Way of Life

Niger, a country in Africa accustomed to food-shortages, is suffering from a drought only producing a tenth of what it should have to supply the population for the upcoming year. The people do not have time to mourn one child that dies, because others shortly follow.

Mortality is a reality.

It surrounds the culture in a very personal way with close family dying each and every day. And the numbers of casualties are expected to rise. As a response, a Nigerian woman says, "Some live. Some die. It's all God's will. Even hunger is God's will." (It's sad that most of the world stands by and watches...funds and food are caught up in the political arena never reaching the clutches of those who need them)

On a personal note, I agree that it is important to teach other nations how to use resources to better grow crops, or other survival skills. But I am also a firm supporter on giving direct aid (though the directness is currently obscure)...a fix now, even if it is only temporary...Chances are it could lead to a reliance of those in need on wealthier nations for support...but valuing life means doing what one can to save as many as he or she can. Not doing anything now and allowing more to die for the possibility of a better future LATER is shocking to me.

The only thing bigger than village cemeteries in Niger are the millet fields -- something that may flip flop in the coming year. Niger as the second poorest nation on the planet, receiving very little assistance (less than 7% of what it needs) is doomed to suffer through the days when the death toll of children exponentially outnumbers that of the adults.

Starvation is something we can scarce imagine here in America. When we're at our hungriest, it's far worse other places. We're wimps who think we understand what it means to really suffer. My sufferings in life are miniscule in comparison, yet I've been known to walk about posturing the poor-me-give-me-attention attitude (which my wife has pointed out on countless occassions).

From my journal entry for today, which I'll share --

...When the rains come, there will be joy in the coming of the storm...

...God paints life...


[Pictures from www.asnom.org and bbc.com]