You are the reason

I've a new little brother!:)

His name is Geberegziabher Hailay, he's turning 8 this year and he likes football and science.

He's from Ethiopia, which has a population of 73.8 million but is only slightly larger than South Australia (In all, Australia has 19.7 million people).

For many Ethiopians, the staple food is injera, a flat, spongy sour bread. It is eaten with wat, a spicy stew; but meat is a luxury.

Most rural women recieve no health care during preganancy and childbirth.

HIV and AIDS is also a serious issue, as it is in other parts of Africa.

Comparatively speaking...

Ethiopia Australia

Population living on
less than $2/day

80% 0%

Population with an
improved water source

22% 100%

Adult literacy rate

Male- 49% Male- 99%
Female- 33% Female- 99%

% population undernorished

46% 0%

Life expectancy

47 years 80 years


David Palmer said something during our camp last year that really struck me. He said that in essence, we're living in the matrix. Or least, you and me, presumably from either Singapore or Australia.

The real world out there is not simply what you perceive it as, as you peer out of your window to observe your equally middle-class neighbour.

30,000 children worldwide die every day from preventable diseases.

More than 300 million children go to bed hungry each day.

Over 1 billion children and adults have no clean drinking water.

Does that mean I should in fact consider the option of slapping my future son for begging me or squealing and screaming for the next new wii, or xbox?

Well, before I get sent off under possible police custody for child abuse, I'll tell him that those statistics were not something I came up with before I settled into my 500-thread linen bedded king-size King Koil after a very satisfying mummy-cooked pork rib with peanut soup.


Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

www.worldvision.org.sg

www.worldvision.com.au