Image courtesy of Shalom Association – www.movimento-shalom.org
Few days ago, we became “parents” of a child from Burkina Faso, we adopted at a distance.
We struggled with ourselves until the last moment, on the need to publish or not this initiative, but in the end there were no doubts : between the risk of appearing hypocrites and the opportunity to raise awareness among other people to help poor children, we choose without fear the second, in the hope others will understand that even a small sign, can make a big difference. The Talmud, a book from the Jewish tradition, mentioned in the award-winning Spielberg film “Schindler’s List”, reads: “Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.”
Analyzing our condition, we can not but acknowledge to be constantly in debt with life, for all the privileges that every day are given to us.
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, and we believe that one of the best ways to help these hard realities, is to support people in their country of origin, to enable them to live in dignity with their habits, in their land and their culture, without being wiped out nor forced to move towards an uncertain future.
In this new experience, we supported the Shalom association from Pisa, making a major commitment to be carried out with the power of our hearts.
It was a thrill to receive by mail the news of the baby, and we have been amazed to see his eyes on the attached photograph. It’s a wonder to discover that you can do so much for him, it’s beautiful to rediscover the gratuitousness of a gift, giving away, without asking anything in return.
We discovered we will be able to go and find “our” child, to meet him in person and to get in touch with Burkina Faso reality.
If one day we will be strong enough to make this idea true, our camera will be the first thing to take with us, to be able to testify, tell and remind us, every time we want, that experience.
And who knows, tomorrow a book could be born, a new photography project or a photo exhibition to be shared with those who wish…and are not afraid to love and help others.
Daniela Demichele and Maurizio Mannini
