Wednesday, November 9, 2022

She Wished to Tell our Donors ...

 by Tim Wright
 
There’s often a fulfillment in visiting beneficiaries that I would like to share more often with our donors. It is associated with the intersection of abject poverty and marginalization, perseverance in the struggles of surviving and raising children, the gentleness and kindness in spite of it all, and their gratitude for the little that we do to help. 
 
Today, I was delighted by widow Nturiya, who cares for three children and a grandchild. Some years ago, the elders had chosen her as one of the most vulnerable in her village, so we loaned her a camel which she would pay off by giving another widowed mom the first female offspring. I learned that her camel has given birth twice and aborted once, providing nutritious milk for almost three years. The last borne camel is female, which she will be giving to her partner widow, thereby paying off her loan. She seemed delighted to help her friend which is part of communal society. 
 
 
Unfortunately, due to this severe drought, the camels are being herded a long distance from their village and only return for water every 7-10 days, so there is no camel milk for her family. So, as Nturiya’s household is again vulnerable, we are providing food aid, and she shares some with neighbours who have helped her, in the past. She wished to tell our donors that she is grateful, but also to please not stop the food aid… we must continue, given that this rainy season is expected to fail, also. 
 
What amazed me about Nturiya was her joyful spirit and determination to survive even if food aid was stopped – she said that she would have to beg, go dig roots to chop and sell as livestock feed, and fetch firewood to sell. She thinks that somehow, they would make it… I am not so sure, as indigenous knowledge of weather is less reliable with increased global warming. 
 
While enjoying the friendly engagement with Nturiya, there was my usual, attendant feeling of rebuke – my unearned privilege plus my inadequate gratitude and expression of compassion…story of my life, but I would not change it!