Monday, April 21, 2008

Me and my mom


In light of my last post which was filled with sadness, I thought it appropriate to share this photo of me and my mom. We went on a little adventure some weeks ago looking for a final resting spot for my grandma, who passed away while I was in the CAR this January. I thank God for my mom, and all the women who have mothered me through the journey.


My one hundredth post

This is post number 100. I wish it could be filled with all manner of good news, but I just got off the phone with Clarisse and it is not all good. Mama Maggie, the aunt who so wonderfully raised Clarisse, is sick and in hospital. She has not been well for the past 2 years or so, so this is no surprise, but it is heart wrenching to hear the pain in Clarisse's voice and to not be able to comfort her in person. Maggie has raised many, many children, most of whom are orphans or unwanted, and though barren, has been a mother many times over. She worked as a mid-wife and then in the hospital pharmacy until illness forced
her to retire. She lives right next door to Clarisse but was taken to the hospital Tuesday when she became too weak to eat and stopped sleeping.

What strikes me is that Tuesday I was burdened with a deep sadness all day. As soon as I got in the car to leave work I started to cry. I cried the entire way home, and into the evening. I was mourning not being in CAR, but it went deeper. Into Wednesday I couldn't get Maggie and others off my mind, but was again burdened by this deep sadness. All I could do was pray, and weep. Now I know why. By Thursday Maggie was beginning to eat and this weekend she could sit up for short periods. I pray she will continue to strengthen and I thank God that even while I am not there and have little communication with Clarisse, my spirit still knows what is going on and I am still able to help.

I also heard last week that Chrysler's oldest brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Chrysler and his family had not seen his brother for quite a long time as he had been serving in the military in the troubled Birao region of the CAR. I spoke to Chrysler last Monday and gave my condolences to him and his family. He urged me to pray for his family, especially for his mother, and for his brother's widow who is nearly 8 months pregnant.

Death and the possibility of death hang in the air in the CAR all the time. It is not until it gets close to you that you feel the full weight of its burden on your shoulders. I have never felt such sorrow or such joy before I knew the CAR.

On a more joy-filled note, we heard from Calvin this week and he has received good marks on his second semester exams. We were a little worried when his first semester marks came back and he was very behind. However, with the thought of having to leave school and go it alone looming over his head, he really buckled down and has brought his grades up significantly and we are so proud of him. He may just make it afterall.














(Me and Calvin this January in Berberati)

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Ignored or Unknown?

I read an interview with Tony Lanzer, the head of the UN Human Rights Commission in the C.A.R. recently. When asked why the CAR has been ignored for so long, his response reminded me that even while we are here in North America, we have an important job to do on behalf of the people of the Central African Republic. He says:

"You can't ignore something unless you know it exists. In spite of its name, nobody knows where the Central African Republic is. Very few people know it is a country and even fewer have time to worry about it. Also, it is surrounded by bigger, more complex countries... Until we inform people of why CAR matters, it never will."

So it isn't so much that CAR has been ignored, it is that nobody really knows that is exists. CAR matters, not only in political terms but more so because of the four million people who call it home, who are suffering from lack of clean water, sufficient food and constant insecurity. The people of CAR matter.