Iwas told the average income for a family in Ethiopia is $180 a year. In Kenya it is more like, $365 a year. With statistics like this, no wonder there are so many living in the midst of poverty. No wonder children are living on the streets, starving, prostituting for food, and addicted to drugs that take away hunger pains.
I cannot imagine living on an income like this. How do they do it? I realize this is why there are the sky rocketing numbers of orphans. The Bible doesn’t tell us there is a way to end poverty or end the problem of so many children orphaned in the world. It does tell us we are to do something about it. We are to care for those suffering in these circumstances.
In our travels we met people who would ask us to take their picture. This store owner woman was outside and I met her on the street. She came to me and asked me to take her picture. She quickly ran around this shack and popped her head through the window. She was so proud of her shop and wanted people to see it. Why? Did she think it would bring her business? No. She just wanted someone out there to see her. She exists, she is real, and she wants people to see her. I want people to see her too. I want people to see her, to see the homeless man on the street, the crippled street child scooting on the sidewalk, the mother of four bathing her children in the mud puddle and begging passer bys for food. I hope you see them, and you hear the message they are trying to tell you. The message is that they matter. They are just like us, human, and they have needs just like us. They have needs for food, for shelter, for water, for purpose, for love. They are you, they are me, and they are our brothers and sisters.
They are the people of Africa. They are desperately hoping that you notice them. We interviewed a couple groups of women. After we turned off the camera for each group, they both had almost each member raise their hand and say, “Wait, I have something I want to say!” They just so want to be heard.
I always learn so much when I travel over seas. I think the Lord takes me there and rips me from my comfort zone. He speaks to me when I am weak, tired, and for some reason I hear Him more clearly when I am in that place away from my normal everyday life. Maybe this time it was the contrast of smells, sights, and environment in general. Maybe it was the weariness of taking 10 flights in 12 days. Maybe it is what C.S. Lewis says about the how the Lord shouts to us in our pain. He spoke to me in Africa. He told me He needs more of us to be involved. Start by seeing these people. Start by hearing their cries. Pray for them. Serve them. Donate to them. Do something.
I cannot imagine living on an income like this. How do they do it? I realize this is why there are the sky rocketing numbers of orphans. The Bible doesn’t tell us there is a way to end poverty or end the problem of so many children orphaned in the world. It does tell us we are to do something about it. We are to care for those suffering in these circumstances.
In our travels we met people who would ask us to take their picture. This store owner woman was outside and I met her on the street. She came to me and asked me to take her picture. She quickly ran around this shack and popped her head through the window. She was so proud of her shop and wanted people to see it. Why? Did she think it would bring her business? No. She just wanted someone out there to see her. She exists, she is real, and she wants people to see her. I want people to see her too. I want people to see her, to see the homeless man on the street, the crippled street child scooting on the sidewalk, the mother of four bathing her children in the mud puddle and begging passer bys for food. I hope you see them, and you hear the message they are trying to tell you. The message is that they matter. They are just like us, human, and they have needs just like us. They have needs for food, for shelter, for water, for purpose, for love. They are you, they are me, and they are our brothers and sisters.
They are the people of Africa. They are desperately hoping that you notice them. We interviewed a couple groups of women. After we turned off the camera for each group, they both had almost each member raise their hand and say, “Wait, I have something I want to say!” They just so want to be heard.
I always learn so much when I travel over seas. I think the Lord takes me there and rips me from my comfort zone. He speaks to me when I am weak, tired, and for some reason I hear Him more clearly when I am in that place away from my normal everyday life. Maybe this time it was the contrast of smells, sights, and environment in general. Maybe it was the weariness of taking 10 flights in 12 days. Maybe it is what C.S. Lewis says about the how the Lord shouts to us in our pain. He spoke to me in Africa. He told me He needs more of us to be involved. Start by seeing these people. Start by hearing their cries. Pray for them. Serve them. Donate to them. Do something.
1 comment:
I can feel the pain, frustration and brokenness in your words that only comes from God having spoken about the plight of the world and the "ridiculous" American bubble...... very proud you listened to Him!
Post a Comment