Saturday, November 15, 2014

Bono and Others to Sing to Raise Money for Ebola Crisis

I have been wondering, like others, when performers, movie stars and entertainers will step up their efforts to help the poor, suffering people of West Africa, who are stricken with the deadly disease Ebola and a health care system that in horribly inadequate. Now comes some good news out of England that "pop singers and musicians including One Direction, Bono, and Ellie Goulding have joined forces to record a charity song to raise funds to ease Africa's Ebola crisis." Other singers who will take part are Coldplay's Chris Martin, Emeli Sande and others. Thank God for their efforts.
Organizer Bob Geldof was quoted as saying that the British government is willing to waive tax on the single, which is being produced, so that all the proceeds can go to this important and much needed charity.
The most sickening photograph I've seen (though there have been many that upset me) was in yesterday's New York Times, which showed a young 5 year old girl lying in the street stricken with Ebola, with frightened people standing across the street from her, afraid to come close.  Eventually an ambulance came but she died shortly after. The sadness I felt upon seeing that photograph is beyond words.
I have been praying fervently for the people of West Africa and for a cure for this horrendous disease. I am so impressed with the work of "Doctors Without Borders" in West Africa that I sent a donation to them. There have been some very large donations, millions of dollars, which are greatly needed, from such philanthropists as Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife and Paul Allen. Those are the ones I have read about. I'm sure there are others as well. But all the billionaires in the world need to step up and donate and build hospitals, that are adequate to fight this disease and the other diseases that are prevalent in third world countries.
To think that at the beginning of this crisis, when it could have been stopped or contained,  doctors and people in the community, in some cases were working without rubber gloves, bleach, water and disinfectants. That they were without such simple supplies is incomprehensible.
And so I will keep praying for a cure. I am also praying the rich of the world, corporations and governments as well (the U.S. and Japan have made large contributions) will realize that deadly diseases can "pop" up anywhere and all people in this world have a basic human right to good health care and state-of-the-art hospitals and clinics. There is the money to do this, all that is needed is the will and the generosity.
NJA