Ethiopia, A Second Time

I visited Ethiopia in May 2003 for a second time. Reports were trickling in of a famine that had begun in the south. Survey results were confirmed that more people were suffering from food shortages than anyone had realized.

Sitting with the mothers gave me a new sense of the value of life. Holding each little baby, feeling their hands hold my sleeve, feeling them lean into my chest and allow me to comfort their insecurity, left me with the realization that these infants were no different than my own children. It was sad to see them so thin and dehydrated. Swollen little bellies testified of many suffering from worm infestation.

The situation was far more serious than our capacity to respond. Yet it did bait the question, “How much would it take to get food to these children? What would the cost be to de-worm them and give them food for the next 6 months until the harvest was brought in?” Breaking the cost down to focus on an individual child presented a minuscule amount of money. I rechecked the figures and found them to be true. It all seemed to be an issue of raising the resources to purchase the food that was already available in the capital city.

Returning to Canada, we launched an information campaign. Hundreds responded, many sacrificially. Several thousands of those babies received nutritional supplements that lasted for 6 months. The stories of 8,000 babies who had 3 weeks to live began to cross the country. Some media picked up the story. Others, although approached on numerous occasions refused to be drawn in. The business side of relief had kicked in with an intellectual understanding that we would not be able to save them all. Mentally I could find shelter in the fact that for many; they would soon be cared for by God rather than man.

Yet three weeks later, the UN started releasing pictures from the area. Sad, suffering, skeletal babies crying out in fear and pain. I looked at the pictures for 4 days, keeping an intellectual distance from my heart.

Ironically, power-raking the moss out of my lawn triggered an understanding that I was trying to deny. The cosmetic necessities of life that trap us have a cost. Without intent or desire, the cost began to compare itself with the number of children that would be alive for that same miniscule amount of cash. Life seemed to be couched in a category of “cheapness”.

Realization came at that point. These recent pictures of the dying were of the children from the same area we had visited 3 weeks earlier. The reality of what we had said was being lived out in front of my eyes. We had said that if help did not arrive within three weeks, these babies would die. Now they were dying and for most it was too late.

Thoughts of the movie Schindler’s List reminded me of his words when confronted by the outcome, “I should have done more. I could have done more.” We all walk the tension. Yet 30 bags of moss proved that there is only a very fine line between that which is culturally appropriate and what is culturally enslaving.

This is not so much an issue of Ethiopia. It is a call to avoid becoming so intellectual or professional, that the true issues are lost in the rationalization. Life is too short to miss the blessings birthed from responsive hearts. Does it cost? Of course it does. Will it create hardship for you? Most likely not. But the Master asks us to live with sensitivity to His Spirit and to the needs of His creation. Each one of us is exposed to the issues that God desires us to grapple with. They have been brought into our lives to teach us more about Him. It is an appeal to trust God with your life.

The rollercoaster of emotions came full circle for me in September of 2003 when I received a picture of the little girl I held in one of our communities. To look at her and realize she is alive today because each of us did something about it provided me with a deep sense of satisfaction, gratitude and reverence for God. Each time the question arises regarding God’s ability to prevent this type of tragedy, I am reminded that it is almost always humanity that creates it. And it is usually humanity whom God has equipped to do something about it.

Comments

[Janelle]

Thank you for this article. It was exactly what I needed to read and very inspiring!