Finding Hope in Africa

Welcome to 2010! I just returned from spending the holidays in Zimbabwe, where my husband, older son, and I spent the holidays visiting my younger son who is working there with a non-profit, International Child Resources Institute.

He has been there since September working with programs for children and young adults who face the challenges of poverty, hunger, and disease, particularly HIV/AIDS. Before we arrived he had shared stories of the resilience of the Zimbabwean people that were powerful and inspiring. But nothing that he said could have prepared us for the wonder and beauty of the country, and the warmth and generous spirit of the people we met there. Zimbabwe is an amazing country.

There is much that can be said about the hardships that face Zimbabweans. The country’s financial system was brought to a near standstill over a year ago, with a runaway inflation that rendered their currency worthless. The people have suffered under a brutal political regimen marked by violence and corruption. And a generation of children are growing up as orphans after the ravages of disease such as cholera and HIV. But that is not the Zimbabwe I experienced.

Through my son I met a people who are kind and gentle, who hope to put the past behind them and to build a better future. They have one of the highest literacy rates in all of Africa and are eager to work hard, to endure, to survive and prosper. They do not judge others by the color of their skin. They face seemingly insurmountable odds with optimism and determination.

We spent the day after Christmas in two different orphanages, one for children from 17 months to 12 years of age and one for children in their teenage years. Many of these children had been victims of sexual or physical abuse. They knew hunger and disease, loss and loneliness. But there was a spirit of hope, particularly among the older children. They sang and danced and told us of their dreams of a future as musicians, artists, business people. They shared their stories and aspirations with pride and a maturity that is rare in children of that age in the United States. They did not harbor bitterness; they looked to the future. This experience was profound and moving.

I learned a great deal about myself and others during my brief time in Zimbabwe. And among other things it reaffirmed for me the miraculous wonder of children who, with the help of caring and committed adults, have a chance to overcome despair and suffering and build a better world for the generation that will follow. I am glad to be home and to return from Zimbabwe with memories filled with hope, inspiration, and the power of the human spirit.

1 Comment

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  By jeremy, January 6, 2010 @ 11:17 pm

  I was just about to email you to ask how your trip went! I got more than I bargained for by coming here :-) Seems like you had a fantastic, if not humbling experience.

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