Crisis in the Congo: Where is All the Help?

Thousands of people flee for their lives as gunfire takes out those around them. Children are separated from their parents in the onslaught of violence. Most will never see each other again. Those that survive flee for the safety of a refugee camp where they are often met with no food, water or shelter while facing outbreaks of Cholera. Mothers helplessly watch as their children die of malnutrition. At night, drunken soldiers terrorize the camps and villages, raping women and girls. As the conflict escalates, these already destitute people are forced to flee the camps to hopefully find a safer one, further from the threat of death.

Meanwhile, nations that could help, talk about the "Conflict in the Congo". While innocent people are murdered, they talk. While hundreds of thousands are running for their lives, they talk. While children die of malnutrition, they talk. While women and girls are assaulted, they talk. While thousands of children are orphaned every day, they talk. While Cholera is threatening to become an epidemic, they talk. Yet I am convinced that if this were happening in their nation, to their people, there would be no time for talk. If it were their children, they would stand up and fight.

If the horrors that are happening in the Congo right now, were happening in our nation, we would use all of our manpower to stop it. The truth is, our nation alone has enough military manpower to put an end to the brutalization of the innocent in the Congo.

Unfortunately, there is an epidemic running rampant in the world and it is overtaking our nation, our people. It's selfishness. We don't want to get involved. We want to look out for our own interests and take care of ourselves. When we do have leadership that wants to stand up for the rights of the weaker parts of the world, they are criticized. When they want to fight to protect innocent people and put an end to genocide or terrorism, they are ridiculed.

Our nation, as well as the rest of the nations of the world need to see things from a different point of view. What if it were our children? What if it were our people? What if it were our nation? What would we do? What would we want the rest of the world to do? We would all hope that others would rise up to help us and not sit in their selfishness, ignoring our need.

Why is it okay that they are dying? Is it because they are African? Does that make them less important than us or other nations of the world? Are their children's lives of lesser value than ours? While we rest peacefully at night, why is it okay that they are raped and terrorized? While we go on with our daily lives, why is it okay that they are running for their lives? While we are busy helping ourselves, where is all the help they should be getting? Who really has the greater need here? What would you say if it was your child asking you these questions, or even worse, what if it was your child in the Congo?