"It is important to be aware of the high emotional toll that disease, death, and violence can have on Volunteers. As you strive to integrate into your community, you will develop relationships with local people who might die during your service."
Yesterday and today are the saddest days of my service so far. I went back to work on Tuesday 8/19 after traveling out of town for a week. My coworkers told me that Nunes was in a motorcycle accident on Sunday and is currently in a coma in the Nampula Hospital. Yesterday evening I received a call from one of my coworker with devastating news: Eu quero informar que Nunes já morreu. (I want to inform you that Nunes already died) Between the loud background noises and my poor Portuguese skills, she had to repeat it a few times before I screamed O QUE?! into the phone. I attended his funeral today and I didn't think I was going to cry but it was really hard to hold in the tears. A ton of neighbors, coworkers, and even community leaders whom he worked with came. Nunes is one of the facilitators for the Metoro post. The facilitators stay and live in the field majority of the time but I've gotten to know and worked with him in the field many times this past year. He always greeted me in Macua and laugh when I can't keep up with talking in Macua. He wear reading glasses with the +1.25 sticker still on them. I never got around to telling him he can take them off :(
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| RIP Nunes, you will be missed! |
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