here I am sitting in the Salt Lake City, Utah and this is the first free hour I have in a long time to sit, surf friends blogs and think about life. The only sucky thing is I paid 5 bucks for this internet. I better make this blog worth it.
I have been enjoying reading Kori and Lisa's blog and as they contemplate our living situation in Canada and try to relate that to the experience we just had in Uganda. I would echo every word that they have said so far, so there is no reason for me to delve into the, I hate to say it, cliche comments about how we have so much and they have so little. For some reason it is so easy to shrug those type of words off as cliche and to forget what they are communicating before we finish reading them. John has asked me to talk for a couple minutes about my experience at ignite this weekend, so I want to try and bring a fresh approach to talking about the experience of visiting a third world country.
I am continually frustrated when I think about what I can actually do to help the people I interacted with. They had already been given the only thing that has any meaning and importance; the message and love of Jesus Christ. What more can I bring apart from the luxuries of the western world and basically money? Don't get me wrong, our trip was definetely not in vain. The spiritual encouragement on both sides far outweighed any cost of the trip to get there. Sure, we built them a playgroud, worked on their school, taught them and brought them things that they could not afford, but the trip meant so much more. We were able to strengthen their hope in the one true God, the only one that they have to rely on, trust and confide in. The only thing that gets them through their long, hungry days.
But let me go back to the question: what more can I bring them?
When we go and take with us these 'things,' and by things I mean our VBS program, the soccer balls, the jerseys, the pencil cases etc etc. These are not bad things, but are we not taking them the things that have so corrupted our own society, turning it away from trusting in our God to provide? What are communicating to the young children in Africa? That these things bring happiness? Do we help those in Africa by trying to make their lives like ours? I'm not so sure.
Hopefully you can see my thought struggle here, and I'm sure there is no easy answer. For those who don't know, I am coming home this weekend for a visit. Maybe I'll get to see you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
i wish you came to your original home.
miss you loads man.
One of the many books that I've been reading lately is 28. The number 28 stands for the 28 million Africans dying each year of Aids. The lady decided to interview 28 africans to tell their story. It has been profoundly moving that I can only get through a chapter every week or so. I see it on the shelf but walk on by knowing it'll cost me again if I decide to read it.
One of the things Ms. Nolan says is she doesn't like how North Americans spend millions of dollars a year to go to Africa and do mission work when those dollars could be given to the Africans themselves allowing them to accomplish much more then any Texan or Saskatchewan boy could ever hope to accomplish.
Those words Zinged me. I've organized, led and participated in many mission trips, none to African mind you, but I've done the work. I've spent the tens of thousands. And I've thought I made a difference. I'm sure I did. While I was there. But what happened after we packed up our stuff, flew to Disneyland to celebrate our hard work then arrived safe at home in our 1st world country? Nothing. I forgot. They probably did too. See you again in three years Arturo. In the mean time, hello rich country. Smooch.
That being said, I still go. I'm planning one right now in fact. Am I a hyprocrite? Perhaps. Although, I do believe that although the trip might not change Tijuana, or in Tyler's case, Uganda it had a profound impact on those of us who went. I see dozens of teen's life's transformed every time as they learn they are not all that matters in this life, there's others. And they need us. And we need them.
John and Tyler,
I have thought a lot about they idea of 'sending funds not bodies' oversea for mission trips a lot. Moreso when I realized the full budget for the mission to Uganda and the total amount raised in the planning stages. I thought that maybe we should just send this money and build a school or drill some wells. I am so glad that we did not just send $ instead of going.
There are a lot of good NGO's out there that do amazing work. You can definitely send some funds and have them help people in ways we would have never thought about. Knowing where your money is going directly is priceless, especially considering corruption in most of these countries. NGO offices are not exempt from this temptation to skim off the top, and many field offices that are actually doing the hands-on work with the people are not constantly monitored by their first world counter parts. A little negative, maybe, but I think that is a reality. Maybe we would arrive to find no natives working in the office at all and the foreign workers living very comfortably off your donations of which a portion will make it to the people.
In our case in Uganda, we could have sent money for a school or teachers housing to be built, and feel good about the money we raised. They would have appreciated that gift greatly; but the teachers had not been paid for two months and were slowly starving to death, and many were strongly considering leaving. The 'foundation' of this school that we would have sent funds to would have been missing the key element, the teachers. We had raised some funds for the parents to start some micro finance projects, but it was until we arrived that we felt compelled to raise more funds to get an income generation project for the teachers so they could get a steady income and focus on teaching not hunger pain and how to afford malaria medication for their young family. We would have never known unless we went there. The NGO's do not have unlimited funds to be able to do deal with all probelms at once all the time. And this is one of hundreds of areas they are working in.
When a relationship is built with a community and the amount of encouragement that goes with that is unlimited and life changing on both sides.
Zooming in on one community to build a relationship and create a sustainable healthy environment is ideal. The ripple effect takes place: more funds come in when people feel they know more about poeple personally from my limited experience,as well when relationships occurs as well as more prayer bombs. I think having communities encouraging communities is essential.
In the big picture the amount donated by individuals is peanuts compared to the aid that is supposed to be coming from countries such as ours. I am actually embarassed that our country brought up the notion to put .07% GDP towards African Aid and has never lived up to it.
People need their basic needs to survive but relationships and spiritual encouragement is high on the list. Both are needed, please send Team's and Money. That is all from the peanut gallery for now, Lisa is kicking me off the computer.
(I am not against NGO's in anyway, and hope to work for one some day but think that stop sending teams on missions looks good on paper but in eyes of the people is different story altogether)
I will pick up a copy of 28 soon as we hit an english country.
Love Kori
get to calgary.. get stoked.
Post a Comment