THE FACES THAT HAUNT YOU

Aid too late for Niger's "forgotten" children.

Last night I watched for the first time the film Beyond Borders with Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen and early in the film was just about ready to sell everything I own and go to work for famine relief and/or a displaced persons organization. It is so easy in our heady, hectic American lives to tune out tales of catastrophic poverty and hunger around the world. And it is so outrageous to realize what a life-giving difference a few billion dollars, just a fraction of the amount Bush has spent on destroying the nation of Iraq, could make to those suffering horrific deprivations across the planet.

I get so caught up in the problems facing our own nation because of the squalid and cynical rule of Bush-Cheney-Rove that I lose sight of what I, as an individual banded together with hundreds of thousands of other persons, can do to alleviate some of the suffering. It occurred to me that a donation of an amount at least equal to what we have spent trying to defeat Republicans at the polls to the worthiest and most efficient human relief NGO I can identify is a small price to pay for peace of conscience. It's not an exaggeration to report that I never slept one wink last night, and even today have repeatedly found myself recalling the heartbreaking images of starving children I saw in the film. Perhaps if I get a little righteousness I'll get some rest tonight. I'll let you know what I find out.

UPDATE: Doctors Without Borders
International Medical Corps
UN Refugee Agency
USA for UNHCR
World Vision