often, people ask us 'why we do it?' why are we involved, what compels
us to keep going? why these children? they are difficult questions to answer. because there are so many children, so many
people in need, and so much we have to change about the world that it
can seem overwhelming at times. when it does get overwhelming, we stop and think
about the children that we are helping, not just the sheer number of them,
but their lives, and their stories. because they aren't just numbers,
they are children who are desperately trying to live their lives in conditions unimaginable to many of us, conditions of hardship and deprivation but with an overwhelming and infectious
joy and life to share. it is children like Sarah whose story touched us and who give us the answer to the question 'why we do it'.
saving Sarah. we found Sarah in the village on a Thursday. she was lying on a mat, wrapped in a blanket, shivering uncontrollably, her tiny body covered in sweat. we were not sure how many days she had been there. it was explained to us that she had malaria but with no money or access to medicine, she was not getting any better. malaria is a preventable and treatable, but deadly disease. preventable if you have the 6 dollars to buy a net, the nails and hammer to put the net up above your bed and the long dark clothing and insect repellent to wear when you are outside after dark. treatable if you have access to a medical facility where you can receive the drugs to bring you back to health. it is estimated that in Africa alone, every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria. that afternoon we took Sarah to the hospital. the doctor explained that she would not have survived the weekend. Sarah was severely dehydrated, had a temperature of over 40 degrees and was suffering from malnutrition. her mother had left her as a new born and her father is an alcoholic. after leaving the hospital and coming into our care, Sarah was so weak that she could not walk for nearly 2 days. on the 3rd day with us Sarah came outside to play and this was the first day we saw her smile. it is children like Sarah who give us the determination to keep doing what we are doing.
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