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Through My Eyes... |
Helping Children in Darfur
Sep 11, 2004
By Cornelia Spelman
As we comfort our own children about the losses in their lives, we can extend our compassion to the children of Darfur.
Almost as many people are still dying in Darfur every week as died in the World Trade Center attack. Nicholas D. Kristof of The New York Times notes in his column of September 11th that the conditions in Darfur are nearly unimaginable--children living under trees with their parents shot or mutilated in front of them; little children being sent out at night to gather wood because they are less likely to be raped or murdered. Although the situation seems too painful to contemplate, we can help by taking a moment to send a contribution to Doctors Without Borders (http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org) in our own children's names. Where possible, Doctors Without Borders is present in refugee camps. (You'll have to go the website as it's not working to click on it in this text.) Here's what your contribution can do: $35 will provide two high energy meals a day to 200. $50 will provide critical vaccinations to 50 children. $100 will provide antibiotics for nearly forty wounded children.
Our government has finally declared that this slaughter in Darfur is genocide. We need to ask the President to respond with urgency (the comment line at the White House is 202-456-1111). A million lives are at risk while we take our time figuring out what to do!