10-19
Five days to go.
I’m waiting in an airport for
a work trip flight at too-damn-early-o’clock in the morning and I’m a little on
the edge emotionally. Yesterday, my seven-year-old brought home a book she
picked out in the school library about a homeless boy who lives in an airport
with his father. It described how they manage it, how they’re not the only ones
who do it, and the boy’s feelings about it. My heart breaks as I sit at my gate
and imagine it. I wonder what kind of mess I’ll be in Africa next week if I’m
sad about a picture book right now.
The job I'm doing today is flying out to speak
at a fundraiser to ask an audience to donate to RESULTS, the anti-poverty
advocacy organization I work for. I won’t have any trouble speaking tonight
about why I am an advocate. Here’s a section of my remarks for tonight when I
describe some of the new-motherhood reflections that led me to seek out
activism for child survival:
“In quiet moments,
holding my baby girl just as she dropped off to sleep, I would feel peace, but
also that nagging worry…will I be able to give her what she needs? Can I nurse
her through this fever? Is she getting enough to eat? Now, in my case, these
were silly fears because I happened to have good health insurance, good doctors
in great hospitals, and plenty for her nutrition. But what if those answers
were no? What if we didn’t have clean water? What if the nearest hospital was a
2-day walk..or more? What if I lived in real fear of measles or malaria claiming
her life? When ½ of the world lives on $2 a day or less, these are the
realities many parents face.”
My heart was breaking at that
time of my life, too. Thank goodness I found RESULTS and Shot@Life to give me a
way to help mothers and fathers struggling to save their children. Because both
of these organizations celebrate the good we’re able to achieve and don’t dwell
on the bad. In fact, Shot@Life is a whole campaign based on the joy of kids
reaching life milestones: first tooth, first steps, first smiles. Here’s a
great video about it that will show you what I mean.
I think it’s important for us
as humans to be touched and experience some of the negative empathetic thoughts.
The tears can be an inspiration or a spark to take a first step. Yet they can’t
sustain us for years of strength needed to persistently advocate for a cause
over the long term. I’m hoping that this trip to Uganda can reconnect me with seeing
the need with fresh eyes, but also show me the joy of lives being saved. I’m
ready to be both torn down and filled up on this trip and grateful I’ll be
doing it with some of my fellow Shot@Life champions I’ve come to respect and
trust…and like very much, by the way!...over the past year. Shot@Life champion
Holly Palivka put it very well one day when I was having a crappy day. She
said, “We are not only champions for Shot@Life, but we have become champions
for each other.” She’s totally right and it’s why I’m glad my first trip to
Africa is with friends and fellow advocates. Over the next year – as we tell
whatever stories we gather to other activists, the media, and members of
Congress – we are going to need each other’s support.
Here’s a thought to reflect
on. You need your heart to break to be a donor. You need to be able to put it
back together to be an activist.