Ethiopia: A long letter written by Sr. Elisa Tonello, an Italian missionary at Zway (Ethiopia), was published by a Missionary Agency MISNA. We report some extracts:
«This year, the rains came late and ended 45 days early. Last year, too, harvest was very poor and the last great famine in the country was just two years ago. […] There are clear signs of impending disaster of even large proportions, but the world does not pay attention to it. It is busy with other things. The world can let it happen, but we cannot because every day we have to face the sunken eyes and the hollow cheeks of these children. […].
The last famine saw our house filled with numerous children who were reduced to skin and bone. […] Those who try to help these poor people are forced to establish some criteria. In order to receive help from the nutrition programmes of the various organisation and associations, the children have to be 40% underweight. If not, 70-80% of the children of Zway and the surrounding villages would have qualified for help. It is worrying to think about the immediate future. Within three months, the entire population of 12 thousand persons in the Zway area will go hungry. […] It is the first time that I find myself in the midst of a catastrophe of such dimensions. It frightens me. If we could move Ethiopia just few degrees to the north, close to the countries south of Italy. Then people would realise how real the tragedy of Ethiopia is. Unfortunately we are situated too far south! […] We continue to hope. We hope to reach out to ever greater numbers of persons with our nutrition programmes which ensure food for around four thousand children. The world could help us to multiply this number, by assuring another bowl of faffa (flour with vitamins used in a country in times of famine ed.) a day.»
source:
Sr Maureen Irvine
Province Secretary
South Pacific Region Province
Scoresby Australia