It is crazy how material driven our culture is in America. I think about all my possessions and the things that I own. Then I look around me and I am taken back. We went as a team today to a cultural debrief with an AIM missionary based here in Swaziland and our translators. They were talking about watching our possessions and keeping our things safe. That’s when they stated “people here know that white people have things”. It hit me like a ton of bricks. American’s are so materialistic that we are know by other countries and cultures by having stuff. I wanted to process the how and why we accumulate so much stuff. I began asking my teammates and we believe that it is part of our society, but I do not want to accept that label of this world. I don’t believe I need all my electronics, overflowing draws of clothes or my packed full room of things to survive. Richard Sterns, author of The Hole in the Gospel, wrote his own version of Matthew 25 that I believe describes our culture in the 21st century to a T. “For I was hunger, while you had all you need. I was thirsty, but you drank bottle water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved” Page 59. This quote brought the whole concept home to me since being in Africa. American’s think bigger is better most of the time. It is certainly is not. Along with how much I need to put others before myself and serve others instead of making excuses not to serve.
As a team we have been going on home visits on Friday and we were invited into a two room house the room we were in was simple and had two mats on the floor and a cupboard. The church that we have and will be attending has a concrete floor, one big room, and plastic chairs. No instruments! Finally, the children we are serving at the care points play with old tires for entertainment. I am blown away by the simple life. I just think of when I was a child how many toys I had and how I always wanted more. I begin processing how I can live more simply when I return to the states and how not to depend on stuff. I just remember the verse “Where your treasure is your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21. The longer I stay here in Africa the more I desire to live the simple life. I must continue to process my steps of actions.
