COURAGE

COURAGE IS A MOTHER WHO QUIETLY LOSES HER LIFE GIVING BIRTH IN EXTREME POVERTY.

We all admire courage. Bravery is considered one of the finest qualities an individual can possess. That is why we honor those who demonstrate courage with medals and awards. We put them on a pedestal and look up to them. We emulate them and wonder if we could have the level of fearlessness that they display. Our society makes heroes out of those who exhibit this important quality. We are drawn to it, and we seek it out from the everyday experience. Being courageous is an honorable thing.

Of course there are many kinds of courage. It is expected from some people because of their line of work. Police officers, fire fighters, those in the military and medical personnel are often called upon to take heroic actions. It is what they do, and our society would be far less safe without their selfless contributions. We have also come to admire courage in athletes. We watch with awe as an individual fights through a painful injury and keeps playing. We admire those who are willing to take risks we would never even consider. Whether it is driving a car 200 mph or hurtling down a snow packed mountain we are captivated by those who risk their bodies and their lives in an effort to do the impossible.

In everyday life there is also courage. It may not be as dramatic or as newsworthy but it too requires an individual to leave their comfort zone and do something difficult, usually while making some kind of sacrifice. The single parent who works two jobs to provide for their family is showing courage and sacrifice. They are giving up their time and energy in order to improve the lives of their children. The mother who refuses to terminate her pregnancy and bravely gives birth to her baby even though she knows it will be physically or mentally challenged is demonstrating unbelievable courage because she is making a commitment that will last a lifetime. The individual, who stands up for what he believes in, even though he is alone in his convictions, is certainly showing courage. It is incredibly difficult to go against the majority of society but there are times when it is worth the battle.

Through the decades there have been many brave citizens who have stood up for causes that were truly life changing such as civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights and the rights of the unborn. Individual acts of courage can often be the catalyst to an entire movement that sweeps across nations bringing positive change that improves the lives of millions. These people have demonstrated one of the most important and rarest forms of courage and that is the courage to care…Caring requires effort and sacrifice. It forces us to take action. It does not allow us to be lazy, selfish or apathetic. It demands that we put aside our petty problems and that we acknowledge the suffering of others. We often have to step away from the crowd and be willing to be in the minority. It requires us to be better people.

However, the level of courage we typically witness in our lives pales in comparison to the courage demonstrated by those struggling in extreme poverty. We have no idea what it is like to be brave in the face of such constant misery and death. They face situations we cannot even imagine. They endure levels of pain that we cannot comprehend, and they do these things every day of their lives without respite and too often without hope.

PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR PLACE.

***Your 7-year-old daughter steps on a landmine and the blast mangles both of her legs. You hold her as she bleeds to death because there is no medical help within fifty miles…

***You resist with all your strength when the militia comes to take away your nine-year old son so they can train him to kill other children. You are beaten and left for dead…

***You are an 8-year-old orphan who lives alone in the streets. Both of your parents died from HIV/AIDS. You cannot read or write. You are sick, hungry and abused almost every day…

***Your heart breaks as you dig a grave for your precious little girl who lost her battle with malaria…

***You are pregnant and during your delivery something goes horribly wrong. You are utterly alone and helpless. Your baby dies in your arms…

The human beings who are trapped in the despair and deprivation of extreme poverty show unbelievable courage as they face each new day. We have no conception of the pain and suffering they are forced to deal with. Each day, filled with heartache, they bury the 25,000 innocent children who could not overcome the lack of compassion shown to them by the rest of the world. Each day thousands die from treatable illnesses and preventable diseases while the medicine that could have saved their lives sits unused on our pharmacy shelves. Each day millions suffer from hunger and malnutrition while we update our wardrobes to bigger sizes because of our propensity to overeat.

Courage comes in many forms. It can be spectacular or quiet. It can be viewed by the entire world or it can occur completely out of sight. It can be displayed by one person or an entire nation. But please, the next time you watch a million dollar athlete have “the courage” to play with a sprained ankle don’t confuse that with the courage demonstrated by the one billion men, women and children who bravely try to survive on one dollar a day. Don’t confuse it with the woman who walks five miles and uses half her day to get clean water for her family. Don’t confuse it with the man who struggles continually to feed his 3 children in a desolate draught stricken area plagued by war. Don’t confuse it with the determination, endurance and faith shown by those who continue to love and hope in the face of insurmountable odds.

30,000 human beings will die today from extreme poverty, among them there will be many heroes who through sheer bravery did everything humanly possible to make life better for themselves and especially for their families. They will not receive millions of dollars. They will not receive medals. There will be no adoring masses. There will be no recognition of any kind. Some will be buried in unmarked graves. Most will soon be forgotten. They will go from loving mother, father or child to becoming a cold hard statistic. Their courage will never be acknowledged.

The next time you witness a simple act of courage stop and think about those who have to be brave every day of their lives. They have no choice. Their very survival demands that they be heroes to their families and loved ones. They endure every kind of physical suffering without medication. The pain they feel is real. It is not watered down. They have to live with chronic hunger, illness and disease. They have a shortened life expectancy. They have to function in the face of utter hopelessness and deal with the mental anguish of not being able to provide for their family. They live on next to nothing with little prospect of a brighter future and yet they carry on. Day after day they bravely face the unending challenges that no human being should have to endure.

Would you or I be so brave facing the life threatening horrors of deprivation and despair?

TRUE COURAGE IS FACING LIFE AND DEATH EVERYDAY IN EXTREME POVERTY.

 

 

 

WOMEN IN POVERTY (PART 2)

WOMEN IN EXTREME POVERTY OFTEN HAVE TO BURY THEIR CHILDREN BEFORE THE AGE OF FIVE.

These children die needlessly from hunger, treatable illnesses and a variety of preventable diseases, but even if they manage to survive past the age of five they still run the risk of premature death. Young boys are often forced to join militias where they learn to kill, young girls become victims of sex trafficking and children of all ages are vulnerable to landmines. And even if a child does manage to survive to adulthood the lack of educational opportunities ensures they will be trapped in desperation for another generation. The heartaches and frustrations endured by mothers in extreme poverty are endless.

Women who are struggling at this economic level are treated like property. They are not given options or choices. Their lives are not their own. They are forced to serve those who regard them as little more than objects. This is morally wrong. A woman has just one life the same as a man, why should she be forced to live it under the domination of someone else? She should have complete control over her decisions and her future.

Women trapped in extreme poverty are deserving of the same tolerance, recognition and consideration afforded to those in higher economic classes. Just because you are poor doesn’t mean you should be mistreated. It doesn’t mean you should be exploited and it certainly doesn’t mean your life should be put at risk. Whether you are a woman living comfortably in the West or a woman struggling to keep her children alive against overwhelming odds on the African continent, you still deserve the same basic human rights that we all believe we deserve.

A woman should not be forced to watch her young child die because she has no medicine to give her. She should not have to starve herself in order to give meager scraps of food to her son. She should not have to live in fear that a mosquito will bite her young daughter and infect her with malaria. Motherhood should not have to be a constant struggle against death. The strain and exhaustion of fighting everyday without let up to keep your family alive is too much. No one should have to live under this kind of unrelenting pressure, and yet they have no choice. This is the life they are forced to lead because of conditions beyond their control.

Women are particularly at risk during times of war. Armed conflict brings out the very worst behavior in mankind. War provides the cover that allows men to act in ways that would be illegal during peaceful times. Their brutality towards females can be horrifying. Sadly, women are easy victims because they are often left alone to raise their families after their husbands are killed during the fighting. Armed conflict produces refugees by the hundreds of thousands, most of which are mothers and their children. After fleeing their homes with only the possessions they can carry, they are forced into huge over populated camps that become breeding grounds for disease and illness. Unfortunately, war adds a grotesque level of suffering to the lives of women who are already struggling to keep their children alive.

Women in extreme poverty carry a crushing burden as they try to care for themselves and their family under impossible circumstances. When they suffer and die just because of where they live or because of the economic conditions they are forced to try to survive in, it is a sad reflection on all of us…It does not have to be this way. Those of us in wealthy nations should be sickened by what happens to women in third world nations. We should be rushing to their aid, instead of rushing to the mall or the golf course.

Until we acknowledge the fact that women everywhere are entitled to the same level of respect, personal freedom and the ability to determine their own future, the mothers and wives locked in the unrelenting grip of poverty will continue to suffer unfairly. We must be their voice. We must bring the plight of these women to the attention of world leaders. We must enforce existing laws and write new ones to protect them. We must provide the aid that will transform their lives and save their children. We owe them this much.

WOMEN LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY DO NOT GIVE UP THEIR RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE POOR.

 

 

 

WAR (PART 2)

FOR THE INNOCENT CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE, WAR IS A LIVING HELL.

To kill another person over a disagreement is a crime. To kill thousands of people over a disagreement is a war, and it is perfectly legal. But what kind of person becomes a leader at the expense of his own people’s lives? If he has their blood on his hands why would he be any more compassionate at ruling the country than he was at taking control? If power is seized with savage force than it stands to reason that the victor will rule the same way. If someone is willing to massacre the innocent to become a “leader” he will surely slaughter more people to remain in power. War leads to dehumanization. People are no longer viewed as equal human beings with basic rights. In times of armed conflict they become targets of hatred and abuse, the rules of civilization break down, acts of brutality become common place, and the unimaginable becomes reality.

In developing nations the end of an armed conflict does not deliver hope, or prosperity, or dignity or tolerance. It does not inspire people to lay down their weapons and embrace peace. The aftermath of war in poverty stricken areas usually means someone is ruling over a land that has been devastated. The inhabitants are ravaged by disease and hunger. Many of the young men have been killed or wounded, and there are hundreds of thousands of orphans to care for. What little economy existed before lays in ruins, and the various enemies quickly re-arm and get ready to fight again. It becomes a cycle that repeats itself over and over again, with the innocent being exploited with each new wave of fighting.

A war torn land is the perfect breeding ground for extreme poverty, and once it gets a foothold, it can continue for generations. With each new conflict, the misery becomes more widespread. People in certain parts of the world live their entire lives under the relentless horror of armed conflict. They never get the chance to experience peace – war is all they know. Children live with AK-47s and landmines as part of their daily struggle. They often grow up without parents, and they try to survive, as best they can, after being wounded and maimed. They never have the opportunity to experience childhood. And since war is all they’ve ever known, it is not surprising that these children grow up thinking it is the only way to solve their problems. When they reach the age of 12 they are forced into the militia where they become the very thing they once feared. There is no escape.

If you are a starving young boy who has lost every member of his family, joining the militia can be tempting. They offer food, medical care and a certain level of protection. Suddenly carrying a kalashnikov and acting tough doesn’t seem so wrong. But the discomfort he is trying to erase is nothing compared to the guilt and shame he will feel the first time he is forced to shoot another child or participate in a rape. He will soon be committing acts that he never would’ve believed he was capable of only months before. And in order to do these things and survive, a type of numbness will set in. It is a type of denial that convinces him that his victims deserved what they got because they were somehow less human than him, or they were born into the wrong clan or they possessed things that he wanted for himself. He will actually begin to believe that exterminating entire groups of human beings is not only acceptable but necessary…but he is not really a soldier, he is just a scared and lonely child who has been taught to kill.

War is often just a cover for criminal activity. The excuse of being a “warrior” allows someone to act in barbaric ways towards those who seem different from them. They mistakenly believe that it gives them a license to murder, rape, loot and pillage anyone who might be in their way. They feel no remorse for stealing the food sent to starving children. They suffer no guilt about confiscating the medical supplies that could keep tens of thousands of people alive. They place mines without regard for the safety of civilians. They think nothing of assaulting a helpless stranger. They have stripped away the dignity of their victims. They no longer see them as fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, but as objects that must be tossed aside or eliminated.

They believe that being a “soldier” gives them a title that allows them to do the unspeakable. It is the mob mentality at work. If enough people do something wrong it doesn’t seem wrong anymore because everyone is doing it. The sheer volume of cruelty makes it seem less personal than a one on one act of violence. The fog of war blinds individuals to the immorality of their actions, and if they behave savagely long enough, they become indifferent to the suffering of their victims. That allows their brutality to become even more frequent and severe, and they lose their sense of humanity.

THE INSANITY OF WAR ENABLES MEN TO COMMIT ATROCITIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE UNTHINKABLE.

 

 

 

WAR (PART 1)

NOTHING CAUSES EXTREME POVERTY FASTER THAN WAR.

The ghastly effects of war lingers for years. Suffering occurs at every level of society, but it is even more pronounced among the poor. Armed conflict causes the displacement of innocent civilians, it cuts off food supplies, it separates families, and it causes loss of livelihood. People lose their homes, their land, their possessions, and too often they lose their lives or the lives of their loved ones. In a typical conflict more civilians are injured and killed than military personnel. Whichever side wins, they often rule without concern for the innocent who have been ravaged by their success.

The cost of victory can push the conquered region into chaos, those in power rule over an area that, because of the never ending hostilities, is filled with disease and starvation and is no longer economically viable. Within their acquired territory there is no loyalty from the people who have been beaten down by the fighting, and in order to remain in power the victorious rule with cruelty and fear, thereby increasing the suffering of those they claim to represent. Before too long another militia or clan overthrows them, and the entire cycle of death and destruction begins again. All the while, the people at the bottom bear the awful burdens of the conflict.

War is particularly brutal on children. They not only suffer from the horrible physical realities of living in a combat zone, they also suffer enormous mental trauma because they are forced to witness first hand the depths of abuse and depravity that mankind is capable of. They see with their own young eyes what most of us are spared from witnessing throughout our entire lives. Their innocence is taken from them, and they are forced to grow up immediately with no opportunity for childhood. And because the mental impact of war is so severe, they are scarred forever.

How is a 7-year-old girl suppose to cope when she watches her mother being raped by a group of soldiers? How is a young child suppose to handle the fact that his 13-year-old brother was fighting with one of the local militias when he was shot in the face? How does an innocent child come to grips with seeing his father disemboweled when he steps on a landmine? Children witness these brutal acts of violence everyday all around the world.

Hope is vanquished by war. People who are trapped in a military conflict are forced to live in constant fear and terror because they are caught between warring factions who will treat them savagely no matter which side “wins”. Many of the life threatening issues that are inherent in extreme poverty such as starvation, illness, poor sanitation, disease, inadequate shelter and lack of medical care are compounded during armed conflict. Survivors are herded into refugee camps where disease runs rampant. Families are broken apart and separated. Militias force young boys into service even though they are barely strong enough to lift the kalashnikovs that they will use to kill other children with. War causes humanity to act in countless obscene ways and always at the expense of the most vulnerable. To win a military action this way is to win nothing. Everyone involved loses. The defeated are dehumanized and made to suffer appallingly, while the victors become monsters who rule with hatred and vengeance.

What drives mankind to wage war? What do we believe we will gain by killing others? What is the prize that is worth the horror of shattered bodies and minds? Where is the victory in getting to rule over a country in ruins? In too many developing nations the end result of war is only more war. This is due, in part, because the warring parties are often supplied by outside entities. Usually these are nations who feel they have something to gain from the conflict without having to be directly involved in the fighting. It is tragic that those in power believe the only way that humanity is capable of solving its differences is by killing those who disagree with them.

War represents mankind at its absolute worst. It is everything that is evil in this world. It excuses behavior that would never be tolerated under any other circumstances. It has been the scourge of humanity since the beginning of history and, unfortunately, we still view it as a viable option even though we fully realize the misery, anguish and sorrow that it brings. To kill others over meaningless territory, to kill others over natural resources, to kill others because their ethnicity is different than yours, to kill others because you don’t believe in their religion or to kill others so that you may gain some insignificant measure of power is the height of belligerence towards the human race. To ravage the land, for your own selfish purposes, as you bring devastation and carnage into the lives of innocent men, women and children is indefensible.

WAR NEVER SOLVES PROBLEMS…IT ONLY CREATES THEM.

 

 

 

LANDMINES

THE WORLD OF EXTREME POVERTY IS LITTERED WITH LANDMINES.

Kambale cried as he walked alone. There were no other people in sight, and he was afraid. He was only six years old, and he had been searching for his mother for hours. They were refugees in a war torn area of their country, and they had become separated during a forced march. Feeling exhausted, he slowly took another step, and the sudden force of a powerful explosion hurled his small body into the air. He landed in a grotesquely twisted position. He had stepped on a mine that someone had missed when the area had been swept. He was dazed as he looked down at where his feet should be. Both of his tiny legs were blown off above the knees. Kambale began to scream for his mother. He screamed and screamed and screamed for her, but the blast had perforated both of his eardrums so he heard only silence. As his heart pumped, huge streams of blood were forced through his gaping wounds. After a short time his voice weakened, and he quickly bled to death. He died alone.

An hour later Martyna found Kambale’s mutilated body. Starving animals had already attacked his corpse, so she barely recognized her own child. Horror and despair overwhelmed her. Sobbing in agony, she gathered up the remains of her little boy and was immediately soaked in his blood. She began to plead with the other refugees to stop and help her bury her son, but they were afraid to step off the road for fear there might be other mines. As Martyna sat on the ground rocking Kambale’s body, the militia arrived and told her to leave her dead child behind and to start walking, but she couldn’t bear to put him down. She became hysterical, yelling at the soldiers that she had to bury her son. The militia had strict orders to move the civilians out of the area before night fall, so the commanders were in no mood to be patient with her. The ranking officer ordered her once more to get on her feet and start moving, but she ignored him. Without hesitating he raised his handgun and shot her in the back of the head. The problem was solved. The bodies of Martyna and Kambale were drug out of the way, and the stream of refugees slowly continued along the road, each person taking care not to step in the pools of blood.

　

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Amare and Dabir unconsciously held their breath as they slowly made their way across the barren valley. The two young boys were being forced to walk ahead of a group of soldiers through a suspected minefield. The militia could not risk losing any men, however, the boys were expendable. The two had been friends all their lives. They had always done everything together, and now they were terrified they would die together. The soldiers had threatened to kill their families if they did not cooperate, so they had no choice. Their hearts pounded, and they shook with fear each time they placed their bare foot down in the dirt. For what seemed like hours they slowly made their way across the barren stretch of ground. They had pleaded with the soldiers, that if they did step on a mine, to please shoot them and end their suffering, but the leader said he could not afford to waste ammunition on such things. If they set off a mine they would be left where they lay. The boys had seen the awful effects on those who had survived such a blast. The individuals were crippled and maimed for life, and since they were unable to work, they almost always slipped into poverty. The streets were lined with beggars who were missing limbs. The boys did not want to face that kind of life.

The soldiers stayed a safe distance behind. Amare and Dabir could hear them laughing and joking as they made bets with each other on which boy would die first. They each took a few more terrifying steps and then somebody won the bet. The blast shook the ground. For an instant Amare thought he had been injured. He had been knocked down, and he was covered in a red mist. But as the shock of the concussion wore off he realized he was drenched in the blood and tissue of his friend. He stared in horror at Dabir’s mangled body as it flopped a few times like a fish that’s been placed on a river bank, and then it was still. Behind him he heard the soldiers laughing and paying off their bets, and their laughter only increased as he rolled over and vomited. Amare still had two hundred yards to cross.

　

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Nadifa was eighteen and engaged to be married. That was not surprising since she was often considered to be the most beautiful girl in her village. As she walked, her thoughts were focused on her upcoming wedding, the last thing on her mind was death. As she bent over to pick a flower with her left hand, she took one more step. Suddenly her world exploded. There seemed to be smoke everywhere, and it took several moments before she realized she was laying on the ground. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as she gasped for breath. The air smelled burned. Suddenly waves of pain began to sweep over her. The severity of it was shocking to her, she had never felt such agony. Her vision was blurred, and when she tried to focus she realized she couldn’t see out of her left eye. She raised her left hand up to her face and saw that she was missing three fingers and that her thumb was only attached by a strip of skin. Her mouth was throbbing with such intensity that she didn’t think she could stand it. Her undamaged hand tried to touch the left side of her face but most of her jaw was missing. She glanced down and saw her bloody teeth scattered on the ground. It was then that she realized she had stepped on a mine.

A million thoughts flashed through her head. Was she going to live? Would her family be able to take care of her? Would her fiance still want her? Would she be able to have children? But the searing pain quickly drove everything else from her mind. She told herself that she had to get ready to die, but then softly, off in the distance, she began to hear voices coming towards her. She recognized the language was English, which meant it had to be the Americans. Their military had a medical post some distance from her village, and they must have heard the explosion and were coming to help her. Her heart swelled with hope, although she knew they were risking their own lives to come near her since there could be other mines. When the first soldier reached her she feebly tried to thank him, but her shattered face made it impossible. Soon others gathered around her, working quickly to save her life.

18 months later Nadifa was still dealing with the effects of the explosion. Physically her life had changed forever. Walking any distance was almost impossible due to her lack of balance, and the doctors had to remove her left hand above the wrist. But it was her face that had received the most damage. She had lost her left eye, and she had endured multiple surgeries to rebuild her jaw, but despite the best efforts of the doctors she was left with horrific facial scars. After a year and a half it was still shocking to see her reflection. No longer the prettiest girl in the village, people often looked away when she passed by. Small children were frightened of her. However, the worst pain of all had been when her fiance refused to marry her. He had told her that she was no longer the same person on the inside or the outside. She knew that was true because she felt like a different person. She realized that although her life had been saved, in many ways “her life” had been taken from her. Deep down she knew her suffering was only beginning.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 MILLION LANDMINES IN THE WORLD TODAY.

CIVILIANS MAKE UP THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF CASUALTIES.