Spoiled

I've been reading There is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene regarding the orphan crisis in Ethiopia.  I highly recommend it.  It is a hard book to work through - the subject matter is heavy.  So many children have been left as orphans because their parents have died of AIDS.  In 2005, there were about 1.5 million AIDS orphans in Ethiopia and 4.4 million total orphans.  In that year, only 1400 were adopted by families from other countries.  It is alarming to consider the sheer numbers, then, who are left to fend for themselves.  The number of children who are able to enter orphanages or other care centers is still minute compared to the need.  Many times family members attempt to care for the children, but eventually may relinquish them due to an inability to provide for them.  It breaks my heart to think about the children left all alone in the world with no one to feed them, clothe them, love them, or protect them!  How can this be?  I am speaking to myself - I haven't done a darn thing for one of these children - orphaned by AIDS or otherwise.  We sponsor two children, but they both have a living parent.  We are obviously working toward making a difference for one little girl who needs a family, but that leaves so many others still waiting.  The problem is so overwhelming, I can understand that it is easier to just not consider it.  I sure didn't consider it until we began researching adoption.  It is painful to think about.  It is certainly not the life their parents would have chosen for their children.  I can't even fathom having to worry if my children will have enough to eat to make it through another day or if they will be able to dodge any number of diseases that are easily treated here in the U.S.  I'm not even going to say the worries that I have regarding my children because they seem so shallow in comparison.

Last night after dinner, I came down with a VIOLENT stomach bug (at least that is what it seemed to be.  Could be food poisoning, maybe.)  Anyway, after a miserable night in which I had very little sleep, I drove myself to the ER because the pain in my stomach was so bad.  I mean BAD!!  I couldn't even stand up straight, so I hobbled in there like a little old lady.  Fortunately, it was a slow night in the ER, so they brought me right in and had the IV going with some pain medicine really quickly.  Before the medicine kicked in and I was laying there in agony (have I mentioned that it was painful?), I stopped to think about what would have happened if I was an impoverished child (or an adult for that matter) in Ethiopia and came down with the same ailment.  Most likely, I would have suffered incredibly and possibly died from dehydration.  As it was for me, I received IV medicine and fluids and was sent on my way.  I came home and rested comfortably in my soft bed and, with the exception of the after effects of pain medication, am feeling pretty decent today.  Why do I deserve to have access to medical care when so many worldwide are not offered that same luxury?  It baffles me.  It also makes me feel even more responsible to DO something on behalf of those who can't do anything to help themselves because of poverty, illness, etc.