Page 19 - LUDLOW TOWER AUG 21 (WEBSITE)_Neat
P. 19
WHAT HAS CHANGED IN 52 years?
"After a bit, you can't cry any more, or Our contribution to work in developing
feel sick any more, only terribly, blindly countries remains critical. Charities
angry. You simply cannot believe that work in local communities, alongside
little children can just lie down on your people in marginalised communities,
doorstep and die for want of a few even as some countries undergo the
shillings’ worth of food or medicine. overthrow of dictators such as Idi Amin
But they do. Surely to God, there are in Uganda, the Somoza family in
people back home who can swap a few Nicaragua, Pol Pot in Cambodia. And
luxuries for a child's life". their work to combat the threats of
I came across this Oxfam advertisement malaria, HIV and polio, to establish ante-
recently but it appeared in the Church natal clinics and much else continues,
Times in July 1969. It exhorted us, if we even more essential since the recent
felt angry enough, to do something cuts in overseas aid.
about it and send a donation to Oxfam.
Yes, we can all feel very angry about it,
52 years on, after several major health
alerts (SARS, Ebola, AIDS), a pandemic
and so many natural disasters, not to
mention shameful cuts in overseas aid
and many unstable regimes in developing
countries. The pandemic has shown us,
in a way nothing else appears to have Our response to the 1969 advert has to
done, that there are no international be, "Yes, we are angry enough to do
borders; throughout the world we are something about it, very angry, and to
members, one of another. It goes do it immediately" and we can start by
without saying that the 1969 supporting the annual Ludlow Christian
advertisement remains relevant. We Aid coffee morning, hosted by St
must not lose heart, tempting as it is to Laurence's.
question, if our donations have done When: Thursday 12 August
little to improve the local conditions of 10.30-12.30
millions, the point of continuing to give. Where: St Laurence's
Think back to England 52 years ago and What: Book stall, cake stall etc
compare it with today: despite great
efforts by both parties, poverty is still a Please bring your friends and neighbours
major factor here in the UK, with and enjoy the re-found luxury of sitting
deprivation and disadvantage still much around a table, enjoying one another's
in evidence. Housing remains in short company with good coffee and cake.
supply and thousands lack access to the Please come and support our hard-
internet, which is becoming essential to working team.
lead a full life.
Claire Wilcox 01584 877199
19
