“The cry of the poor!”

News stories detailing the crises that continue to plague Africa continue to fill the airways, internet and newspapers ... “Plane Crash in the Congo” ... “Zimbabwe Election Crisis” ... and the aftermath of the election in Kenya. But the common thread among these stories is the connection they have to “power” and how the use or mis-use of it affects the lives of the poor.

Some reports state that the plane crash in the Congo was a result of a runway that was too short for the aircraft. Local officials had been wanting to lengthen the existing runway, but other government officials would not provide the funds. Now 33 people are dead. The on-going electoral conflict in Zimbabwe is affecting millions. Twenty-five percent of the country’s population, about 4 million people, have fled to South Africa, Botswana and Great Britain. And the post-election struggles in Kenya have left more than 1,000 people dead and another 300,000 people homeless.

But power struggles and their effect on the lives of the poor are nothing new. Every nation, every people and every culture have their own stories. But one wonders ... what can we who are concerned for our brothers and sisters in Africa do for those who seem so powerless?