Compare our ability to turn on the tap and have all the clean water we want, or need, or waste, to areas in Africa where entire villages are struck with waterborne parasites and diseases. The traditional treatment of one waterborne parasite called the Guinea worm consists of wrapping the 2 to 3 foot-long worm around a small stick and extracting it. This is a slow and painful process that often takes weeks. This photo of a child in Togo endures the removal of a Guinea worm from his foot. The process is repeated daily and the pain is akin to having a hot coal placed on the skin. If the worm is pulled or broken it dies and a serious infection results. Children who have this Guinea worm cannot walk to school. Farmers who have it cannot work in their fields. Mothers afflicted cannot care for their families.
I spoke with Randy Randall this morning about our water in Centerville. We have such pure water from our wells chlorination is not required, and yet hundreds of tests are performed over a year on our water supply to ensure it remains safe for all of us.
Former President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center have been working to eradicate this horrible parasite, the Guinea worm in Africa. It is as simple as having clean water to drink. How easy it for us to have all the clean water we need? We all can help, and it may be possible by the end of the decade, to eradicate this disease worldwide. You can make a donation to help those who are helping by visiting the Carter Center web site.
Your $30 donation can pay for 100 portable pipe filters to enable nomadic populations to filter their drinking water and help eliminate Guinea worm disease.
This Guinea worm disease puts into real perspective our gripes, complaints and whining over big boxes, school vouchers, and my favorite -- our Republican State Legislature.
If you can stomach it, you can watch a video of a young girl, a victim of this parasite.
The image below is a 3' long Guinea worm in a laboratory jar.
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