Having a single story is dangerous. What is a single story,
you might be wondering? A single story is taking one experience or perspective
and applying it to everyone or every situation.
For example, in 2005 I went on my first mission trip to
Africa. I went to Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. I spent most of my time in
Zimbabwe working at a school and hanging out with orphans. We were ministering
way out in the bush of Africa. I remember being silenced, saddened and amazed
all at the same time. I couldn’t imagine how people lived here. I felt so sorry
for them. I looked at their poverty and wept because my life is so lavish back
at home. I asked God, why do you let these people suffer here and let us
prosper more in America? Why do we have more money then them? Poor them. Woe to
them who live in the bush of Africa. God draw near to them and comfort
them……..These were my thoughts. Rightly or wrongly.
Now, a single story and the destruction it could cause would
be if I took this 2 week experience I had in 2005 and applied that to all of
Africa. If I thought that ALL people in African countries lived this way, felt
this way, experienced such things and that all Americans live so much of a
better life, that would be falling into the danger of a single story. It’s not
accurate, nor is it fair. One persons story is one person’s story and it should
stay that way.
How fair would it be for people to come to America, drive
only through some of the richest parts of Orange County: Laguna Beach, Newport
Beach, Corona Del Mar and assume that all Californians live that way? How fair
would it be for one person to look at an overweight, loud American and assume
that all American’s are that way? How fair would it be for one person to work
with the homeless people in Huntington Beach and assume that Huntington Beach
births homelessness. Caliornia births homelessness. How fair would it be for a
person to speak to one prostitute in California, New York, you name it and
assume that America is a breeding ground for prostitutes and all prostitutes go
through the same thing? My point is, no matter how small or extreme, it’s not
fair. It’s not fair to hear one persons story and assume that all others
stories are the same or caused by the same thing or even that they will have
the same outcome.
Anne and Rachel. Lovely Kenyan/Canadian women that took us out on the town and showed us what city life to a 20-30 woman is like in Kenya!!
So far, in the 1 ½ months I have been in Africa-Kenya and
Uganda, I have experienced many different ways of living: A church family who
adores Christ and discipleship who minister in the slum communities of Nairobi,
a healthy African family where there is one wife, one child and one husband. I
have experienced slum community life where they don’t have a sewer system, I
have experienced sleeping in big, beautiful houses with sewage systems, I have
hung out with very traditional Africans that wear traditional garb and I have
hung out with women that are between 20-30 years old that go out clubbing at
night, watch sports games on T.V. with their friends, dress in clothing similar
to H&M, Urban Outfitters, etc. I have experienced orphanages out in the
bush and private Christian schools where the children are more like an arranged
army than wild and crazy. I have experienced baby churches and mega churches,
sketchy internet café’s and wireless internets in quality roasting coffee shops
inside malls. I have experienced 5 star hotels according to American standards
and a home for a family that consists of one room about the size of a queen
bed. I could continue going but again, my point is that, there is more than one
single story here and we need to be the ones to seek them out.
Our team in a mud hut. Yes, SOME African’s live this way. But, this is not a single story. This is not the ONLY way they live in the continent of Africa.
A Restaurant business in the slum community we worked with. It says hotel, but really its a restaurant.
Private school in Kenya
Sunday school kids classrooms at church
Sometimes even the cows don’t have enough to eat. But this is not a single story.
Beautiful, healthy family!! Not all husbands are abusive, not all wives are silenced, not all children are neglected. Some are yes. But some are not. Let’s keep that in mind.
If we don’t ask questions, take time to listen, love with an
open heart and mind, we will be doing ourselves and anyone we encounter a
complete disservice. If you don’t want to be limited to a single story in your
life, why would you limit anyone else?? Africa is so much more, but with
respect to, HIV/AIDS, Slum Communities, Poverty, Abusive Husbands and Mud Huts.
Yes, you will find that in Africa, but you will also find healthy and thriving
families, relationship with God instead of religion, big beautiful houses, huge
cities, extremely wealthy people and businessmen, fully functioning hospitals
and less functioning hospitals. It’s not the United States here, nor is it
meant to be. If it were the world would be called America instead of THE WORLD.
Instead of many continents there would be just one. So, don’t compare likewise
to measure how successful, happy, well-off anyone person is and play the “woe
are they” card. Instead, gain perspective from their perspective not from your
own and you will see a whole new world before you.
