… it could have been better, but that’s all I could come up with for now. Hope you like it, and just so you know, it’s not edited. P.S. If you think it needs a title… I will let you do the honors.