The Face of Injustice

I don't think I will ever become immune to the sight of suffering, and I cannot turn away from the face of injustice as it bitterly stares at me. My heart breaks as I see it so rampant in Uganda, and especially now in the capital city of Uganda-Kampala. (I have been spending the last few weeks here because of wedding preparations.). Today I even felt some anger as I saw a child subjected to beg for money by her father's choice. I was walking down the crowded streets when I saw a father placing his young crippled girl (I'm guessing maybe 6) on the street to beg for money. I could see the deformities on her body, both her arms and legs were folded and parts of her limbs were missing.

This is not the first time I have seen the crippled sitting on the streets begging for money. A day never goes by in Kampala that you do not see the crippled, as well as children-including very small children, sitting on the streets with their frail hands held out to receive even a small coin. It breaks my heart to think that so many of these children are placed here by their parents or relatives to earn money for the family. I was speaking with a fellow Ugandan about this situation, and she was telling me that many of the children have homes where they sleep at night. She was saying that the way the mothers get money to provide for their family is by placing their children on the streets from morning to evening to beg for coins.

I get overwhelmed when I think about the life these children are forced to live. They will never experience the joy of childhood, and their opportunities for a future are so limited. I wonder in my human mind, "How could you subject your own child to such a life?", but before I begin to criticize I stop to think about what poverty can drive someone to do. I know that I will never understand what these people are experiencing and have experienced, but one thing I do know is that I am going to be an advocate for justice and fairness. I am going to plead for the child's rights no matter what situation the parents may find themselves in. I am going to be zealous to see that many children are given a better future. I will not turn my face away-as many are tempted to do-because the task seems impossible. I will impact this nation and bring hope to others.