Two stories

So I have one person's story to tell, and another observable instance.

The first story comes from a person here that I really like. Mak, the head of track & field for the Northern province and the head coach of the under 13 national rugby team that just won a big international tournament (against the likes of England).

Mak's sister is 48 years old. She has cancer. If I remember it all correctly, in 1988 she was found to have some issues with her womb and had surgery. She was still having discomfort and issues, but then came the war. Finally in 1999 she had another surgery where I believe he said they removed her "rotten" womb. But there were still issues. She more recently went back for work and they found that she had cancer "in her stomach". She has been in Freetown in a hospital there, but they don't have anymore medicine for her, and they say she needs another operation. The closest place that can do the operation is in Ghana!! Several countries east and would cost $5000. The average salary per person here is under $500 per year. Mak has no access to money like that. He has brought her home to Makeni. He won't say "why", but we both knew what he meant. It just pains him too much to say it. No more medication, no more hospital, just friends and family. Better than in a strange bed...

I wanted to cry, I almost did as he turned the conversation to building a track facility. I stopped him, some things are more important, but what could I say? I just put my hand on his shoulder and said I was sorry...

In my time here I hear or see these kinds of things every day it seems... But for the people here, they LIVE these things their entire lives.

Makes the other story seem insignificant... A group of kids saving their money to get fuel for the generator so they will have some light to study by at night. They want to learn. Imagine kids from 10-16years old in the US saving money so they could study...