Hands tied and heart broken

I've been listening to Ideas on CBC this week. The show is broadcasting the 2005 Massey Lectures with speaker Stephen Lewis, the the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. Mr. Lewis speaks of his experience in Africa over the past 40 years and shares many personal stories to drive a poignant message: Africa is dying and the Western World is not doing anything about it. Worse, we are preventing the situation from ever improving.

The broadcasts are very sobering. They make me wonder how anything can ever be done to help. The resources needed to help Africa (and I'm guilty here of using a single word to describe many different countries and situations) seem unattainable. Objectives are put forth by governments who do not follow on their commitments or "give" money that is tied to many conditions and rules. It truly breaks my heart to hear stories of young 10-year-old girls stuck raising their brothers and sisters because both parents dies of HIV/AIDS. The tragedy is not only because of the loss of millions of lives, but also because of the loss of tradition's children will never learn from their parents or learn too late from their aging grandparents.

Maybe there's one thing I can do... Keep reminding myself that I am fortunate, and live a rich and rewarding life.