Locusts.

There was an item this morning on the news about a swarm of locust near Bolivia.
This is not something we can envisage in this country...but it brought back a sad account from my friend Michael.
As a boy living on his parents fruit farm in Rhodesia he had woken up to a clamour.
Word had just reached them that a swarm was getting too close for comfort.
Everyone had been marshalled into action. Men women and children, black and white they had all been sent into the fields around the borders to bang pans and anything that could make a noise.
They stayed out banging for hours...it sounded desperate.
But the swarm arrived and settled.
Everything was eaten.
Nothing was left.
His eyes describing this were grim..
They lost their farm.
It took many years to build it all up again but at least no one died...
In this country we thankfully don't have insect problems of that kind but there's no shortage of humans ready and willing to take their place.
I was enthralled by this description of a real disaster encountered by my friend. But this morning is the first time I've thought about it...locusts are still a threat even in this day and age.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad