That's Progress (Salgado #6)
A landmine is
“a mine designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a
person and that will incapacitate, injure or kill one or more persons.”
Landmines have
caused great destruction around the world, taking limbs and lives. According to
Salgado, of those who step on landmines, fifty-percent are killed. Furthermore,
eighty-percent of children die instantly as a result of landmines.
The African country of Angola gained independence from
Portugal in 1975. The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA)
began a civil war with the rebel group Unita. 300,000 people lost their lives
before a peace treaty was signed. However, fighting quickly resumed, and
thousands more were killed. In 1994, they attempted peace again, but the war
continued. It was not until 2002 that the conflict in Angola finally ended.
But the country is still suffering. Though it has an abundance of oil, Angola
remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The country remains in
ruins, landmines still speckling the countryside.
The Salgado photograph shows two Angolan citizens. The boy
is who catches my eye. He sits in a wheelchair, his face capturing the epitome
of distrust and unhappiness. His glare penetrates my soul.
The international Red Cross has a center in Bomba Alta,
making prosthetics to give to the suffering refugees. They also provide shelter
and rehabilitation resources to the victims. However, it is not enough; it
never will be. The demand for prostheses is just too high. The boy in the photograph is lucky. He has
been given two prostheses to replace his missing limbs—results of the
horrendous landmines.
As I studied the Angolan Civil War, most of the words that
popped into my mind all seemed very harsh and bleak. Poverty. Destruction.
Death. Mines. Refugees. Handicapped. But there is another word that stands out
above the rest.
Progress.
The Red Cross has made an impact on the lives of many
through their donations of prosthetics. That’s progress. The war has ended, and
Angola has started to reconstruct their nation. That’s progress. Through stories,
articles, and photographs (and blog posts!), we become more informed about the
issues of our world. That’s progress. The more we learn the more desire we have
to make a difference. That’s progress. As we act upon our desires, we strive to
make the world a better place. That’s progress. While we serve God’s children,
we will become better people and will come closer to Him. That’s progress.
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Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations: Humanity in Transition. 1994. Photograph. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. 227. Print.
Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations. 1994. Pamphlet. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. 15. Print.
Salgado, Sebastiao. Migrations. 1994. Pamphlet. New York: Aperture Foundation, Inc., 2000. 15. Print.
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