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.)
Pocket Change 