Some Random Thoughts
Unfortunately the computer we are using won't allow pictures, so we'll have to ask you to wait a few more days. Today we've spent our time looking around the city centre, past the parlaiment buildings, checking out places to eat, as well as their big "Nakumatt", Walmart type store in search of some things to bring to Burundi. Dad, you'll be happy to hear that we found the Nairobi Java House and plan to eat lunch there today.
The past two months have really been times of learning for both Brian and I. Looking back over our time in North Africa I feel that I've grown quite a bit, in a way that I wouldn't have had we not come travelling. After experiencing some of the things that we have, a few questions have come to mind that are hard to answer. We've already experienced so much poverty and it always has an affect on me. How are we to deal with the poverty all around us? Do we give to beggars? Does it help? It's easy to feel like there is nothing we can do to help with the problems that we see all around us. Brian and I have been just thinking and talking about how some countries are so rich, while others are so poor. How does this happen? Why is it that the whole continent of Africa is so poor and they can't seem to break out of this cycle? We've guessed at answers for this question but I don't know if there is a simple answer.
The places that we've been so far we've seen many different results of poverty. Some places people seem to be idle and don't do much other than try to survive. In Mauritania what we saw was idle men, labouring women and frolicking children. This seems to be the case in much of rural Africa. There seems to be more of a focus on self...parents taking food from their children, expecting others to provide for them. While in other places we have seen people really trying to make a living but there just isn't enough oppotunity. For example, in Dahab and Luxor, everyone was doing the same things. They all either had a shop, a restaurant, a taxi or a hotel. But, there aren't enough tourists to fill all the hotels, restaurants, shops and taxis.
We've been reading a book, 'Dark Star Safari', and the author travels from Cairo to Cape Town and wonders if the best thing to solve poverty is for aid to be withdrawn from Africa all together. Maybe a harsh thing, but is aid actually helping or just making the problem worse? In the past 50 years billions, perhaps trillions, of western aid money and food has come "to Africa's rescue". Has anything changed? All of that money just seems to end up in the hands of corrupt polititians. Cities have become bigger, slums have grown, and crime rates have increased. We saw a sign on the street here that rapes happen every 30 min in Nairobi.
There perhaps is no answer to these questions....I think many people before us have wondered at these questions. I think it comes down to how we answer these questions for our selves, and then we can determine how we'll respond. Not an easy thing to figure out though. God has called us to help the widows, the poor and the sick.....how do we really do this?
These are just some of the things we've been thinking about lately and being struck with as we're here.
Anyway, it's hard to believe Christmas is only a few days away. Hope you all have great times celebrating!
And hey, how about them Habs! And hey Craig, how about them Flyers?!
The past two months have really been times of learning for both Brian and I. Looking back over our time in North Africa I feel that I've grown quite a bit, in a way that I wouldn't have had we not come travelling. After experiencing some of the things that we have, a few questions have come to mind that are hard to answer. We've already experienced so much poverty and it always has an affect on me. How are we to deal with the poverty all around us? Do we give to beggars? Does it help? It's easy to feel like there is nothing we can do to help with the problems that we see all around us. Brian and I have been just thinking and talking about how some countries are so rich, while others are so poor. How does this happen? Why is it that the whole continent of Africa is so poor and they can't seem to break out of this cycle? We've guessed at answers for this question but I don't know if there is a simple answer.
The places that we've been so far we've seen many different results of poverty. Some places people seem to be idle and don't do much other than try to survive. In Mauritania what we saw was idle men, labouring women and frolicking children. This seems to be the case in much of rural Africa. There seems to be more of a focus on self...parents taking food from their children, expecting others to provide for them. While in other places we have seen people really trying to make a living but there just isn't enough oppotunity. For example, in Dahab and Luxor, everyone was doing the same things. They all either had a shop, a restaurant, a taxi or a hotel. But, there aren't enough tourists to fill all the hotels, restaurants, shops and taxis.
We've been reading a book, 'Dark Star Safari', and the author travels from Cairo to Cape Town and wonders if the best thing to solve poverty is for aid to be withdrawn from Africa all together. Maybe a harsh thing, but is aid actually helping or just making the problem worse? In the past 50 years billions, perhaps trillions, of western aid money and food has come "to Africa's rescue". Has anything changed? All of that money just seems to end up in the hands of corrupt polititians. Cities have become bigger, slums have grown, and crime rates have increased. We saw a sign on the street here that rapes happen every 30 min in Nairobi.
There perhaps is no answer to these questions....I think many people before us have wondered at these questions. I think it comes down to how we answer these questions for our selves, and then we can determine how we'll respond. Not an easy thing to figure out though. God has called us to help the widows, the poor and the sick.....how do we really do this?
These are just some of the things we've been thinking about lately and being struck with as we're here.
Anyway, it's hard to believe Christmas is only a few days away. Hope you all have great times celebrating!
And hey, how about them Habs! And hey Craig, how about them Flyers?!
posted by Brian and Erin at 4:00 AM
3 Comments:
Hello again. Yes Christmas is in a few days and I really started to miss you both a lot when I was wrapping presents and I didn't have any for you. I did shed a few tears but it is nice to know that you will be with friends and that you can have a Christian Christmas. God is truly wonderful. talk to you soon, love you both, Mom.
Thanks, Erin, for letting us know a bit of what's happening inside. By His word and His Spirit, God will convey His heart to you in relation to the questions you have and the observations you're making. He does have answers to those questions for you. The word and the Spirit clarify. It's great that you are reflecting on these things on the eve of connecting with Doug and Deanna. They will be able to share how they've been processing the same things. Blessings.
Wow guys. I've just spent the last hour reading your last few blogs, and loving every minute. It's really amazing to hear all the moments where God has revealed Himself to you, and the moments where you're struggling with the state of the world. Michelle and I are reading every day and being shaken by what we're reading! Love you guys!
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