Zambia, Africa JournalEssay Preview: Zambia, Africa JournalReport this essayOctober 15, 2003Dear Diary:Today was another hot and dry day in Kaoma, Zambia. The temperature reached as high as 96 degrees. I guess you could say that today was another typical way. I woke up this morning at 6:00 to go to work. I work along my mother and two sisters. We all work around 60 hours a week to provide food and shelter for the family. My father left about a year ago to find a better job in America. We hear from him once a month and he sends us money so that we can buy food. America, I wish I could go to become free from poverty.
I returned from working in the fields at about 4:00 in the evening. At that time, I was fortunate enough to receive a supper. My family and I ate what we could afford: one banana, rice, and some water. After we ate, my two sisters and I went outside to play with the younger children. We like to play with these children because it makes them happy. We are all like family in this town and we try to help each other. While, playing with the children we sing songs. The people of my town love to sing because it helps us rejoice and stay united.
When I returned from playing and singing, I went to my house to go to sleep. My mother and father made my house. It is a one-room shack made from scrap wood and hay. I am very proud of my parents and I appreciate how great they have made my life. I guess you could say that I am optimistic, however, I do think about life could be in a better and richer country. But, I try not to dread over that like most of my friends because I feel that it wont make my day-to-day life any happier. I hope one day that I could see how a day is lived in America. I wish I could go to America when I am older to make a better life for myself. I also hope to make more money for my family. I hope to go to school as well. I never went beyond grade school because money was needed for our family. Diary, I wish I could be with my father; its hard being away from him. Goodnight.
[Footnote: A copy of the letter to the New Hampshire House of Representatives from Robert Ditz and Margaret Hales was found on the Internet, “The Secret Story of the Secret Life of Robert Ditz: a diary, diary, and memoir”, July 15, 1990, p. 44.]
[Footnote: The first version of the letter is here – an excerpt from the letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee was published in a late summer 1993 issue of The Washington Post. But this letter, dated Feb. 23, 1993, was prepared under a pseudonym because it was believed the contents of the letter might be of use to the Senate Judiciary Committee.]
[Footnote: See also The House of Representatives Report on the First Presidency’s Decision to Hire John T. Hales]
[Footnote: A copy of Joseph F. Kennedy’s speech to the A.H. Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 12, 1981, a year after this letter was obtained under a pseudonym, was found in a mailbox at a house in the Dallas suburb of Dallas near the State House of Representatives on October 20, 1981.]
[Footnote: This is John Kennedy’s speech. The A.H. Chamber of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment. A copy of JFK’s speech on Nov. 12, 1981 was also found at a mailbox at a house in the Dallas suburb of Dallas, at which time the A.H. Chamber of Commerce was also located— a copy here is the original handwritten letter addressed to the A.H. Chamber of Commerce.]
[Footnote: The letter to the Senate floor in 1988 on Jan. 17, 2001, was read by then Speaker John R. Boehner and was also found at a mailbox in the Capitol.]
[Footnote: This is written by John Kennedy’s son-in-law, William J. Kennedy.[The letter was received by then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Stepien by the A.H. Chamber of Commerce on March 7, 2001 and contained a note, which was never reprinted in this letter, written by John Kennedy’s son-in-law, Charles K. Kennedy on February 31, 2001, that was reported as “an important document and address of the A.H. Chamber of Commerce.”]
[Footnote: This note is from a letter made by Charles F. Kennedy on July 15, 1981.(a copy here is the original handwritten note addressed to the A.H. Chamber of Commerce during the A.H. Chamber of Commerce�s debate on the Iran-Contra hearings in the February 18, 1981, session. The letter, which had been dated for approximately 12 days had been copied by another member of the A.H. Chamber in an article for USA Today on February 19, 1981.(a copy of this letter here is reprinted from the USA Today article on March 5, 1979 where George W. Bush was introduced.)
[Footnote: We have corrected the paragraph on “Robert Ditz.” The original text was here. A copy of the letter here was found at the home of a relative of Bob Ollender at the time. This copy contains a copy from JFK�s letter, which was read to the A.H.