My Trip to Moxico and to Angolan History – Final Thoughts
I have seen many children. They have the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. And those smiles, I will never forget.
In our days, when we have the privilege of living in a real house, to have tap water and electricity, we tend to forget the real priorities. The priority of being alive, having a home, having bread. Just these three minor things, which are not as minor as it could seem. I really believe that those are the most important treasures right now.
I have never cried over a lost object or a lost idea. I have never cried over a lost toy or a burnt dress. It is probably, because I was raised and taught this way. Now, what about those that feel so miserable because they have lost something material? Something that we can easily replace such a shirt, a dress, a toy, a ring… of course, there will be something lost in it: the sentimental part of a gift or the souvenir of a trip.
However:
We haven’t thought of the people that have lost the whole family in a violent war.
We haven’t thought of the people that have lost an arm or a leg because they tried to work on their plantations and feed their families.
We haven’t thought of the children that have lost the whole family at the early age of 3.
The life of the privileged people (like me and you) of the 21st century has lost the ideals and the sense of priorities. It is not enough to watch the news from time to time and to think about them once in a while. The life of an orphan in the remote areas of this world is much more important than a broken nail or than a lost ticket to the last movie of Brad Pitt.
We have lost our priorities. And it needs much more than violent images of children dying of hunger in the camps of Luau (Moxico). It needs much more than money giving because people felt sorry in that very moment, then those in need are forgotten.
It takes much more than that.
The lessons I am learning in Moxico, make me see wider than my own ego, than my meaningless sorrows and pitiful laments. In nothing, my life is compared to the teenagers of this country and this world, that still live in huts and under human conditions.
In nothing, my life is compared to those children that are runaway kids. For the hope of surviving.
We have lost our priorities and I hope and pray that we will have a glimpse of salvation in this way. We are the lost sheep of Israel…
Jo Ann von Haff
Lwena, Moxico Province
August 2002
Jo Ann is a psychology student in France, studying to counsel children of war and poverty torn third world countries. Originally from Angola, she is truly a nomad having lived in Cuba, Angola, Portugal, South Africa and France.
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