Last week, we finished our combined partnership training for the sports school and for the community transformation school. There were 55 students from 35 countries. It was amazing to meet them all & hear some of their stories. The training was conducted by K, myself, and A.
We continue to be amazed at all God is doing in the world through people like these. These are the workers. These are the ones who are playing with & teaching the children, caring for the dying, creating better systems for their communities at a grass-roots level. These are the ones asking, “What is YOUR American church doing to address HIV/AIDS worldwide?”
I walk away inspired to get more hands-on in my own city. And I continue to be daunted by the great need around the world for resources, both people & money. What if the churches in every state adopted an African country, doubling up where necessary? (There are 52 African countries.) What are the churches of the world capable of if we put our time & energy into addressing HIV/AIDS more aggressively? (Because isn’t the church commanded to take care of the widows & orphans…the outcasts?) How do we take care of the needs in our own backyards, in our own cities, while pulling together to address these global needs?
So here’s where we’re at… K & I have had an ongoing conversation about what is required of us, as human beings, as Christians, as Americans...whatever defines us & distinguishes us from everyone else. It’s easy to forget that because we are American, we are richer than most of the world, regardless of how “rich” we are by American standards. In the eyes of the rest of the world, we are American & therefore we have more than they do & we should give without another thought. & most of the time we are the only Americans that they know. So then
what is our responsibility, really? Is it as simple as when they ask, we give, regardless of what they ask because it is our duty, regardless of the accountability structures that may or may not be in place? We ask this question to all of you. What do you think? How do you handle requests such as these?
When can we expect first world standards & when do we accept third world standards? How do you respond when people justify certain behaviors or lack of responsibility because “this is Africa”? When is it okay to say “that’s not good enough”?
For instance, I get frustrated when we loan money to friends for a specific purpose & they take it & do something totally different with that money without telling us and therefore have no plan to pay us back because the situation changed. I expect more from them than this, less because of their access to first world opportunities but
because they are our friends. And friends don’t do that, even if they come from third world situations…do they? What is the breaking point between helping out a friend & enabling certain behavior? When do we say, You’re my friend & I expect more from you”? And when do we say, “It’s okay…I have more resources than you & after all you’re from the third world so I don’t hold you to the same levels of expectation as I would other friends from more established nations”? Should we EVER say the latter? Should I expect
less from my friend in Togo than I expect from my friend in Indiana? There should be no “us” & “them.” It should just be “us.” Right? So what does that mean in this conversation?
For today, we will continue doing what we know to do & not get hung up on those things that we don’t have answers to. We will both continue asking the questions & looking for answers.
