Dear Africa...

Going through my Google Drive this morning, I found this poem I wrote on the back of my short term missions trip in 2009. It's something I wrote from the perspective of living in the first world and seeing pleas for sponsors on the TV. I remember crying at seeing a charity advertisement that was filming from Addis Ababa about a girl who had lost both her parents and was looking after her brothers and sisters in the slum. I wondered how many people would respond to this advertisement that would have taken a lot of money to make. The organization would have seen it as an investment but would they have gotten a good return. This was my return...

Dear Africa,

Thank you for your invitation for my transformation

But without having some substantiation

I regret to decline in my reply

How do I really know that what you offer is real

Even though my heart was touched by your appeal

My feelings of guilt I must deny

Yes you say that you have no food, no clothes and dirty water

But why don't you just get a job to supply for your daughter

You really can't expect to get handouts all the time

And about that AIDS thing - who's fault is that really?

We tried to tell you, gave you condoms and showed you clearly

The remedy is not hard to find.

You know I would contribute some money to your plea

If only I had just won the lottery

But money is so tight even in our country right now.

You can have my affection, my good motives are many

Upon my reflection I can see it's you in need- if any

But as much as I would love to give, I just don't see how.

Though I may look rich to you, I'm struggling myself

It's hard living in a society where it's all about wealth

You gotta keep up with the Jones's out here in our town

Gotta pay for my house, my car, my hair do

My cell phone, my ipod, my kids nike shoes

If I don't get them what they want, they will soon frown.

The credit company and banks are on my back 

I have to keep up payments and not get too slack

There's harsh repurcussions if I give my money away

But as soon as I get myself out of this rut

I'll revisit your proposal and see what's up

Surely I will give you some money one day

But until then I'll keep putting money into

The stock markets, housing and term deposits too

So that one day I'll have riches and plenty to spare

Please be patient Africa, I'll be with you soon

To clothe you and feed you with a really big spoon

And then you will have more than enough to share.

Lots of thoughts

The First World.

I am in a role now again (I say again because I have done fundraising in New Zealand), where I am fundraising for this organization I have fallen in love with. It's an organization that beats the heart of God. Caring for women who have been so hopeless and desperate to provide for themselves, often for their families, that they sell their OWN BODIES. Thinking they have nothing else to give.

I don't believe in giving hand outs to people who are in need, unless it is what God has specifically put in our heart to do in that moment. But coming alongside an organization that is working to EMPOWER the women to be all that God has created them to be-

Whole:  Creative:  Productive:  Happy:  Hopeful

And I read back on this poem and pray that those who are blessed would sow into these ministries working to help the poor, AS God has instructed us to do so SO many times in His word. 

Recently a friend posted on FB a saying that said, "When God blesses you financially, don't increase your level of LIVING, increase your level of Giving." And I added, "That's why He does it right?" 

Doesn't God bless us to be a blessing to others? That's what He said to Abraham when He blessed Him.

One friend replied, "He does it for both." 

And I believe that to be true, but I personally believe that it depends at what level you are living in the first place. I don't believe that God wants us to live in extreme prosperity while others are living in extreme poverty (and those are both relative terms). That is, for me, the definition of injustice. 

This weekend, the Christian Church celebrated Pentecost which instagated the Holy Spirit empowered church. Not long after this happened we read about people in the church .. 

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,  and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. Acts 2:44-45

This is what I am talking about! The sharing of what we have so that there is no more INJUSTICE but there is EQUALITY. But most of us Westerners think...

"WE WORKED HARD FOR OUR MONEY!"

So, You don't think African's work hard? They do, but their money is not what yours is. . For varying reasons. Ones I don't want to go into here.

But what I do want to say is that in my last job I had in New Zealand I worked for an organization that was government funded. One of the biggest funded programs dealing with parent education. I was paid $25NZD per hour. In one hour I got paid what some people get paid here for a whole months worth of daily labour. Their work being much more strenuous, in more difficult situations for a whole bunch less money. THEN I would get paid a government allowance to help with our mortgage payments and our children. Who works harder for their money? Them. Where did MY money come from? The people of New Zealand's compulsary giving within the context of their tax. Something which I also paid as I worked. There is an injustice that I still struggle with today.

You are blessed to be a blessing. When God blesses you, it's not just for yourself. He does it so that the needs of others are met through His children. I believe that from the bottom of my heart. 

So don't sign the letter I wrote above. Africa is developing, it's not defined by poverty, but there are needs here that need to be met the rest of the world CAN definitely do somethng about. How about you do something about it NOW :)

You can donate towards our ministry here in Debre Zeit through this link

Or you can donate towards Women at Risk through this Paypal link here. 

Be blessed! If you have anything to contribute to what I'm saying, feel free to comment below :)