|
During my recent excursion to the Dark Continent, I learned a few
things about myself and about the world. Some of these
revelations might seem trivial or obvious, but somehow spending
time away from home across the Atlantic Ocean, in a different
hemisphere, changes things in one's mind. Here are some of
my African trip epiphanies.
America is the richest, best, and most envied nation in the
world. As I traveled it became crystal clear to me how
wonderful our country is. I almost kissed the ground upon my
return. It is great to be back.
The poverty of third world Africa is much worse than you can
imagine. I thought I understood. While I have seen
some cases in Alabama that were just as bad. Children
starving, living just minutes away from a Methodist church is a
fact in Alabama. However, the sheer number of starving
children and adults was just beyond my comprehension. The
most treasonous act an American can commit is cheating on federal
taxes. I gained an extreme respect for our republican
form of government and capitalistic society, even with the
wasteful spending and the disparity between wealthy and poor.
Nevertheless our tax dollars are spent by people we elected.
In Mozambique I saw what a country with no real tax structure
looks like; garbage in the streets, roads that barely deserve to
be called roads, people urinating in public, and no public
education. Soldiers have given their lives for our freedom
to be democratic. Cheating on our taxes steals from them and
the rest of America.
Education is the most basic need in Africa. The sense of
American determination and resourcefulness is non-existent in
Mozambique. If we want to know something, we find out.
The knowledge just isn't there for those people. There are
few, very few, resources for education. Africa University
and the other schools are doing the best they can. Praise
God that education is the place where we started our mission work
in Africa!
Relationships matter more than anything else. I could learn
to live without my Jeep, my cell phone, Pocket PC, internet,
cable, and even my bow, I cannot live without my family or my
church.
There is a difference between "American Time" and "African Time."
I don't just mean the eight hours time zone difference either.
They aren't in a hurry for anything. As long as you are not
early, you are on time.
Hard work comes from a desire to work. Of all the
disappointments I felt, the one that hurt the most was my
recognition of what I will call "the entitlement syndrome."
While America is blessed, we may not always be. Yet, many of
our citizens act as if they are "entitled" to a great job, with
great benefits, with great insurance, and a big new car and house.
In Africa, the service was amazing. People who had jobs were
glad to have them. They worked hard to keep them. We
could learn from their spirit.
The
Church is still the church. African Christians worship the
same God, ask the same questions, and argue about the same ideas.
We are all one in Christ. "For in Christ Jesus, there is
neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female. We
are all one in Christ." I might add to that there is neither
American nor Mozambicans. (Galatians 3:28)
Finally, I was affirmed that the people of Hartford First United
Methodist Church are amazing. God's love flows through your
giving, prayers, tears, and hugs. You are doing ministry
around the globe. As I write this article, Robert Byrd and
Paul Ferrell are in Guatemala experiencing the gift of foreign
missions. We are changing the world, not just in Hartford,
AL, but in Africa and South America. Truly the world is our
parish!
If
you are interested in doing some foreign mission work, we would
love to make it happen. Call me, Paul or Robert, and let's
keep it going.
Pastor Jack
2/1/2007 |
|
THOUGHT FROM THE HEART