I took my children to the dermatologist today and waited an hour to see a PA. I grew impatient. In the air conditioning, on a comfy sofa, while they behaved and quietly knitted/played a Nintendo DSi game & worked puzzles on the ipad. We were there because of a few pesky warts on my children's well fed, otherwise healthy legs. Scrolling through articles on my phone, I was so convicted about my first world problems.
All over Somalia, Kenya & Ethiopia parents are waiting hours/days for rescue of their malnourished children.
"More than 12 million people are in urgent need of food, water, and medical care in drought-stricken Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Experts estimate that starvation and related diseases have already claimed the lives of over 29,000 children under age five." -Samaritan's Purse
I feel overwhelmed...with gratitude (selfishly) that it is not my children...with guilt that I am so far away from that reality as I sit in front of my laptop with a Diet Coke...with sadness...with questions about the seeming inequity of it all.
My children were born here. Those children were born there. That is the difference in us...not merit, not works, not value, not importance.
I know there are others in this country, in my own community facing situations that seem equally dire at any given moment. But this afternoon, all I can think about it helpless parents holding their starving children.
I made a meager donation. I have been praying. I wrote this post. What else can I do?
"I may not know how to solve the world's problems, but I'm more human when I care about them and grieve for those affected." -Louie Giglio
2 comments:
Jennifer, I've read your blog for a long time! I love your love story with your husband. I am single and still waiting/hoping to meet my husband and it gives me hope! Of course I also love seeing all the cute pictures and hearing the stories about K, R & P! They are precious! My sister had a wart on her foot for a long time and tried everything medically to get it cleared up (even chemotherapy shots into it) and nothing worked. She finally found something online that said apple cider vinegar would help, and she treated it with that and it was gone in days! Just thought it might help!
Emily Jones
(Birmingham)
I know you weren't asking for advice on treating warts, but I wanted to piggyback on Emily's comment. I had a painless wart on my foot for several years. Finally, about 2 weeks ago, I tried apple cider vinegar. After a week or so of treating it, it simply dried up and is now gone. All I did was soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, place it on the wart, and cover with a band-aid. I left it on overnight, and removed it each morning (too stinky to leave on during the day). :)
I love your blog! You have a beautiful family!
Post a Comment