Thursday, December 2, 2010

Africa 1

I am home from 10 days in Africa. Thank you for all who prayed for me and for Lion's Den Man and others who wrote on the blog. The visit to Mozambique has touched me in a profound way. I am not even sure how to sort through all of it at this time. I hope that some of what I saw and learned never leaves me. I am going to write about Africa for a while. I may take a break if something noteworthy comes about, but I have many things to share.

Most of the people that live in Mozambique, not some, but most, do not have electricity or running water. Consequently, for most, there is no food preservation, no water at the sink, no modern toilet, etc. No Air conditioning, no TV, no refrigerator. Food is a day to day concern. If you are rich, you may have candles and matches to light the way at night. The toilet is a hole in the ground not far from your front door.

When I consider how most of these people live and what they go through just to stay alive, I am horrified by my lifestyle. Sorry to say, but it is true, we Americans have it all too comfortable by the standards of most others in this world.

So I am working hard to keep my thoughts from being a downer. Let me say that I am thankful to God for every blessing that we have. I am also praying about what it means to be a member of the Kingdom of God in a circle of Methodist friends that just got a lot bigger. And, I am going to be saying it 1,000 times........ "most all of what we are concerned about, probably everything that we are concerned about, fuss about, worry about, get excited about, probably all of it, just really does not matter."

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So glad to have you back safely. So happy for the larger, if confounding, vision God allowed you to enter into. Won't stop praying for you.

grace willnerd said...

Glad your heart and mind were expanded :)

Donna Jones said...

Welcome back Jeff! I must admit that although I already realize I/we as a country are spoiled I for one am reluctant to give up the things I hold as necessities, like a running water toilet and privacy...bless you and the others for making this trip. I look forward with anticipation and dread to your upcoming blogs....be gentle!