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Saturday
Dec152007
Interpretation
December 15, 2007 
Boys lifting a friend, originally uploaded by journeymama.It's strange how sometimes all we know of an entire continent is what is given to us by the news media.
We only hear of war, atrocities, tragedy, famine, and epidemic disease. Where are the people in all of this? Are they lost? Do we understand that they have stories?
***
We were driving in the Land Cruiser, packed in cozily with that same red dust working its way into our eyebrows and our teeth. The 4x4, or quat-quat, as they say in Burkina Faso, was being given its exercise, helping us travel along roads as pocked as the surface of the moon.
Through the roar of the air outside and the laughter of the people inside, we talked.
All we have is our feeling, he told me.
Your feeling? I asked.
When we see a poor man, we think- that could be me, he said. Or if it is a rich man, we know that maybe next year we will be in his place. Everyone can put himself in the place of his brother. It is why we help each other.
Oh- like empathy. I understood.
It is all we have, he went on. We Africans, we have no power in the world, we have no product, no money, nothing. We only have our feeling.
Oh. I see this feeling. You treat every man like a brother.
If it is taken away we will have nothing. It seems that people want to take this away- I don't know why... He shrugs, hands out. I don't know why. But we can't lose it, or we will have nothing.
Reader Comments (9)
How much we have to learn! We are part of a church whose leadership is in Rwanda, and I love the upside-down nature of it. We in the West have spent so much energy thinking we can solve the problems of Africa. We arrogantly think we have all of the wealth, but our African brothers and sisters have so much to give us in terms of spiritual wealth. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful story.
Thanks for sharing this. (I may forward a link to you to a group that might appreciate this, ok?)
Such a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it, Rae. It reminds of why I am proud to be South African.
Beautiful pic and Beautiful children!!
what a shining reflection!
Thank you for sending forth such light and positive love....
we all need a little soul shine!
What a beautiful thought, and I cannot believe you took such a beautiful photo. It really speaks to me.
That photograph is enchanting. You captured just the right moment.
That feeling is worth more than any product.
What a beautiful photograph and equally beautiful post.
-Heidi
Look at those beautiful faces! Thanks for the photo and the moving story.