Americans.......

as a disclaimer i would like to say that in no way shape or form is it possible for me to be able to be specific about the certain population within america that i am talking about. I understand that most of you reading this strive to rise above this, and i don't mean to offend you or put you in a box. But as i have learned in college, when we decided to look at the world as a whole, we must look at each country as though they were one person. I understand that there are varying ethnic, religious, and economic groups in the U.S. but as a country we output a single image of America. I am describing the perception of America from an outside view.

Honestly, at the end of the day, I have to get this off my chest. These are raw and incomplete thoughts.

why do we as americans think that the entire world should live like us? that we should set this high standard and show it to the rest of the world to follow. we are arrogant. we are ignorant. we think that everyone should live like us. here's the thing - don't flaunt your life to people who know they can't ever have your life. we think we're setting a good standard, a good bar for people to aspire to. these people don't need inspiration. they don't need hope. is walking around, with all your jewelry on, fancy clothes, buying expensive food, and asking to be waited on hand and foot is a good idea? i think about the women i work with. if they had the chance, if they ever had the opportunity to live to a better standard they would and they try and they struggle. we're asking them to chase money and a lavish life. in the documentary The Lost Boys, we see that many of the boys who end up coming to america end up getting caught up in the disease of america. wanting things they can't have, nothing ever being good enough. that when we have the money the first thing we should do is remodel our bathroom that we just remodeled a year ago. it's in the nature of people. we are naturally and inherently selfish. we can't look at these boys and say that it's because they're sudanese. no - it's because we show them a life where we build multimillion dollar idols manifested in the form of sports arenas, homes, and savings accounts. I understand that i am part of the problem. here i am sitting on my macbook writing a blog about americans flaunting what they have. But i'm trying to promote equality the best i can. i know that i will never be equal as long as i am american and as long as i am white, but it's one thing to sit and flaunt, and to dwell and live with these women we're working with. It means eating their food that i don't like. It means helping them roll beads and clean their homes. it means showing them that i'm not too good for their lifestyle. These women go through trial after trial after trial. it's not just one problem. first their parents are slaughtered by the rebels, then they no longer have money for school, then their eldest brother beats them, so then they flee to a new land where they're alone, then they can't find a job because they couldn't finish school, then they marry to have a future, then that husband dies, then she's taking care of 6 children on her own, then her brother dies and she gets 2 more kids to take care of. then she's struggling to work and the ends don't meet, she can't afford a mosquito net, so her baby dies of malaria, and she can't afford rice so she has to feed her children posho to keep them from dying. she never sleeps and she is a relentless worker, doing absolutely everything she can for her family despite her situation. we look at them and judge them for not taking care of their kids, or brand their country as a hopeless cause when that country as a whole has more hope than all of the western world. and it's not a petty selfish hope. these women's dreams are to provide school fees and to feed their children, and to own a home so they can take in more orphans. I refuse to reinforce that the american way is the right way.

Before we decide what they should or shouldn't have - or what standard they should live up to -we need to go and live with them and dwell with them and listen to their stories. Lets not be so quick to tell them how they should live. because if they had a choice they would live to a different standard - and it wouldn't be the american one. it would be their own - one that is full of hope and love for one another.

one more thing - i'm sick of christians who say that they need to dress in expensive clothing and look presentable in order to be respected to effectively preach the world of god. kingdom of god - lets get our act together. this is not the gospel of jesus christ.