There Is No Me Without You

This is the title of a book written by Melissa Fay Greene that tells the story of Haregewoin Teferra, an Ethiopian widow who found herself in the position of being asked initially to help take of one child who was orphaned because of AIDS and ultimately cared for scores. Ms Teferra's story is the story of one person who found herself in the position to make a difference, even with the odds stacked against her, and did.

The author also uses this intimate portrait to tell the tragic story of a continent ravaged by disease. All of us now should be aware of the millions in Africa who have died from AIDS, and who may still die, and of the many, many millions of children who were left without parents or grandparents or other family because of the disease.

In the story that the author weaves is the inescapable point of how the Western powers - America, Germany, Britain, France - and the pharmaceutical companies in these countries were more concerned with protecting profits for the drug companies than in making medicines available to the poor in Africa who were in need. Greene discusses many of the excuses that were offered for why the drugs were not used on a widespread basis and dismisses them as just that - excuses - with no real basis in fact. That deliberate choice to sacrifice a generation of people so drug companies could sell medicines - most of which were developed in government laboratories by government paid research scientists funded by the citizens of the country - at the highest possible prices is barbaric and immoral.

This, to me, is an issue where people of faith ought to be involved. We religious types talk a lot about acting as God's people and making certain our country makes decisions based on God's principles. It seems that I remember reading something about justice, mercy, and loving kindness in the Biblical text. Are these just words or should we act, and encourage our elected officials to act, in ways that would truly bring justice and mercy to all in need?

The title of this book, which was loaned to the Chittum family by our good friend, Piedmont colleague, and member of Covenant Church, Barbara Steinhaus, is a reference to a song that was popular in Ethiopia. As Greene writes in reference to the tune, "A child cannot live without a mother or father. A mother or father cannot live without the child." There is no me without you. I am defined by those with whom I am in relationship. I am diminished when there is no you. May we act to preserve that.