another thought or two

The life that you're born into and create for yourself is but one version of reality - yours. There are billions of others out there and all deserve a chance, all want to be loved.

Outsiders are skeptical and weary of Africa and I smile now as I think of the umpteen well-intentioned warnings I received before embarking on this journey; warnings that extended far beyond the requisite "be safe." Are there dangers here? Of course! But the only difference between the perils here and those in the States are that these are entirely unknown to us. As Americans we deal with the threat of car accidents, office shootings, rape, murder, kidnap and terrorism on a daily basis but in order to live our lives we've reconciled ourselves with these evils. There are a litany of problems here too, some the same and some very different but for some reason they ALL seem much scarier and more certain to happen because of our mindset about Africa.

Wipe away everything you've been told about this continent. Drop the "We Need to Save Africa" ideal. Do they need help? Yes! But the only thing we really need to save is ourselves, stop ourselves from once again just throwing money at something, walking away and thinking that our way is THE way. It seems we're always ready to supply the "right" answer but what about the real answer? They money that we DO give is never questioned, never second guessed; it's really given so people can feel better about living the lives they lead. In fact, it almost becomes an immoral vs. moral issue and everyone wants to give money to feel good. Of course it's a great thing to contribute but I'm saying that we need to question WHY and WHERE that "help" is going because right now it seems your hard earned dollars aren't going to fix schools or buy supplies but to line the pockets of twisted figures of African authority who are completely mired in the red tape of corruption.

The rest of Africa, the ones who aren't receiving the funds allocated for them, are a people who I find to be gregarious, generous and warm; it's a place that's vibrant with color, texture and untapped resource - much of it begging to be released. At times it is unspeakably beautiful and I struggle each day to figure out how to convey it to you on the other side of the Atlantic.

We need to help each other understand one another, to meet in the middle to teach and learn because the only way this place is going to flourish is through being taught, not being told.

I didn't really intend to write all of this today. I'm certainly not trying to preach or sound unbearably self-righteous and I'm sure there are some skeptics 0ut there who are scoffing at the huge obstacle this idea presents but as someone recently told me, "Take the most difficult path, just do it at your own pace." We'll get there.