Dr Emma Lockwood – volunteer chiropractor

After 5 months I am just starting to realize the enormous impact that Hands Across Borders Society and the wellness clinic of Jambiani really had on me. The explicit trust that Alastair had for me with his patients, is humbling and the passion that Pat has for her students is sweet and inspiring.

I came to Jambiani a fresh chiropractor, just graduating from a United States school. I touched down in Zanzibar, after a trip I would never forget and was whisked away to a village paradise. I left Jambiani seeing things that most of my seasoned colleagues will never see in their lives, and I learned how to tackle those problems head on, with support from a very experienced chiropractor.

Alastair is one of a kind. Chiropractic philosophy is much engrained in him, and his philosophy for life really taught me a lot. Often I enjoyed nice conversations between patients while picking hot chilies. He is a great healer, and has transformed the lives of so many people in Jambiani, Zanzibar and the whole of Tanzania.

I learned more than just adjusting or even chiropractic in my short time at this amazing place. I really learned about what it is to help people, to be a leader in a community, and that love is the real language. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t understand Kiswahili when they came in to tell me their problems. Once they lay down, they were there to get help, and get love, and that is what I did.
There is something very humbling about having patients come 4 or 5 hours, over water and then wait 2 or 3 hours to see you in the office. In the states people have trouble if you go over 15 minutes for their appointment and they don’t like to travel longer than15 minutes in their own car to get to you.  Chiropractic is powerful, and we often forget that in countries when there is a chiropractor on every street corner. I think the biggest lesson I took out of my experience in Africa, is that chiropractic is amazing, and it is about really loving the people where they are at.

Dr Emma Lockwood