Esmé's Mommy here.
I've written about the sham election in neighboring Zimbabwe before. Today I'm writing about the Zimbabwean tragedy again.
My parents worked in Zimbabwe for eight years and have a vested interest in what happens there. As my dad was going through his emails here, I caught a glimpse of the photo that is now on this post.
Cathy Buckle's newsletters give an idea of what is really going on there. In her last letter, she writes about how a teacher's monthly salary is less than the price of a small tin of jam. The government has prohibited outside help, so food is incredibly scarce. And even if the rains come, there is no seed or fertilizer to grow crops this year.
An acquaintance of my parents, a 72-year-old named Paula Leen, is making a difference there. She writes about a family who has only been managing one small meal every other day, but now they haven't eaten in four days. Their baby hasn't been fed since three months old, and they have brought her to Paula's orphanage. This is the baby's photo:
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This is not sensationalism. This is the sad truth of life in Zimbabwe. Paula writes, "We could send you many more pictures like this, but this one sort of says it all!"
If you are sponsoring a child through organizations such as Compassion International or World Vision, thank you. Here are the links to a couple of the smaller organizations currently working with children in Zimbabwe:
I'll leave you with the thought that I ended the last Zimbabwe post with: Edmund Burke’s thought that “evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”
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20 comments:
j, does that mean ANY outside help??? or does that mean other countries' help??? how does aid get in through the organizations???
sorry for all the questions... i've only ever done heifer project missions work:)
love and prayers,
dani
This is very moving- it had me crying and my heart aching for that baby (and all the babies and families that are starving).
Oh my gosh.......I think of the waste my family thoughtlessly disposes of.....and then I see her and my heartbreaks. Thank you for the links to those organizations that help children in Zimbabwe.
Wow...sometimes I wish there was more I could do to help...but I guess even one child being sponsored at a time does make a difference...it just seems like so little when you see pictures like this.
Yes, what andrea said. We sponsor, but feel like it's such a drop in the ocean. But andrea's right! Every person who helps even one child really does make a difference!
No, the photo isn't sensationalism. It's reality. The hard truth.
Thank you for this post!
My heart breaks for this family and the thousands of others like them. One of my good friends from college is from Zimbabwe and I have been reading her blog on the atrocities happening over there...there are just no words.
That is so heartbreaking.
This made me cry the pain of this Country is just SO real. I have been reading a blog about a family who was teaching in Zim and have now been shipped out because of the situation. Her stories are just horrific and shocking. If your interested you can check her archives here:
http://teather.blogspot.com/
How heartbreaking.
Ah, that is so sad! Thanks for the info and the links.
for the first time in a while i am at a loss for words. heartbreaking is all i can think. thank you for those links and thank you for sharing.
At a loss for words. We are currently in the process of determining funds for world vision...we'd like to sponsor three children - one each the age of our current children to help our children feel more connected.
This is a true reminder of the blessings we take for granted.
Also wondering...how are the organizations helping if outside help is permitted...? Just wondering what is and isnt' being permitted and why....
My heart breaks . . . off to the links.
This is truly a tragedy. I want to help, but I have to admit that I am terribly cynical and skeptical, and after seeing too many ineffective and money-sucking charities operating here in Moz, I doubt that my donations will ever actually reach the people they are intended to help. I know this is a harmful generalization, but I prefer to help on a micro-scale, where there is more control over where donations are put to use, to be sure they aren't going to administrative fees or getting stuck in a mess of bureaucracy.
This is heartbreaking. Damn Mugabe.
Heartbreaking. Thanks for the reality check, sometimes it's so easy to take for granted what you have and to close your eyes to what others need.
UGH That breaks my heart. It is so sad that so many people have so much and others have so little. It just isn't right. That poor baby.
Your family has a very rare and necessary ministry. I have spent a few hours on your blog and I am amazed by what I see. Your task ahead is a daunting one and I wish you every success.
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