Famine of the Heart: Abandoning Oil-less Countries by Susan Carbajal
I am the mother of three children—Jeremy, 3, Rebekah, 2 and Douglas, 7 weeks. I have become accustomed to hearing loud noises outside my field of vision; most of them make me cringe. I can feel my children’s’ pain even if I haven’t seen them get injured. I am isolated from most news stories because, as I inform my husband, they don’t interrupt Olivia for a special news break.
I have, however, been watching the news carefully over the past few weeks. My dad sent me the link to an article about the ongoing famine in Somalia. At 29 years of age, a mother of two had to make what the Associated Press called a “tortured choice.” She walked for two weeks from Somalia to Kenya with her 1-year-old on her back and her 4-year-old at her side. She was trying to escape her war-torn and famine-ravaged country, trying to take her children to a place where they could have food and water. Near the end of her journey, the article goes on to say, her 4-year-old son collapsed. She had very little water left and poured a little on his head, but he was unconscious. Those around her did not stop because they were also fighting to live. Seeing that he was not waking up, she left him on the side of the road, so that she could carry her 1-year-old to safety.
The article mentions other parents who have had to make the same choice. A worker in the refugee camps says that it’s common for mothers to suffer PTSD after abandoning their children. They have nightmares about their children, and the choice they had to make. I am 33 years old. Jeremy will be 4 years old in a few weeks. In my wildest dreams, I cannot fathom making a choice like that.
I have scanned the news and Internet for more coverage of this story. I talked about it at length with my husband. I am frustrated that, as a country, we seem only interested in helping countries whose chief export is oil. I have been praying every day for answers on how to help these mothers who are half a world away. I’m hoping that somehow a solution will become clear.
I still cringe every night when I don’t see any coverage of this story on the local or national news. I hope you will, too.
For the article mentioned, click here.
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3:16 PM on September 20th, 2011
There was also an article on this topic in the NY Times on the 17th. There is, as usual, a political reason why the people are suffering so much, not just because of the famine. Indeed, why aren’t we intervening on their behalf? Why don’t more people know about this? Heartbreaking.
7:58 PM on September 20th, 2011
My heart aches for what this mother had to do. I cannot even begin to think of what she endured for her children. I don’t know if I could ever leave my child like that, I would probably carry them until the end of time. Thankfully we are all blessed to live in this country where we don’t have to experience this. Hopefully everyone today who has read this will appreciate what they HAVE and not what they DON’T or what they WANT. This had made me go give my 3 sleeping kids many extra kisses.
3:31 PM on September 21st, 2011
Oh this hurts my heart, and then in half an hour, will I have moved on with my day and forget?
Thank you for personalizing this, for caring, for hurting over it. I have written about this sort of life altering moment too. My hope is we remember. Even the poorest of Americans are so wealthy it is embarrassing compared to families like this one you wrote about.
10:53 AM on October 6th, 2011
The faith-based community is responding to the situation and here are some links to learn more, and take action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9P1RDpgeE&utm_source=url_alias&utm_medium=url_alias&utm_campaign=east_africa_video&noredirect=1
and
http://www2.worldvision.org/news/updated-famine-somalia-reaches-historic-level
I know an old song by Harry Chapin about a mother watching her child die of hunger, and I wonder, why, still? Drought and politics equates to hunger. Imagine if Texas’ sole industry and well-being were based on cattle raising. During this drought, ranchers were hard hit by the draught here. Just imagine.
Our storehouse for aid will be shrinking, so helping to influence leaders about your priorities and concern matters a lot.
In the U.S. actions about food issues will be going on starting Oct. 24th See http://www.foodday.org .