Mike - We take so much for granted in Calgary. Living in North America - is 1,000,000 times different than living in Africa. I have never seen poverty like this. It makes me sick to see. No luxury, no leisure, nothing. It's like we are on a different planet. We have taken the smallest things for granted in Calgary - like paved roads without giant pot-holes, running water (that is both hot and cold...a huge luxury here), safe food, clean water, a shower, healthcare, a toilet, a toothbrush, deodorant - the smallest stuff. The craziest thing - is that it doesn't hit you until you come face to face with it. Being here has wrecked us royally - in a good way of course! These people need Jesus so bad.
I do have to say that coming here has left me almost shell-shocked so far. I will always think twice the next time I spend money - and the next time I see a need that needs to be filled. Even though we are in the poorest nation on the globe, we are richer in our souls.
Becky - I echo Mike's sentiments, and am also really feeling the shame of overabundance...back in Calgary we thought we were sacrificing by not going out to eat often etc, but here, people are sacrificing by having no electricity, no running water, and using outhouses with no more than a hole in the ground for their family bathroom. The "butcher" is a 5' x 5' rusted tin shack with the meat of a cow hanging in the blistering heat, and the very fancy resort hotel here looks like a condemned building with a pool that looks like lemonade. One particular instance that really had me feeling the sting of our wealth back home, was when we first moved into our new place (just a few days ago), and the electrical switch to make the shower water hot wasn't working, and the sink was leaking water all over the floor. The Pastor was with us so he called up the maintenance guys and they couldn't fix it, so he came by again the next day, brought the maintenance guys again - they tinkered for a while and finally got it all going. I was already feeling bad about it, knowing that most people in Kisumu don't have running water at all - but towards the end, before they got it working, they told us to "have a bath" instead. We sort of laughed and asked how...because it was a shower, with no tub, and only a few inch lip around a 2' square basin. We could have bathed our feet...and that would be it. The Pastor explained to us that even he and his family only "bathe"...which then was explained to us as filling up a bucket of water, dipping rags in and then pretty much wiping yourself down. I didn't think that the Pastor even was in that sort of situation...when he told us that, I felt like such a prissy Canadian, wanting our shower to work, when we're fortunate already to even have one, regardless of water temperature or leaks.
Things here have really opened our eyes...whenever we turn on our shower, we remind ourselves that we are more fortunate than 99% of the people on this continent.
Mike - But - unfortunately, most people in North America will just go back to eating their supper and watching TV. (Quote: Hotel Rwanda).
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whoa you guys! powerful words in here, I can't begin to imagine what it's like over there, but these updates remind me to pray and make me look into my own abundance. you're certainly opening my eyes!
ReplyDeletekeep on sharing your thoughts and reflections as they come, they are and will become more invaluable over time.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how we take water and so many other element of our daily routine for granted.