Oh Disparity and Choices

I saw it coming but didn’t. I’ve been ‘home’ (amurica) for over a week and have a million things to write about without the ability to do so. I can’t compute the vast differences from such rawness to processed life. I think it comes down to choices. It’s the choices that have really set things apart. For a year, the choices were slim, you go to a restaurant and have 2 choices, you ask for one and they don’t have it so you have to get the other. Your options on things to do are quite limited. This is quite a contrast to life in America. The choices have been overwhelming. From 20 different types of cheeses at the grocery store to restaurants having menus and actually serving the things on them. This is all quite a contrast for me. But I am only speaking for myself right now, not the 4+ million living on $0.50 a day in Rwanda.

It’s their choices or lack thereof that I can’t get out of my head. Yeah my choices might have been slim but for millions around the world their choices are impossible. Rwanda has done a decent job of trying to provide affordable healthcare and good education for many but for those in crippling poverty, choices still have to be made. Choices like buying clean water for the family one day OR paying for a child who is sick to go to the hospital. Saving up for 2-3 weeks to buy a bed net to try to reduce the chances of a kid getting malaria or spending a few extra francs at the market to try give the kids some fruit or vegetable to diversify their strictly cornmeal diet. Trying to reduce hospital visits is hard and expensive. When kids grow the added expense of school fees and the loss of a family member to help fetch water or help on the family plot is hard. Life can unimaginably tough.

There is a lot of hope though. Many of these families work very hard and care deeply about their families and children and if given the chance, they can greatly improve the situation their family is in. Non-profits and governments are trying to invest more and more in micro-finance and micro-savings programs to help people not have to make such hard decisions. Nobody should have to decide between clean water or a sick child, school fees or a squandered future. The inequity is large in our world of 20 different cheeses but a lot can be done and the potential is huge.

This Should Clear it Up

The current cold spell:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/opinion/26cohen.html?_r=3&ref=opinion

and climate change as a whole:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10370955

and this

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/12/28/from_snowstorms_to_heat_waves_how

I know I have posted this before but just in case. This topic has come up some in conversation.

The Next Big Thing?

This could be really boring for 90% of people but if you’re interested in development or you donate money to any of the big hitter non-profits, micro-savings could be where a fair amount of money is headed. In the past 30 years, micro-finance has sky-rocketed bringing small loans and big opportunities for millions that were either unable to get credit or enslaved to loan sharks with unreachable interest rates. Everyone is getting involved in micro-finance, including governments. Some micro-finance is good, some bad and some ugly, depending on the country. Rwanda has its own micro-finance bank called Umarango Sako. Apparently they have given out a lot of loans and are pushing a majority of the population to join the formal economy and participate in business and get a bank account. According to other NGO folk, Rwanda is doing a decent job handling micro-finance but others aren’t handling it so well.

So to join the Umarango Sako micro-finance community you need 10,000 francs. That’s the equivalent of around $20. I know a Jackson seems like chump change but in a country where close to 60% of the population lives on less than $0.50 a day, 20 dollars seems impossible for most. This is where micro-savings comes in, to help the poorest of the poor. Similar to micro-finance, micro-savings joins a group of 12-15 very vulnerable folks, predominately women, and together, they create a savings club. Each week, each member brings what they can and buys shares of entire savings collected. The price of a share is determined by the group. This can range from 500-1500 francs ($1-$3). In joining the club they are also asked to donate a little bit to a social fund to help pay for an orphans school fees or widow’s funeral or a cause agreed upon by the group. After three months of growth the group chooses one person to give a loan to. They (the hard core people at Care and other non-profits who wrote the painstakingly detailed manual) have learned that most people in the group end up helping each other out to start a small business or pay for something much needed to improve their family life.

Most micro-savings projects are still in pilot stages but from what people are telling me, results have been overwhelmingly positive.

It now just depends on how it spreads. Each non-profit has to tailor similar micro-savings projects for each country. 3 years ago, Niger was the first test country for micro-savings and since then projects have been popping up all over Niger. Rwanda is in its second year where non-profits are wrapping up their pilot stages and starting to operate full scale.

I highly doubt that if you’re reading my blog that you believe that all poor people are lazy and they should help themselves but if you are, check it, people helping themselves. Besides education, people are lifting themselves out of poverty without any outside financial help.

Poor folks aren’t powerless or voiceless, many just aren’t given an opportunity to rise up. I don’t know about you but I love a good empowerment story and I think micro-savings is going to be full of them. So share the story of micro-savings and if you got a couple bucks, maybe give a few to a non-profit engaging in micro-savings.

the beauty of the world

check out this too

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/11/national_geographics_photograp.html

Why is it So Hard to Accept Free Gifts?

I’m not sure why, but especially as of lately, I have received many free gifts. Don’t worry, I’m not going to brag about winning any contests or manna falling from the sky. In the grand scheme of things, these gifts have been fairly small but when you live in Rwanda the smallest of gestures can make a huge impact.

After work one day, I was standing at a bus stop waiting for bus to arrive when a man pulled up in his car and offered a free ride into town to me and the lady standing next to me. During our drive, I was contemplating how much money I should offer him for the ride. Along the way, my thoughts were interrupted when the man driving slammed on the brakes and started to yell something out the window. I looked to my left to see the remains of a motorcycle accident and a group of men carrying bruised and bloody women toward the car. I applied pressure to one of the deep cuts on her head as she had several more over her body. We arrived at town and the driver of the car turned to me and said thanks, I’m going to run her to the hospital now. I hopped out and he sped away. I looked down at my hands, one had a trace of blood while the other held the 1000 francs I was intending to give the driver for his kind service.

That night a kind Lebanese man invited me and two friends over for dinner. He made a massive spread of authentic Lebanese food and everyone ate until tahinni was coming out of our ears. We went out for drinks after and as I graciously tried to repay a fraction of the wonderful meal in drinks but he refused. As I tried once more he said to me, “why can’t you Americans accept a free gift? I don’t want to be repaid, I had you over for friendship, don’t insult my kindness”

This stopped me in my tracks. Why can’t I accept a free gift? Why must I out give the giver? How can I proclaim the free gift of Christ when I can’t accept a free ride or meal?

I don’t think I am the only one with this problem. Rightly so, many of us strive for equality and fairness. That’s why I am here in Rwanda, to try to bring about equality and fairness.

In essence, fairness and equality are good things. It has brought about a lot of good but I don’t think that it’s the way of God. God is not fair, he is more than fair and I think in the American obsession for equality we are missing part of God’s character. God’s love is so great that those who don’t “deserve” it or put their hands to the plow receive God’s love too. This has been echoed throughout the Bible from the parable of the lost son to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard God. loves and favors those who don’t deserve it. I think this culminates with Paul’s question in Romans 2 “Why do you treat the kindness of God with contempt? Do you not know that the kindness of God leads to repentance?”

I think we should start asking some questions us believing in the true character of God. I think those 2 lines really sum it up. I really struggle receiving a free gift regardless of how small it is but character of God gives a million times the nicest gifts a person can give. Can we really handle a loving God that can and has blessed so many in our own judgments don’t deserve it. That our God can be that loving to give such great gifts to us or those around us because of his great love?

We have a beautifully loving God, can you believe it?

Neat Little Story

I think I have already made the comment that I have a really like my job teaching Members of Parliament. I found this story quite unique and beautiful so I have decided to share. I hope he doesn’t mind.

It was a normal class, we’re in the rainy season right now so everyone came in a little late and wet. We had spent some time going over speculation economics and moved to talk about the future of Rwanda and everyone’s outlooks. We took a left turn to religion and how big an impact Christianity has had on Rwanda both good and bad and what it might mean for the future. We talked about how churches are mobilizing to help those in poverty in their villages. We also talked about how many churches are taking the health and wealth approach where people in poverty and those who used to have jobs have come to believe that God will bless them with greater things than what their job can provide. So many have quit their jobs and give everything they have to the church and spend all their days in the church looking for something better. Apparently this topic has kind of tipped the scales here.

As we were heading down this path, I wanted to get their take on a question I have had for a little while. “In many parts of the world, there are many problems between Christians and Muslims coexisting, including my country, I have seen a really peaceful coexistence here and I was wondering what you think are some reasons as to why Rwanda has found peaceful coexistence?”

The first person to weigh in on this question was previously a professor of sociology and anthropology for 17 years at NUR (the best university in Rwanda). This didn’t dawn on me when I threw the question out there but as he neatly organized an articulate answer, his years of university came through.

He started talking about before genocide, that the previous President Habyrimana (killed in infamous plane crash) had very strong Catholic advisors. He also took millions of dollars from the church in influence. In essence the Catholic Church had more control of the state than the officials. This really came through post 1994. There were 2 very popular Catholic priests in Rwanda that had very big congregations and in 1994 they ended up deceiving thousands into what they thought was safety, only to be turned over for slaughter.

As things started to pan out post-genocide, it became clear that these 2 priests were going to be found guilty in the reconciliation trials, the Catholic Church stepped in. Having greater power than the state, the church order the trials to be canceled and these 2 priests released. So they were, and the state couldn’t do anything about it.

This apparently infuriated many as the new government vowed not to allow one part of religion to have such an important role in society.

So since then, the current government has gone to great links to try to balance out different religious groups in the country. This includes Muslims. To summarize, the dominance of one religion or group in the country is often associated with genocide times. From what I’ve seen, everyone is running as far as they can from going back to what happened in 1994, so religious acceptance is part of Rwanda’s new identity.

I find this very interesting and really beautiful. One might expect many Rwandans to be specifically mad at the Catholic Church. This isn’t entirely untrue as the Catholic Church in Rwanda has lost a large portion of its participants but for many they are looking above one religion, they are looking for balance. It could have been any religion to have that influence, that’s why many value and respect other perspectives. Did I mention that the man telling this story is still Catholic?

Part 2

I was originally going to tell you this story with the previous post but the other story got in the way and I think both deserve their own post.

After the abridged version of recent religious history in Rwanda by one Senator, another spoke up. He broke into his version of why Christians and Muslims get along so well in Rwanda. He started the way many people do, “well you know Rwanda is a small country and has a lot of people.” I have heard this line countless times. He then said, well unlike other groups, the Muslims are really spread out. They are not a huge portion of the population but you usually find a couple believers in every village you visit. With this, many Rwandese are always close to Muslims, they are neighbors, friends and coworkers. When you get to know people, I think everyone finds out that were all human and not that different. He then threw a curveball at the class.

So my family is Catholic, my wife and I attend mass fairly regularly but one of my boys has always been interested in Islam. As he was growing into a young man, I let him make many of his own choices. I knew he had many Muslim friends and I was ok with it. When he was 21 he came home one day and said dad, I have converted to Islam.

Everyone in the room shifted in their seats and some let out a little audible shock.

It took a little bit of time to accept but it was his decision and he is happy with Islam. How could I stop him from doing something he feels called to. He is a good son. He is finishing at NUR now and wants to work for a non-profit. I am proud of him regardless of how he prays. I just can’t imagine us all getting to heaven and God giving us a stamp of approval depending on what religion we believe in. It was us as humans who created religion. We are the ones who have created divisiveness, not God, and look what it has brought us. (Sidenote: Pause and think of the gravity of what he has just said. This is coming from a man who has lived through genocide, the greatest consequence of divisiveness. This man lost both his parents, a brother, his wife’s parents, and 2 nephews. The man sitting next to him lost his wife to genocide. His words are meaning more than just words here.)

He continued onward, I think God is going to say, what have you done my son? I gave you my beautiful earth, how did you live on it?

The room was clearly divided on his last comments, some when to questions, others went to applause.

Every night is special at Parliament for me.

Hit Me with Music, Brutalize Me with Music

If you know me personally, you might know that I love music and live shows. I hate to be the typical travelling nomad cruising around developing countries with my ipod but I’m addicted to music. I believe there can be a certain CD or song for every mood. That’s what I want to write about today. I think music can have a greater impact on your life than you realize. I believe the words, beats, tones can culminate in specific moods that can really shape your outlook of who you are. I don’t think this is just for me as a music person. Yeah it might hit me more so, but start paying attention to why you are putting on the radio and how it meshes with who you are and what mood you’re in. More morose musicians like old Coldplay, Damien Rice, Once Soundtrack, Death Cab, Ray Lamontagne’s Till the Sun Turns Black, Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks can drop you from a so so day to ain’t so good. On the other hand Talking Heads, Phish, Cat Stevens, ALO, Bob Marley, Mumford & Sons, Dave Busted Stuff, Jack Johnson’s Curious George Soundtrack (I also think this was the last good thing he did), and Matisyahu Live at Stubb’s (the only good thing he did) can all boost your mood. Then you have music for the seasons. This has been a tad hard for me. It’s summer 24/7 in Rwanda so I haven’t been able to enjoy fall music like Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Rogue Wave and Animal Collective. I’m about to jump into winter music with Sufjan Stevens, Band of Horses, Dave’s Some Devil and Neil Young but it will be abbreviated and unnatural for me. I don’t know if you ever think of these things, but over the last few years, I have tried to map out my music for moods, seasons and occasions and for me, it brings a closer equilibrium. To be in a not sure mood and find the right CD to play can really help you fit the groove. I don’t want to say just find your happy music and play it all the time. I think we should embrace whatever place we are at, I think that’s what music is for, to accompany us through where we’re at. Sometimes I just need to go with the hidden bit of sorrow I have and sulk a few hours in Damien Rice. Or I might be on a major upswing in summer months and throw on Busted Stuff and hit my musical nirvana. Speaking of Nirvana, I introduced the Senators and MP’s to Nirvana 2 weeks ago. Last week was Frank Sinatra, and I haven’t decided for this week.

I guess what I want to relay from my brain to yours is to find your musical nirvana, even if you’re a musical person, I bet you have it in you. When you find it, it might improve your quality of life.

junk

sardy, been somehow too busy to post.

i wanted to share stuff that others are doing though. first a decent article by i dont know who about wikilinks and i agree with this guys opinion. even if the truth in inconvenient, we shouldnt shun it, because its well the truth. wikilinks shouldnt have to do the governments job. so check it if you have time.

next is 2 of my favorite people singing a great song. 3rs i really like it. just a healthy reminder. we gotta remember to reduce, reuse and recycle!