Are you from Africa?

Twice a year my husband travels to Africa. In 2010 he began a mission named 'Water for Christ'.  The mission provides fresh water to churches, orphanages, and schools in Ghana, West Africa. It's goal is to provide clean drinking water for the body, and present the gospel of Christ as living water for the soul. Wells are drilled at sites determined by the Baptist Missionary Association of Africa. Plans are being made to expand Water for Christ to other countries, as funding and opportunities are available. Our grandson has been exposed to many photos, videos, and memorabilia from Ghana. He lives in a predominantly white town, county, and state. Black people are seen frequently at town and school, but the majority of the population is white. 

Recently we were in Dallas, TX for a youth conference, called SOAR, promoting Water for Christ. We had a free day, and decided to do some site seeing. We read about the Perot Museum of Nature and Science on-line, and decided to visit. It was going to be a warm day. We arrived just before lunch, and decided to eat at the museum cafe before going in. Finishing our chicken strips, french fries, and macaroni and cheese, we headed inside to the museum.

We'd been in the museum for probably an hour when we saw an exhibit our grandson wanted to try. There was a large screen containing an outdoor scene, a marked place on the carpet for a participant to stand, and an eagle on the screen. The participant while standing on the marked place on the carpet could flap their arms, tilt their arms, lift their chin, and other such actions. As a person moved, the eagle on the screen would mimic the movements while soaring thru the trees and up into the sky. There was a line of about 15 children waiting to take their turn. Our grandson and I took our place in line to wait.

There were several schools and daycares attending the museum. We were in line with one of the groups. They had matching blue shirts on, which surely helped the teachers keep up with their little flock of children. The group was racially mixed, with black and white children. There was a black boy waiting in line behind us. The boy behind us was about the same age as our grandson. He was energetic, and couldn't hardly wait his turn. He and our grandson had a good time visiting, while waiting their turn. At one point our grandson turned to the boy and asked 'Are you from Africa?'. I'm certain the photos, videos, and memorabilia our grandson had frequently seen with Water for Christ prompted his question. I didn't hear what the boy said, but I feel pretty certain he said 'no'.  The two boys continued entertaining themselves with talking and wiggling. My husband has similar experiences in Ghana. As a white man in a predominantly black country, he stands out. Children gather around the members of the Water for Christ team to see him up close. Most of the children in remote villages have never seen a white person. The children want to reach out and touch his skin. It's a novelty and fascination to the villages when white people come. 

Through the eyes of a child we can see our own reflection. In our grandson's eyes it made perfect sense for the black boy to be from Africa, after all he had dark skin as the other children in the photos and videos from Ghana. In his innocents he was inquisitive about where the boy was from. Being only 6 years old, he didn't understand everything there is to know about geography. He didn't fully grasp where Africa was, or why there were so many black people in Africa, or why there weren't many black people living near him. After asking the question, both boys continued being who they were, just two boys waiting to enjoy a few seconds of fun.

What do we see when we meet someone different than us? Do we draw conclusions based on what external features they have? Do we draw conclusions because on what they are wearing, or not wearing? Do we draw conclusions based upon photos and videos we have seen, or conversations we've heard? Do we look around and wonder why they look different than us? Do we enjoy visiting with those who are different while waiting our turn at life? Are we inquisitive and ask questions? Does our inquisitiveness help us understand why the other person might be different than us? Can our inquisitiveness keep our innocence open to understanding those around us? Once we find out about the other person can we continue to entertain ourselves with talking and giggling, while waiting our turn? Can we be ok if we don't understand all there is to know about a person, and show love anyway? Are we ok if sometimes we cannot fully grasp why someone is different, or why so many people are different, or why not many of the different people live around us? After being inquisitive, can we continue being who we are, just two people on different paths waiting to enjoy a few seconds of fun for the day?

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him. “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31 NIV

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 NIV

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2 NIV

Read more about the mission at:  https://www.facebook.com/waterforchrist/