We Are the World

Last night I wanted to see what was going on with the recall elections in Wisconsin, so I went to cnn.com.   I was immediately brought to tears as I saw a picture of a young boy suffering from starvation in Somalia.  There are 5 year old children weighing only 20 pounds, and 4 year old children weighing 15 pounds.

Before seeing this picture I hadn't really paid attention to the crisis in Africa.  Even though Somalia has been corrupt for years and years, the media fails to mention it.  Here we are, so consumed by "raising the debt ceiling," and the tea partyers holding our country hostage to their demands that we were blind to this suffering.  That picture woke me up to the corruption, drought, and famine that 12 million people are suffering through.  Even as I'm writing this it's hard to hold back tears.  How can a country care so little about its people? The rest of the world is trying to bring them food, but the famine zones are controlled by militant groups.

W can all do something to help.  Text "FOOD" to 864233 to donate $10 to UNICEF.  $10 will keep child fed for 10 days.  What's 10 dollars to you and me? A couple trips to Starbucks?  A couple magazines?  One trip to Chipotle?  Even though the United States has its share of problems, we are so lucky to live in a country that has a functioning (you can take that with a grain of salt) government, and more food than we know what to do with.

In 1985, Michael joined with Lionel Richie to write the anthem “We Are the World” sung by USA for Africa to give voice to the cries of millions of people – especially children – who were suffering from famine on the African continent. 


Here are other ways to help