A Change in Perspective
How did your day start today?
Did you wake up in a soft bed under a roof that kept out the wind and rain? When you took a few short steps to the bathroom and turned on the tap did clean, drinkable water come out? Did you open a fridge or cupboard filled with food and select what you wanted for breakfast? Did you hit the drive-through on the way to work and grab a Tim’s coffee? If you did, was the cost of that coffee 1/3 of a day’s wage? (1/2 a day’s if it was Starbucks). Did the thought cross your mind on the way to work that your safety might be an issue?
If everything above (and more) was a daily struggle for you, if many of life’s most basic needs were often out of reach, could you sit across from someone and genuinely tell them you were so thankful for everything God had given you? That is what I have seen every day this week. That’s what every person on this team has seen when we have taken the time to sit and talk with the families we have been building houses for. Yes, we have absolutely heard about their struggles when we ask, as they tearfully tell us how this new house will drastically improve their lives and open new opportunities. It's just that they tell us with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what they DO have, for the relationships in their lives and for the blessings they have received. Shouldn’t they be filled with bitterness because their lives lack the abundant material accoutrements we have in our country? We complain when our big screen TVs won't stream Netflix fast enough. Shouldn’t they be complaining they don’t even have the electricity that would operate a TV?
They don’t. And it is so, very, humbling.
That evening as our team sat together for our daily debrief others shared very similar stories with some of the younger team members explaining how the experience has changed the way they view priorities in life. Sometimes people ask me why I bother getting on an airplane to go on trips like these instead of just sending money. They don’t get it. They need to come here to see for themselves. We live in a country rich with material blessings but it often feels like we have lost our way.
I sometimes wonder if I spent 51 weeks preparing for this trip or if this 1-week trip is preparing us for the 51 weeks back home.
Mark Ewert