I have been guilty of being cynical about America and the Western world in general. Working overseas and seeing the beauty in simplicity and joy in poverty it’s easy to react against the extravagances of our culture labelling it as individualistic, materialistic, selfish, etc. I’ve been in those conversations before and I’ve even led them.
I am now humbled. Being back in the states has been hard for many different reasons, but not from a lack of love or community. We have been OVERWHELMED by the generosity and love by the people around us here in Oregon. And not only Oregon, But Australia too, even some people in Europe. Many of these people we’ve never even met, and yet they have given generously to Haiti and to us, simply because we were family, friends, an acquaintance, or know someone we know, or just saw us in the news. Witnessing this all it has made me ashamed of those conversations where I would spout off at how Americans don’t understand community or relationships like people in the Global South.
A few months ago, I was reading a book called, African Friends and Money Matters, which was about how Africans (and Haitians in many ways) view money and how much the community plays a big role in that. One example was that you give you money to others around you, because one day you’ll be in trouble and they will help you out in your time of need. I remember reading that and thinking, “it’s too bad the western world is not like that”. But I was wrong. It really is, I just think in different ways. We are a bit more isolated in the States, we don’t live with our parents and grandparents in one big house (usually). We have our private living spaces we have our personal finances. So I think it’s easy to see that and assume that we don’t understand community. But I think we just express it differently. For instance, the earthquake in Haiti. It’s been amazing to see the genuine desire in people to help however they can even though they have no attachments to Haiti. And then when two people lost everything, they did what I thought would never happen, people gave generously and sometimes at great personal expense. We’ve been offered a car to use, places to stay, clothes, groceries, gift cards, money to replace things we’ve lost. Our community took care of us.
And it’s not just financial. The personal prayers that have been made daily on our behalf, the churches that have supported us, the time with family, the friends who have taken us out to coffee, or called to chat or even just sent a facebook message. It is an example of true community. It is here, in the Western world, in Oregon, all over the place. It’s different than Haiti to be sure but it’s here. It’s not to say it’s perfect and couldn’t gain from a different perspective from a place like Haiti. But it is here in very powerful ways.
Though I’ve mainly just been talking about culture, I think in a bigger way it’s a testimony to the church which surpasses cultural lines and boundaries. This is the Acts church today, giving what they had to each other. It’s not perfect, but it is pretty amazing and I have to say way beyond what the world offers. It’s Christ moving among us. So this is a rambling way of saying “Thank you” to everyone who has helped us these past few weeks. You are all so appreciated there aren’t even words.
And one even bigger thank you to Jesus. Because He is everywhere and He is amazing.
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