BORN For a Reason

A few years ago, I was travelling through a war torn Mozambique, from a place called Cuchamano (Nyamapanda) on the Zimbabwe front to Zobue on the Malawi Border.

As this was a time just after a civil war in Mozambique, the country had a lot of difficulties to overcome. Those stretched from hunger, crime and illiteracy. Travelling through this part of the country was risky. A convoy monitored by Zimbabwe and Mozambican armies were always on the road for the safety of people driving to and from Malawi and Zimbabwe.

It was at this occasion that I experienced how nasty a human being can become.

Our convoy had just come to a stop at a place called Motizie, not far from Tete Town  or Zambezi River heading towards Malawi. As we stopped there, we were surrounded by a crowd of children who had come to beg food from people passing by.

My team had a lot of bread which we had bought in Zimbabwe and felt the best was to share with those hungry children. Just after I had given out a few rolls of buns and was about to hand out some loaves of bread. A young man came to me and suggested that I change the way I handed out bread. He pointed out to me that there were some in the crowd who really deserved the bread but did not have the stamina to penetrate through the crowd and grab something for their hungry stomachs.

The young man brought with him a skinny looking little boy who for sure had not tasted anything for a number of days. I was moved by the youngman's brilliant idea. I took some of the bread and handed it to the skinny looking little boy, who did not have the strength of properly handling the loaf I had given him.

As soon as the tiny boy received the bread, he was tripped down by the same young man who introduced him to me. The skinny boy lay helpless while the young man had his foot on the boy's neck. The young man grabbed the loaf and went his way leaving the little boy struggling to get up and stand on his feet.

My eyes were opened up. There was a great lesson I learned from that act. I saw many things that happen when  one decides to help a friend. Nevertheless, the greatest lesson was yet to come.

In the course of time I noted how, many people, organizations and countries use the poor to achieve their goals. A picture of a poor society or community is laid before some unsuspecting individuals who would extend a hand to help the helpless only to find out that the help does not  reach the beneficiaries.

In countries that are still developing, this has led to corruption and lack of trust in those in authority. How long will the poor be used as a bait to attract aid to a few individuals.

Time has come when people have to stand up for the truth and live what they preach. God bless you all.