At the beginning of her sermon today Pastor Cecelia showed a video clip from Mocha Club that said, "I need Africa more than Africa needs me." It was a reminder that even though plenty of people in Africa need help because of AIDS, starvation, genocide, sex trade and other atrocities, the people in Africa don't need us for their happiness. Rather, Africans remind us of how even in the midst of what we would describe as terrible living conditions, they still have much joy. The majority of the people aren't living how we see them on television--dejected, miserable, dying. They live with great joy and happiness. Visit an African church to see this (I haven't, but I've seen videos and pictures from missionary friends).
I know that I need that reminder at times. It's easy for me to get downcast when I compare my life with others around me. I all too often get my focus shifted and forget that God is my source of joy: not things, or status, or wealth. Thank you, Africa, for the reminder.
1 comment:
I definitely appreciated the sermon, but talk of "Africa" still bothers me. Here's something about it I wrote way back:
http://tryingtofollow.com/2006/09/30/continentism-lets-stop-talking-about-africa/
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