Pastor tells his story
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) pastor that has battled a rare skin condition for 31 years, has published a book detailing his struggle with the disease that saw him labelled an Aids patient by members of the public.
Pastor Simeon Kandjala suffers from psoriasis which was diagnosed in 1988 while in exile. Kandjala has now published his book 'The war between life and death', which aims to sensitise the public to psoriasis, based on his personal experience.
The book was published last month and it was launched by retired Lieutenant-General Martin Shalli at Oshakati recently.
Kandjala, who works as a chaplain in the NDF, recalled his battle with this rare disease saying while in exile, he began to wake up in the middle of the night itching profusely.
This was two years after he had crossed the Namibian border into Angola to join the liberation struggle in exile. A month later he was sent to the clinic at the Tobias Hainyeko Training Centre in Angola.
“So the days came and went and I was just itching without resting. Then I started developing a rash on my stomach and on my chest.
“In November 1987, I was deployed to the front. I did not tell my comrades about my condition because I thought that if I tell them they might think that I am afraid to go to the battlefield.
“But there was war in my heart. I was crying inside. I told myself that it will be better for me to die in battle than to die from this horrific disease,” Kandjala said.
“In the book I describe everything that happened to me. I tell the entire story of the difficulties I went thought. I also speak about my experience with depression.
“I speak of how I think God allows some of us to experience difficulties in our lives and how we can have hope,” said Kandjala.
Shalli said when he first met Kandjala, who came to his office seeking help while he was a member of the Namibian Defence Force, he was convinced that Kandjala will not survive.
“I asked him to take of his shirt to show me what he was talking about. To my shock I lost hope and at one point I thought that helping him is just a waste of money because he will not survive. Nevetheless, we care for our liberation fighters so I decided to have him helped by the military hospital at Grootfontein,” Shalli said.
He said Kandjala's book is a story of extraordinary courage and he recommends it to every Namibian, especially those that are going through difficulties and are close to giving up.
“This man has a determination to live despite his condition. It cost him a lot of money that he did not have. After returning from exile he decided to become a pastor and I think this was just a way for him to thank God. We decided to save his life for solidarity,” Shali said.
Kandjala's skin condition is chronic and affected people have to use special ointments their entire lives to suppress and control the symptoms, although the ideal treatment is a monthly or three-monthly injection that costs at least N$14 000 at a time.
In 2008 was the year a ray of light shone on him and the NDF helped him to get treatment in Cuba. The Cuban treatment made the condition better, but he still relies on injections.
Kandjala said that the stigmatisation he suffered on a daily basis made life almost unbearable.
“One day a nurse started shouting at me at the hospital that we returnees brought Aids to the country. On several occasions doctors sent me for HIV tests, but I never collected my test results out of fear.
“Instead, I kept changing clinics and hospitals and tearing some pages from my medical passport and this went on for years,” he explained, until 1996 when a relative convinced him to go for an HIV test.
Although the test confirmed that he was not HIV positive, Kandjala's condition did not get any better, as the diagnosis and treatment of his condition remained a mystery to local doctors. His dilemma started triggering suicidal thoughts.
“Sometimes I felt that 2008 was my last year to be alive. I used to pray so hard, asking God what I have done. After the Cuba treatment, life became better,” he said.
ILENI NANDJATO
Pastor Simeon Kandjala suffers from psoriasis which was diagnosed in 1988 while in exile. Kandjala has now published his book 'The war between life and death', which aims to sensitise the public to psoriasis, based on his personal experience.
The book was published last month and it was launched by retired Lieutenant-General Martin Shalli at Oshakati recently.
Kandjala, who works as a chaplain in the NDF, recalled his battle with this rare disease saying while in exile, he began to wake up in the middle of the night itching profusely.
This was two years after he had crossed the Namibian border into Angola to join the liberation struggle in exile. A month later he was sent to the clinic at the Tobias Hainyeko Training Centre in Angola.
“So the days came and went and I was just itching without resting. Then I started developing a rash on my stomach and on my chest.
“In November 1987, I was deployed to the front. I did not tell my comrades about my condition because I thought that if I tell them they might think that I am afraid to go to the battlefield.
“But there was war in my heart. I was crying inside. I told myself that it will be better for me to die in battle than to die from this horrific disease,” Kandjala said.
“In the book I describe everything that happened to me. I tell the entire story of the difficulties I went thought. I also speak about my experience with depression.
“I speak of how I think God allows some of us to experience difficulties in our lives and how we can have hope,” said Kandjala.
Shalli said when he first met Kandjala, who came to his office seeking help while he was a member of the Namibian Defence Force, he was convinced that Kandjala will not survive.
“I asked him to take of his shirt to show me what he was talking about. To my shock I lost hope and at one point I thought that helping him is just a waste of money because he will not survive. Nevetheless, we care for our liberation fighters so I decided to have him helped by the military hospital at Grootfontein,” Shalli said.
He said Kandjala's book is a story of extraordinary courage and he recommends it to every Namibian, especially those that are going through difficulties and are close to giving up.
“This man has a determination to live despite his condition. It cost him a lot of money that he did not have. After returning from exile he decided to become a pastor and I think this was just a way for him to thank God. We decided to save his life for solidarity,” Shali said.
Kandjala's skin condition is chronic and affected people have to use special ointments their entire lives to suppress and control the symptoms, although the ideal treatment is a monthly or three-monthly injection that costs at least N$14 000 at a time.
In 2008 was the year a ray of light shone on him and the NDF helped him to get treatment in Cuba. The Cuban treatment made the condition better, but he still relies on injections.
Kandjala said that the stigmatisation he suffered on a daily basis made life almost unbearable.
“One day a nurse started shouting at me at the hospital that we returnees brought Aids to the country. On several occasions doctors sent me for HIV tests, but I never collected my test results out of fear.
“Instead, I kept changing clinics and hospitals and tearing some pages from my medical passport and this went on for years,” he explained, until 1996 when a relative convinced him to go for an HIV test.
Although the test confirmed that he was not HIV positive, Kandjala's condition did not get any better, as the diagnosis and treatment of his condition remained a mystery to local doctors. His dilemma started triggering suicidal thoughts.
“Sometimes I felt that 2008 was my last year to be alive. I used to pray so hard, asking God what I have done. After the Cuba treatment, life became better,” he said.
ILENI NANDJATO
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