Imagine you are a
farmer’s wife. Not so hard. In the midst of a drought. That isn’t so hard
either. Now imagine this drought has
gone on for years …and years. The
land around you is parched and nearly barren. You and your husband and your
children have toiled long hard hours just to get by. The rest of your village is no
better off. You do what you can to help each
other out. There
is civil war raging all around you. You aren’t political, All you want is peace
…and rain You pray to God for relief. Your
government could care less about your plight In fact they support the nomadic
Arabic tribes that want your land to graze their animals. Now
imagine…. A convoy of what looks like
International Aid Vehicles is approaching your village. You heart begins to
soar…Help is coming at last. Instead armed men pile out of
the vehicles. They attack your husband and
oldest son. Hacking them to pieces in front
of you and your daughters. Your two youngest sons are tied
up and thrown into the back of a truck. They cry to you to save them and
you can do nothing …because the men… are doing unspeakable things to
you and your young daughters. Before they leave they steal
everything you have left of value …and set fire to your home. The
whole village is in flames …and the cries of
your neighbors fill your ears. Your only hope is to try to make
it to the closest border You know there is no hope
staying in your own country. You
tie the baby to your oldest daughter’s back …and you take the
toddler on your own back. There is nothing else to carry. Everything you own has been
destroyed. You
set out on foot on the dusty road toward the west. You don’t have a map. All you can do is follow
the sun. It isn’t long before
you are all hot and thirsty and hungry. The toddler is sick… The others will be soon. There isn’t a fast
food restaurant or a grocery store. You wouldn’t have
anything to trade with if there was. There is no Medicaid or Welfare
office to apply to. No corner church or other place
of worship to appeal to. You can’t seek refuge
in a neighboring village. The only villages you pass that
haven’t been burned to the ground, are the villages of the
same Arab Muslims that did this to you. If a vehicle comes within site you hide.  |
You tie the baby to your oldest
daughter’s back …and you take the
toddler on your own back. There is nothing else to carry. Everything you own has been
destroyed. |
To
contact us: |
Email:
elonbaptistchurch@comcast.net |
|
Imagine Olivia
Nuckols |
