I sat on Kombo's bed yesterday. He is one of the four children featured in the AIDS Village. As I sat on his stained mattress with an old sheet and little pillow, I considered his few, meager possessions compared to my mountains of stuff. While sitting there, Kombo was speaking into my earphones asking, "Do I have the big disease?" (meaning HIV/AIDS). I suddenly found myself asking, "Do I have the big disease?" ....in American terms- materialism/greed.
Guilt isn't a great motivator, I know. And I know that we can and should celebrate and be very grateful for all that we have. But, I also heard what Brian McLaren said in his message at the CCDA conference...he named materialism/greed as the number one issue that is tripping us up as a nation. I think we at least need to name it...talk about the cause and effect....challenge one another to a different way...and paint the vision of what could happen in the world if we lived in a simpler way that helped us to be more available, more able to contribute to Christ's redeeming ways in the world.
After going through the AIDS Village, I can't help but think of the end of Schindler's List when Schindler is wanting to give every last everything in order to save more Jews from death. I hear him crying, "I could have saved more..."
Please give your feedback as you journey into the life of an African child this weekend....
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Laura, Thank you for this message... materialism is something that creeps up on me. I am conscious to it for awhile and feel like I am not giving in and then I get into a busy stream of life and get caught up again in it. Like a roller coaster i have my low moments and high moments. I do think this keeps me at times from giving my all to God and being available to Him. I wonder what I could have done for Him and His kingdom by now if I'd been able to fight off the big disease better? A great thing to think about and wrestle with... thanks Laura! Jess
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