Taken for Granted
The ability to see is powerful and
should not be taken for granted. On my first home visit in Tanzania, I listened
to the story of a struggling family and all the challenges they overcame to
make it to this point. I was welcomed open heartedly to the home of Lillian and
her two children, Ebenezer and Enoch. Lillian has lived in Arusha, Tanzania her
whole life. At the age two, she became completely blind and has been blind for
37 years now. Her condition is really rare and it still causes pain in her eyes
to this day. It is impossible for me to imagine what it would be like to be
blind. The thought scares me, and makes me hope that I will never encounter
that challenge. Not only is Lillian blind, but her husband left her when the
kids where very young, which intensifies the situation even more. To support
her family, she washes dishes and cleans clothes. She said it is very difficult
because she cannot see and has to rely on touch. She tends to cut her hands
badly on the knifes when she washes dishes. A lot of times she cannot give her
family food and the only food the boys get is at school. When we asked what she
was planning to cook that night, she said Ugali which is flour mixed with
water. It tastes bland and is not nutritious but gives the body a sensation of
being full. All they owned was in an 8x8 room with a bed, couch, two chairs and
buckets. They have no electricity, and share a bathroom with 20 plus people. The
boys have gone through hardships as children as well. Their father left them at
ages 3 and 18 months. He then took them from their mother at ages 5 and 3. He
took them and made the young boys work for him. They would work from 8am to 2
pm at the earliest every day and they had to herd 50 cows to the barn and back
to where they started. They did not even
have shoes to walk with in the thorny brush. After a long day of work the boys
where sent to their room where they usually went to bed on an empty stomach.
Their main source of food came from begging the neighbors for a little food. The
boys were beat up doing this and in poor conditions and after one of the boys
had a near death experience, the mom realized she really needed to help her
children. Enoch and Ebenezer worked for their father for 2 years before their
mom saved them and brought them home. The kids somehow earned sponsorship years
later, starting them on their path of education. At this time they were 11 and
10, which is considerably late and knew no English. However, they took this
chance and ran with it. They both occasionally spoke English with us on the
home visit as they are in 4th grade and are now only 13 and 12.
Their dreams are to become a pilot and engineer. Education is the BIGGEST
opportunity for them to achieve their dreams and greatness. I can’t even
imagine the pain these boys have gone through and go through every day. They
know their father and see him with his new family and three children. Their
father does not support them or care for them in any way. To know that your
father abandoned you in the first place must be a terrible feeling. Another
thing we take for granted. To know your father and the new family he has
started must be gut wrenching. The questions, why did he leave his kids? Why
were they not good enough? What was so different about your new children?
Filled my mind. These boys, along with their mother, are really strong and are
making the most of what little they have to raise themselves out of this hole.
Recently before my trip, and now meeting Lillian, I have
seen people who are blind do amazing things that are truly inspirational. It
really speaks to me how strong people can be internally. It is amazing how
being blind is a limit but not the end, rather the start of great things. I am
truly grateful to have my sight, my own room, and food to eat multiple times a
day. These really are advantages that
are taken for granted and should be used wisely, as I know many people here
would fight hard to have these advantages for their families.
Asante,
Karsen
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