April 27: Swine Flu (Luke)

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds each of you well where ever you might be. I think of you often, even though I don’t have the opportunity to speak with you quite so much.

Andrea and I are doing okay in light of the most recent whirlwind coverage of the Swine Flu. Yesterday Felipe Calderon, Mexico’s President, appeared on television giving his account of this outbreak. It seems as if he has the most recent health concern “under control,” much in the same way that he’s making progress in the war on drugs and cartel violence. The news here is flying just as it is in El Norte, and we continue to keep track of what’s unfolding.

On Friday, April 24th, I stepped off a bus from Cuernavaca into a Mexico City bus station and into what seemed like a movie. Every single employee and most of the passengers wore masks. From the front page news reports and international coverage about the swine flu, clearly this is not a movie. The daily reports here include the number of deaths, reaction on what has (or hasn’t) been done so far, op-ed articles about what should be done, and the suggestion to only go outside in public if absolutely necessary.

Yesterday (April 26th), Andrea and I drove by the Olympic Stadium at the National University, where the Puma soccer team plays. There were riot police out in full gear, indicating that there would be a game in front of hundreds of thousands of people. The night before, however, we learned that the game would be played in an empty stadium. It was eerie to pass by, seeing the police in riot gear, and knowing that the stadium – usually bursting at the seams – would be empty.

One question I keep hearing from the media is, “Why is the flu virus so much more deadly in Mexico than in the US?” This seems to be the one hundred thousand dollar question. Speculation continues this morning: is it a different strain? Have Mexicans been dealing with it for several more weeks than those in other countries? …

One theory seems most logical to me: nutrition, or a lack thereof. While I don’t know the personal history of those who’ve died from the flu, I’d be willing to bet that some of them suffered from some level of malnutrition. Over two-thirds of Mexico’s people live in poverty. One face of this poverty is malnutrition. In order to fight off the flu – whatever type – one needs to have a solid base from which to work. Many Mexicans suffer from inadequate nutrition, leaving people that much more susceptible to disease.

Would having a country (or all of North America) full of well-nourished people prevent such a health concern as swine flu? Probably not, but this might have reduced the grave effect it’s had on over 80 people. A country full of well-nourished Mexicans might have had a step up on this flu, as well as the countless other health problems people currently face here because of the abject lack of proper nutrition.

I’m not a doctor and will wait to see how this swine flu “outbreak” unfolds just like the rest of us, taking precautions by washing my hands regularly, eating well, and getting enough rest.

I am, however, a theologian, and I wonder about the existence of malnutrition. I believe God created a world which provides sufficiently for all of its inhabitants. Science demonstrates that the earth can support the people living here today. Then why is it that so many millions of people go hungry today and everyday? Why is it that, in a world of such abundance, some of us go away fed, and some of us go away empty?