You know the Africa you see on TV? The one where it is a forest of brown dirt and brown grass, with a lion in the middle stalking its prey and the beautiful woman with a clay pot, balanced effortlessly on her head? Oh and the African tree… can’t forget about the African tree.
Well, that is parts of Africa, I’m sure, but that’s not the Africa I see.
The Africa I see is more for city slickers: full of malls with overpriced clothes, full of pancakes with ice cream, and full of modern grocery stores with everything you could need at your fingertips.
The Africa I see is a lot of heart break due to HIV and a lot of men stumbling down the streets and becoming confrontational because it’s 10AM and they have already had enough beer to last them a week.
The Africa I see includes teaching, evangelism, singing, and visiting hospital. The hospitals include broken bones, infertility, AIDS, mental disorders, and scared 16 year olds whom the only thing you can manage to get out of your mouth is “you are brave and beautiful”.
The Africa I see occasionally includes manual labor. Building churches and moving around dirt. Seeing this place come to life. Sometimes manual labor means heading to the bush. Now, there is something you should know about the bush. The bush is full of dirt roads and grass huts. The bush has grass that well surpasses your own height and reaches straight for the heavens. The bush has flowers more vibrant than a box of Crayolas and stars brighter and more extraordinary than all the rays of the sun. The bush doesn’t have any grocery stores; the bush has gardens and men and women who work their tails off in them.
The Africa I see is one made up of children who have joy so huge, they can’t stop smiling and their eyes twinkle. It is one made up of chitenge so bright for sale on every corner. It is one made up of so many Zambian moms, cooking lessons, dancing, contagious smiles, free worship, Zambian time, colorful flowers, riding in the bed of trucks, and occasionally wanting to go home, but knowing you are already there.
The Africa I see and the Africa you see may be a little different but the Africa I see is a place of welcoming, a place that is waiting to get to show you just how special it is.
