a story about poverty

I just read the most amazing, sad, intriguing story.

about poverty and aids. both topics I hope to never experience within my little world of family and friends. (though I do have a friend who lost a brother to the disease).

anyways. I encourage you to go read this. a documentary photographer followed the life of a girl (19 when she met her I think) for 18 years thru extreme poverty and aids...children...addictions....death. It is tragic, but such an eye opening look at those subjects.

right here in America. desperately sad.

It certainly brought to my mind a lot of thoughts...
--why did this woman keep having children? should a doctor have offered to tie her tubes after her third or fourth baby was born (and others had already been taken from her?)
--why hadn't anyone stepped in to intervene with the last child? looking at the conditions in which they were living...?!
--they say you can only help someone who wants to help themselves. did she not want to help herself... or did she keep slipping through the cracks of our (broken) "systems".
--can you imagine viewing this life through the eyes of the photographer...let alone living it yourself!?

go to www.darcypadilla.com and click on Julie's Story. To the left there are "chapters" to click thru....and each chapter has kind of a scroll thru documentary of pictures and details of the story.

and when you are done. Say a prayer of thanks for the life you have. and say a prayer for God's mercies on those who suffer. and say a prayer for the kids in this world who are abused or forgotten...who run to the streets and ultimately end up living a life such as this one.