TIA... This is Africa....This is America....

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In preparing to “GO”, I had many people telling me just how different Ethiopia was going to be compared to America….


And believe me, I saw the differences….. I saw the INTENSE poverty compared to our INTENSE wealth….. I saw their pollution from smog, dust, and trash everywhere…. compared to our CLEAN air and environment…. I saw the absolutely disgusting water supply running through Addis Ababa compared to our water, the cleanest in the world…… I saw children wearing no shoes as opposed to Americans having 10 pairs of shoes….. I saw children walking miles upon miles, hours upon hours to school, as opposed to America who provides bus transportation to every student….. I saw what a privilege attending school in Ethiopia was, compared to us being required to attend school here in America…..I saw how highly regarded educators are in Ethiopian society compared to America …..I tasted the difference between American and Ethiopian food….I saw that celebrating Christmas in Ethiopia was not only about celebrating the birth of Jesus, but was celebrated by spending time and eating with friends and family….not giving gifts like in America……I saw homes made of sticks, straw, scraps of tin, and dung as opposed to our perfectly built brick homes….. I saw churches with dirt floors, tarp walls, and a tin roof as opposed to our multi-million dollar facilities…… I saw that 1 US dollar was equivalent to 17 Ethiopia Birr…… I saw that an average lifespan in Ethiopia is around 41 years old compared to almost 80 in America…..I saw the difference between a “hospital” in Ethiopia and in America….I saw that women in Ethiopian society were given much different roles then women in American society…. I saw that the poverty in Ethiopia was due to a lack of OPPORTUNITY rather than a lifestyle choice….. I saw how much “STUFF” we have here in America compared to how little they have in Ethiopia.…. I DID see MANY differences….BIG differences….


But you know what else I saw? I saw SIMILARITIES…. You see…people are people… no matter where they live, what they have or don’t have…. Every person wants to be loved, and have value, and dignity, and be worth something…. I see it in myself, I see it in my students, I see it in my friends, I see it at my local church…… and yes, I saw it in Ethiopia… people are people….. no matter what side of the ocean…..


People are discriminated against and judged…. HERE and THERE for their skin color, their religion, their diseases or sicknesses, their jobs, their family situations, their living arrangements, their financial status, and their past…..


People in America and Africa are broken, hurting, and searching for something to fill the part of their heart that ONLY Jesus Christ can fill…...speaking of Jesus Christ…… He is the same in America as He is in Africa….. He doesn’t change….our ability to experience and see Him is what changes when we are willing to hear and see what He wants to show us in His way….


The similarity that stuck out to me most was the issue of entitlement…....shocked right???? Let me explain….

I have so often heard people discuss how “entitled” American children are….. I am a public school teacher, and work with 11 through 14 year olds every day… I see it, I hear it, it drives me crazy…….. BUT you know what? And this is going to sound bizarre….but SO ARE ETHIOPIAN children!!!! Materialism is NOT just in the United States of America my friends…… I can’t tell you how many times the children I was with in Ethiopia would say “Give me your watch, give me your shoes, give me some water, give me a shirt, give me YOUR shirt, give me your camera, give me your sunglasses.” Or they would literally rip the silly bands off my wrists so they could have them…….. And I realize that the children in America are asking for cell phones, game systems, and apple products…. As opposed to the children in Ethiopia asking me for water, shoes, and clothing….. I see that difference…. But the heart issue is the SAME right??? The idea that “I DESERVE THAT, and YOU NEED TO GIVE IT TO ME” ………. It’s a sin issue of all mankind….


The bottom line is…we, INCLUDING MYSELF, are all lost and broken, and we ALL need JESUS CHRIST….. from America to Africa…. We don’t “DESERVE” anything, but He chose to pour His LOVE and GRACE over us anyways…… And I don’t know about you….but I want to live my life spending every day thanking Him for that…..

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Photos

River running through Addia Ababa
Not sure exactly what that is running into their river....down the way a man was going to the bathroom in this same river...and to the left was a huge bag of bloody animal bones....

Church in Ethiopia
Dirt floors, tarp walls, tin roof..... wooden benches....

walking to school
every morning.... from all directions... you see kids in their school uniforms walking...and walking...and walking..... and they aren't complaining...they are EXCITED to be going to school...

Comments

[sami]

student
That is very true what I have seen in this page, and I am glad Ashly has invited me to watch it! Proud of you Ashly!

[WERKE MELESE]

I LOVE ETHIOPIA FOOD