Well Well Well

                                                    Pulitzer Prize Winning Photo                                                       1988,  Scott Shaw photographer

31 years ago this week an 18 month-old little girl fell down an 8-in pipe, an unused well.

For 2 days a rescue crew that included oil-drillers,
paramedics,
and contractors worked to free her.
It took 56 hours before the hard dirt and rock of Midland Texas gave up and let her go.

CNN gave round-the-clock coverage of the rescue efforts.
Of the various methods used and discarded.
Of the volunteers that poured in to help.
A photo of the rescue by Scott Shaw won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Spot Photography.
A trust fund was set up for her, a movie starring Patty Duke was made about the ordeal.
People were glued to the TV,
cheering and crying when she was rescued.

For one child in Texas time stopped, and people came together to find her.
To release her.
To reunite her with her family.

A lot seems to have changed in the past 31 years.

Not one child, but many, are separated from their parents in Texas.
(And in Kansas, New York, Michigan, and on and on.)
It’s estimated that over 10,000 children
(and I’ve seen up to 13,000, but that’s hard to believe, isn’t it?)
have been separated from their parents and are in one of a hundred licensed shelters.
Many more, though, are in ‘Emergency’ shelters.
It’s an Emergency that we, the people, have created.
That we have allowed to happen to our children.

Oh yes, they aren’t ‘our children’, though, are they?
They aren’t like Baby Jessica, the girl in the well.
They are migrant children.
Illegal immigrants.
From families that sneak across our borders.
From families that seek asylum.
They are runaways.
Orphans.
Lost.
Loved.
Missed.
Hiding.
Frightened.
Children.

Like Baby Jessica, many of these children have no idea how they got where they are.
Like Baby Jessica, many don’t have the words to explain how they feel.
Like Baby Jessica, they need their parents.
Like Baby Jessica, they need to be cared for,
to be rescued,
released,
reunited.

Cameras are not encouraged, these 31 years later.
There is no round-the-clock coverage for the,
not 1,
but thousands of children that need help.
Perhaps it’s easier to help one child than to save many?
Perhaps it seems do-able.
One and done.
Maybe we can better comprehend that story.

There is so much rhetoric demanding our attention.
So many competing stories.
They buzz and nip and demand our attention.

Spare a little, please, this week.
A little thought as we hit October 14.
Remember (or hear about it for the first time and marvel),
how we the people rallied to save one precious child.

Can we do more to save thousands?
Shouldn’t we?

(This post is part of the #Write31Days challenge.)
 

 

 

 

Visions of Sugarplums

It’s less than two weeks until Christmas.
Many families are trekking to see Santa this weekend
and children are mulling their list of hoped-for presents.

It hasn’t snowed much yet this year.
Here in Michigan many children have a complex ritual of wearing their pajamas inside out,
putting ice cubes in the toilet before bed
and something else that involves white crayons…
just to increase the chance of a snow day and no school.

But.
Not all children hope for that snow day.
There are many children that breathe a sigh of relief
when they wake to clear skies, roads, and a school day.

In the United States
(I want to repeat that: In the United States)
roughly 1 in 5 families don’t have enough food.
It’s called being ‘food insecure’
and is defined by the USDA as a state where
‘consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year’.

It’s estimated that close to 16 million children in the United States live in homes that are food insecure.
For many of these children Winter Break is not the time for rejoicing.
Snow days don’t mean a day playing video games and sipping hot chocolate.

Days not in school mean
–No breakfast
–No lunch
— Limited access to adequate food

Kids that rely on school as the major source of meals can already anticipate hunger over the weekend.
Longer times off,
like Christmas,
can strain a family food plan
that relies on school-provided breakfasts and lunches
now that the children are home all day.

At a time of year when it’s gray and dreary outside,
commercials show piles of sweets and presents,
the talk is all about what a person hopes to GET,
it can be depressing and dispiriting when you know you
don’t have enough food to GIVE to your family.

Visions of sugarplums dance in their heads,
as do whispers of waffles,
capering cookies,
sauntering sausages,
capering chickens,
prancing potatoes,
and the whole operatic musical buffet.

1 in 5 families are food insecure.
Almost 16 million US children receive their only sure meals at school.
(One out of 10 of those children are homeless, according to data collected by the McKinney-Vento Educational Program.)
Over 5 million US senior citizens are also food insecure and don’t have the opportunity of even that chance to receive a meal each day.

Many more than 5 people read this blog.
One of those families may be one you know.
One of those families may be yours.

There is help: places to go to get help and places to go to give help.

• Feeding America is a nationwide group of food banks that distributes over 3 BILLION meals a year.
  Use the link and enter a zip code to find food pantries near you.
  Share the resource through social media: make it available for your friends.
• Dial 211. 2-1-1 (United Way) is a resource for all types of social services.
  Housing, utilities, jobs, FOOD.
  Reach them by phone or through the website.
• No Kid Hungry. Share Our Strength has many programs that address hunger. You may have seen some of their TV spots featuring Jeff Bridges.
  (I listen when Starman talks!)
  In addition to food pantries they’ve started Cooking Matters.
  This program emphasizes the preparation od healthful food.
  With National and Local programs there are many ways to get involved.
• Your local food pantry.
  Want to do something more personal?
  Many groups have lists of most-needed shelf-stable foods.
  Although macaroni and cheese makes many people happy with the little noodle smile,
  If there is no gas for the stove
  no electricity for the microwave
  no water even if there was  a way to heat it
  or perhaps
  no house,
  it’s most useful if the donations are ready-to-eat.

  Here’s a list of the most requested donations:

• Fruit juice box
• Cracker packs
• Raisins in small boxes
• Granola bars
• Non-refrigerated milk boxes
• Applesauce in cups or pouches
• Fruit cups
• Fruit leathers
• Peanut butter
• Tuna in pouches
• Individual cereal cups
• Baby food
• Goldfish crackers
• Plastic cutlery
• Napkins
• Quart-sized food storage bags

If you and your family are blessed with having enough to eat
please take action this weekend
to make the coming few weeks happier for your neighbors.

It will warm your heart.