Lately I have been questioning the definitions that I find of the word: Poverty
As of yet, I haven't been able to find one that satisfies what I am seeing with my eyes... or feeling in my heart.
It's not that these definitions are wrong or completely off base...
I just feel like they are only dealing with surface level issues... the issues that we in the West don't seem to struggle with all that much.
We want so bad to be able to quantify poverty, when it is much more of a qualitative concept. Meaning... we want to be able to draw a line with a dollar sign because it's easy. We don't want to recognize that poverty portrays itself on all sorts levels.
We rarely like to talk about the poverty that exists in the beautifully landscaped suburbs in western countries. The kind of poverty that removes front porches from houses and places them behind the house and behind a tall wood fence, forsaking the community and relationships around them.
Forget about the poverty that keeps men at their work places until late hours of the night while their wife is taking care of 4 kids at home by herself.
What about the poverty that comes when we loose sight of the fact that when we hold on to our money too tight, we loose so much more in life.
The poverty found in selfishness...
The poverty found in possessions...
Poverty has many faces... that's for sure.
Each of us, in some area of our lives, are impoverished.
A few nights ago, I made a few cups of tea and walked out my front door for a nice chat with my friend Jackson who looks after our property during the night. We talked for a long while about all sorts of things. Mainly, comparing things in Malawi to things in the States. He was really curious about all sorts of things... from eating goats to how old people are when they get married.
We began talking about how much money it costs to live in America for 1 day.
Although it's really hard to come up with a hard-fast answer to that question, I took a figure out of the sky that sounded about right for a middle-class American.
$20-30
I feel like I shot pretty low.
Most college students that I know spend more than that on coffee and fast food alone in a day.
He was pretty blown away.
So, I decided to pry a bit. I asked him how much his family of 5 lives on in a month.
7,000MK = $50.00
At first that figure is a little hard to process...
I pulled out my handy-dandy cellphone with a calculator in it to make it easier for me to understand.
We went through it step by step together...
First, we pulled off 1,200MK for rent each month.
Then, divided that number by 5.
Divided that number by 30 (days in a month).
Then, converted that to USD (divided by 140).
I nearly dropped my phone when the number came up...
25 cents.
Each person in his family on lives on 25 cents a day. We proceeded to talk about how hard it is to buy clothes for children on that amount of money. There is never money left over for luxuries. They never eat meat or chicken. Each day, their diet consists of nsima (flour/water mixture) and a small portion of over-cooked, nutrient deficient vegetables.
No bread...
No tea...
Palibe (nothing)!
Meanwhile, I spend the next day making a meal that was literally the direct opposite of their diet... CHILI. A meal that is solid beef!
As hopeless as that story may sound... I stood there next to Jackson and encouraged him that his riches far surpass millions of people in the West.
Yes... he is rather short on cash.
Yes... that does translate to a life that leaves you constrained.
But, I'm telling you... you should see this guy smile!
He is such a hard worker. I have never seen him in a bad mood. He is not tied down by a house full of possessions and credit card debt that is eating at his insides night after night.
Last week, I met a guy that challenged me in some incredible ways. He is a missionary from South Africa working here in Malawi... but, doing things way different.
One of the many things that he challenged me to think about was the thought that every sentiment of "poverty" that people feel here in Malawi about themselves was imported here from the West. It wasn't until someone came in and told a lady in a village that she lived in poverty because she lacks a gas stove that she felt impoverished.
Yes... we all deserve to have access to some basic necessities of life. But, who left all the Westerners in charge of deciding which things were more noble... riches or relationships.
Yes... poverty is real. It's real all over the world. We need to address it in Malawi... but, we also need to look in a mirror at our own lives and examine the things that impoverish each of us.
9 comments:
Wow. That is good. Well said.
Are you able to receive packages over there? Forgive my ignorance. I don't quite know how that works. But, I have a random thought and some things I need to give away. If you could, e-mail me your mailing address.
that's good Ryan Price, that's good. Poverty is not just a lack of money, its a lack of a lot of other things. That hits my heart for sure.
I think about how we all let other people tell us we are poor. We don't know we are poor until someone tells us that they live higher than us, with more stuff than us. Poverty is relative. I remember how one of my students asked me about a tv show this semester and I said, "Is that on cable...because I don't have cable". They said, "WHOA! Miss you don't have cable? Are you poor?!?" I honestly didn't really know what to say. I didn't feel poor, I didn't feel like I was really lacking something, but after they told me that I started thinking. It's like someone in this world is dreaming up what we all need to not be considered poor...apparently to teenagers, that's cable. Maybe the lady without the gas stove felt perfectly content, but then someone told her she shouldn't be. That's sad to me. Why is it okay for us westerners to spread the epidemic of discontentment? And by westerners, I include Christians. I think sometimes we like to exclude ourselves from being westerners, but we are. We spread discontentment in the church constantly. When someone says, "oh I just got this new ipod, its so amazing, you got to have it"...all of the sudden I am discontent with what I have. Not to mention the radio is free, but no now I got to have this ipod. We are not excluded from this disease.
Also, I hate that gaining money grows greed at an exponetial rate (you know me, I just had to use a math term). I hate how encouraged it is in the West to be "financially smart", meaning at 22 you should be saving all your money and not giving any away. I hate how even churches encourage us to not trust God with our money, but to save, save, save, hoard, hoard, hoard. I want to know the balance. I want to be wise, but not stingy. I don't know what that is! I feel like I can't get out of this trap of thought to not trust God with your finances. I hate that I have to tell my self to share my things...I thought I was suppose to learn that in Kindergarden. I didn't. I still have to conciously tell myself to share. When someone asks to borrow something, my first instinct is to come up with an excuse as to why it probably wouldnt be a good idea for them to borrow it. I am SICK. I am a sick, stingy sara. (I hoped an alliteration might liven the mood). I don't want to be poor in my finances...meaning I don't want my hoarding to make me poor in every area of my life. I want to redefine poverty in my life. Thanks for your encouraging word. I think its a journey...a journey for freedom and riches.
Im so poor I don't even know if this is considered a blog or not. Ryan am I blogging? My friends are set back when I say I only have CBS, ABC,and NBC. What I do have is the satisfaction of knowing that a guy from Comfortzone, Texas with piece of paper from a prestigous agricultural and mechanical school,has chosen to give time energy and self to make a difference in Malawi. God is the one who writes the last word on poverty. His words will describe the poor from a perspective few humans ever view. Ryan He is giving you insight into that perspective. Thanks for shariing what you see.
12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength Philippians 4:12-13
Notice how Paul says in the second part of verse 12 that he has LEARNED the secret of being content in all situations.
Contentment does not come naturally to us.
We have to learn it no matter where we live or what we have.
In America it can be like you said Sara about cable (which I do not have and I am not poor, just selective) or ipods.
Or we could live in the remotest of jungles and it would be so-an-so has a bigger hut than me.
We are naturally selfish from birth, watch a baby...sweet as they are they will take a toy right from you.
We must learn and that can only happen with a saving relationship with Jesus Christ who molds us and shapes us to look more like Him and we will never be perfect!!!
Ryan, God has certainly blessed you with the gift of words. I am so excited to read all that God is teaching you.
I wanted to let you know that you are in my prayers, especially now. Take care of my girl. I miss you greatly and hope God truely rewards your time with my Sara.
Ryan,
So good! Thank you for sharing such wisdom with all of us. Thank you for allowing the Spirit to work on your heart about a variety of different issues.
One thing is for sure -- the majority of Africans (especially the Christians) aren't moaping around about how "poor" they are. Their smiles, lives, and hearts make that evident.
I met plenty of Zambians who lived without electricity or running water that were definitely more content and joyous in Christ than I am sitting at an electric computer typing this comment.
Thank you for putting the term poverty into terms that make each of us examine our own lives. I hope your time with Sara is amazing!
We are praying for you!
I think a book on this perspective could be a best seller... Seriously you should work on this...
the pics and stories from the wedding are amazing!
you are in my prayers!
Have a blessed Christmas
ry- my mom wanted to give your cd to my relatives for christmas. however, we don't want to burn them, bc we want you to get the money and all that jazz!! sooo...is there a way we can get your cds, even though you are in Africa?
Love you!! have fun with sara!
love whit
Whitney...
Unfortunately, I don't have any more copies of my CD left. I guess that's not really "unfortunate"... at least for me!
There is a big possibility that there may be another batch duplicated through the mission agency that I am with to raise funds for some of our project... but, that hasn't developed fully yet.
Anyway... I would be more than OK with you copying it if you want. Don't worry about it. Just don't sell counterfeit CDs and use the money for buying Jonathan Taylor Thomas movies and Brittany Spears albums.
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