Who are the Americans ?

Back in March we had a visitor to WLBG…………….Miss Antonette Shaw was on her way to Guatemala to work in a clinic there. She had been there before and she knew what awaited her. Poverty.

Now, a lot of us in South Carolina are somewhat less than wealthy. In fact, we say things like ‘We’re just po’ folks’ and then we all chuckle. But we don’t know poverty at the level that Antonette had seen. She came onto Good Morning UpCountry as a guest and told of us of children who didn’t have a toothbrush or shoes or adequate food. She told us of people who came to the hospital and found it full. They lay down on the lawn of the hospital and waited. Some of them died there………..still waiting.

Antonette told us she was returning to Guatemala and if anyone would like to bring by a toothbrush or tooth paste or some vitamins……..the people sure could use it. That was it. I fully expected one or two kind souls to respond to her request and Antonette told us she’d be by in a couple days to pick up any donations to put in her suitcase.

By early next morning I was already wondering about the size of the suitcase. Our listeners had responded with a huge pile of personal hygiene products, vitamins, band aids, coloring books, notebook paper, jump ropes………and the stuff just kept coming in.

To say that Antonette was surprised by the volume of supplies awaiting her would a tremendous understatement. There was no way she could carry all of it with her so she made arrangements for having it shipped to her and took what she could carry.

We’ve heard from Antonette several times and we knew that your gifts were well received but when she came back and sat down with us last week it began to dawn us just what happened in Guatemala.

Were they grateful? Yes. Were they excited? Uh Huh. Were your gifts seen as a blessing from God? Yes.

But it was something else as well. It was an answer to a question for these people who are so heartbreakingly poor. That question: Who are the Americans? Now they know.

The Americans are people who will give when they may not have enough for themselves. Americans are people who understand that a child in need is something to worry about even if that child is thousands of miles away. In other words, the Americans are good people. Nothing will ever convince these children, this village, otherwise.

Thank you. Your generosity is amazing. The results produced by your big hearts are amazing as well.