Grace>Guilt

 
     As I sit here in the midst of 15 American collage students recently arrived in Africa, I'm hearing the word GUILT over and over. It is a common process. Many Americans have no idea how the average African lives. They are shocked when they see a child bathing on the side of the road or an old woman with 50+lbs on her head. But what are they guilty about?
     These students don't feel guilty about the lives of Africans, but about their own American lives. The question "WHY" needs to be answered.
     Why does Angela from Atlanta have a more secure life than Fatima from Tanzania?
I could give answers from books I've read on psychology, sociology, and politics. But these are not good enough for everybody. Yes, there is still a lot of corruption. Slavery, human trafficking, genocide, and starvation are a reality for much of the world, but not for Angela. Her culture has different problems. So, why does God allow some people to have a long comfortable life and others have a short difficult life? Hmmm.
     I remember one day in the jungle of Peru a man asked me a question I will never forget, "White man, how long have your people lived out from among the trees?" I had to think about the question for a moment, before responding, "Pablo, we have lived 1,500 years in the open ground." What a question. What a sobering moment for me, a 23 year old American. But, there was a time when northern Europeans did live in nomadic family groups. Our lives were filled with hardships and violence. Atlanta was not built in a day. When I look at our two cultures, I see two very different levels of progress. I am from a world of microchips and refrigeration; my friend, from a land of earth and spears. My culture has migrated many times; Pablo, lives in his native land. He lives in the ebb and flow of hunger and disease. I do not.
      In writing this story, I am looking 8 years back and I have learned much since then. I hope Pablo's culture will one day have access to good medical care. I hope that they will not live with seasonal hunger year after year. And I don't want my family to live like his. I have searched for answers and I have found only GRACE.
     By grace we have education and healthcare. By grace we have cooperative societies and equality. And by grace we have been given the opportunity to see other societies become more accountable and responsible. It is my conviction that following the teachings of Jesus is the greatest change for the good any society could make. I am not saying the message of the church, but of Jesus. Now, I live in a country tormented by death. South Sudan is under staggering oppression from hunger and violence. How can I help? What is the best way to make a difference in South Sudan? I believe that Jesus changes lives, lives change families, and families change societies. Matthew Parris was a brilliant commentator and staunch atheist, however, even he could not deny the unbelievable change that Christianity can make.  

    "I’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa:   sharply distinct from the secular NGOs…Education and training alone will not do. In Africa  Christianity changes people’s hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good." -Matthew Parris

The world's wounds are festering with infections. Please move quickly past the Guilt. Guilt will keep you moving forward for such a short time! But grace sustains for generations. I am here not because I feel guilty about my Americanness, but because I was shown the grace to make a difference.