Monday, September 21, 2009

Africa Bambaataa

I was invited to a benefit in Turnhout, to raise money for an African orphanage. A wonderful lady, Salomé, who has her roots in Kenia, has come up with a special project for orphans in Kenia. These children have lost their parents due to different reasons. Salomé wants to give these children a better future, providing them with clothes, food, shelter, education. She has a very big heart and she's looking for other people with a heart, who can help her improve and support her project.
Salomé works for Care Company. Care Company is supporting Salomé with her project. Together, they organized a wonderful evening, as a benefit for the project. There was an African buffet, African gospel singers, a Michael Jackson look-a-like. What really moved me, was the poem by little Charity and little Jesse. The message they brought came out of their heart. They asked us to care for the children in Kenia. We have so much, they have so little. On their own, they can do so little, but together we can do so much..

It's good to attend these benefits once in a while. It makes us humble and again we realize how lucky we are that our children have the chance to grow up in Belgium, having all the benefits of a good education, shelter, food and anything else they might need. Salomé told us that not what we want is important, but what we need. Sometimes we are too greedy and we complain too much about what we can't have. But we forget that many people out there, don't even think of what they would like to have. They are too busy with trying to figure out how to give their family the basic needs..

Something to think about..


4 comments:

Upje said...

What's the name of this project? My sister was in Kenia in december, and now she tries to collect some money for 'their' project there. It's called 'hope'. They are building a school now, if I remember well.

But it is really difficult to imagine how those people live, what their life is about. Their values, the things that are really important for them, or so different ... but not better or worse.

www.kokenenhogehakken.blogspot.be said...

I will have to ask Marina about the project. I'm sure she will be able to give me the exact coordinates.

Your sister is doing a great job as well. But as you say: who says they are better of or worse? We always think that Africa is waiting for us to help them out. We think they need to live up to our standards, so they can be happy. The only thing they ask for is education, food, clothing and shelter. They have no desire for our luxurious life..

Upje said...

I also heard there are (almost) no depressions in 'the poor' countries. Because indeed they are too busy surviving.

I will never say they have an easy life, but they don't have the complexity of our luxurious life, of hundreds of choices, of being bored (for God's sake, how terrible to say that ... ), ...

(But I am really glad we have the internet *grin*)

www.kokenenhogehakken.blogspot.be said...

We often think we need to help Africa. Don't you think Africa has a lot to teach us?

I agree though, that getting rid of the Internet is a big no-no and no option.