These are pictures from a refugee camp in eastern Congo, just outside of Gomah. These people have been displaced by fighting among the government and various rebel factions.

They’ve been forced to relocate to an area that can’t sustain them, among people who don’t really want them there.

While we were there, one man approached us with his starving daughter, begging us to take her to a hospital. Our guides told us we couldn’t do this, obviously, because we would start a riot. You can’t help one person in need and ignore the other 10,000. It was a tough scene.

And as if this isn’t bad enough, the area was struck by an earthquake just the other day.

So what can we do to help, other than feel bad for them? Here is what an aid worker told me:

1. become educated about the situation…search out news even though it doesn’t make the headlines. this is the most important stuff, large numbers of people are suffering and need help.

2. pray.

3. tell others about the situation.

4. tell your congressmen/political leaders you want something done. (this is one of those things that everyone says to do but no one actually does.)

5. donate to and volunteer for responsible aid organizations. i was over their with world relief, and they are doing great things, and there are others like them.

6. go. this is a great way to truly understand what’s going on. and the people are great. kids are kids anywhere, they love having someone new to play with.

and this one is from me….pick an area and adopt it. it’s overwhelming to think of all the areas in need in the world, but pick one and follow it, do what you can, and learn enough to tell others about it.

i’m not trying to be mr. preachy do-gooder, and i’m certainly no mother theresa, but once you’ve been there, you can’t help but want to see conditions improved for hurting people. i know this is cliche, but it’s true…if everyone in america (and the first world) would do just a little, we could eliminate a lot of suffering.