Celibate and Sane: How to Value What You Have and Where You Are

September 17, 2010

How to Value What You Have and Where You Are

I saw a program recently called "Make Me a New Face." It's about a debilitating illness called 'noma' which has a mortality rate of 80-90%. The survivors end up with the most atrocious damage to their faces. Most victims are quite young when affected (3 to 8 years of age) and have to live with the stigma of being cursed or tainted and never being able to live a normal life. Many are ostracised by their own families.

I was in tears watching the program. I'd never heard of the illness before. It is often caused by malnutrition or lack of clean drinking water. While it has been wiped out in Europe for over a century, many third world countries are still plagued by this terrible illness. Around 140,000 people are affected by it each year.

Following is a link to Ben Fogle's website about the program that he presented. And here's an official website about 'noma' called "Facing Africa."
I encourage you to watch the program or check out these websites - even if you have a squeamish tummy like me. It will make you appreciate your own good health and the good food and drink that we have. It's a good reminder to be thankful for all of our blessings... and indeed we are so blessed when we see the plight of these poor children.

Here are a couple of links to other projects to help noma victims: Project Harar Ethiopia and Sokoto Noma Project.

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Personal Quotes from Vicki-S

"Occasionally I find my breakfast a little bitter, and sometimes it's difficult to chew and swallow; though at other times it's sweet, but it’s very satisfying and always sustains me. My most important meal of the day, is feasting on God’s Word and drinking up His presence."

I love me, because God loves me. It's not that God doesn't see my flaws, they are like blazing torches in His eyes, but rather that He sees past my imperfections and still loves me. And who am I to argue with the perfect God that I am worthwhile, that I am worthy of love, and that He accepts me and wants me to be His child, His beloved daughter? When I understood this, I began to accept and embrace His version and His vision of me, and not the world's.

"The silent treatment and sulking are simply two other weapons in the arsenal of the manipulator."

"Often people use the metaphor of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon to describe how we can grow from difficult experiences, but what they don't mention is the fact that at first we start off as an ugly caterpillar."

"We so often just get caught up in trying to just get through each day, that we forget to pause and be thankful for the fresh one that is presented anew and untouched each morning."

"Contrary to what we might think, forgiveness isn't so much about healing our relationship with that other person, but about healing our own broken heart."

"The purpose of school reunions is to show off how much you've achieved in life, to laugh at the once popular kids who've aged more quickly than you; and to wince at the guy who was a bully in school and who aptly became a policeman."

"I've found in many organisations where volunteers are needed, including the modern-day church, that 80% of its people sit back and let everyone else do most of the work, then there's the 10% who actually make the place run, and the remaining 10% just like to whinge about the 10% doing the work, especially about how they could do it better."

"When traced back to its source, every sin, every despicable act, and every war was motivated by someone's selfishness."

"I do not want to think of man, for that would distract me from God. But if I focus on God, I cannot help but think of my fellow man, and each day God keeps the scales balanced so that I have enough within me to do both."

"Overcoming depression isn’t about changing ones attitude, or just ‘getting on’ with things, it’s like removing one’s personal black shroud one thread at a time, with ones teeth.”