Seeds Will Grow

The following is an open-letter to my representatives in Congress, namely, Senator Josh Hawley, Senator Eric Schmitt, and Congressman Sam Graves:

I’m a Missourian married to a Sudanese man named Malik. Recently, he began reminiscing on how USAID saved lives in his village with emergency food assistance during his childhood. The food came in through WFP food drops into his remote region in the Western Nuba Mountains. One friend in his village, born in the 1980s, is named “Reagan” – in honor of the President who began sending U.S.-farmed sorghum to save Sudanese lives during devastating famine. My husband, who was just learning to read English, clearly remembered reading “FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE” emblazoned on the food aid.

(You can read more about the history of USAID’s work in Sudan here.)

Malik says the food pictured here would be the amount of food given to a family of 10. “Belila” is what Nuban people call plain sorghum boiled in water. He remembers how delicious it tasted to him. The enriched vitamin A vegetable oil that accompanied would be poured on top. After eating with their hands, Malik remembers how he and the other kids wouldn’t wash, but would instead smear the remaining oil on their faces, arms, and legs as body lotion. Nothing was wasted.

As for Secretary Rubio’s “America First” test – making America stronger, safer, and more prosperous – this food aid did all three:

1. America is stronger when it has friends all over the world. When people are naming their children after American leaders, that is incredible soft power.
2. America is safer when the world’s poorest are not in crisis. Poverty makes people desperate and prone to ideological radicalization and violence.
3. The American government was buying and sending agricultural products grown and produced in the USA. American-made. American-sent. Saving lives. Win. Win. Win.

Russia has been trying to end USAID in Sudan for years, Malik tells me, as they don’t like positive US influence in Sudan. This Republican administration has effectively ended this positive US influence with the stop-work order issued in January.

Malik adds, “We are very grateful for the assistance you sent to us. Things are tight right now at home, but we’ll cope with it. We understand.”

I also wish to add my thanks to my government for keeping my husband alive during famine in his childhood. Our nation’s past leaders and sorghum farmers have given me a great gift.

May God bless you with wisdom, now, as you lead our nation in this new era and represent the American people to the world.