something i've seen before

So i have been trying to decide if i'd like to blog about something that is close to my heart. And since writing is supposedly therapeutic here goes...

Africa…

How do I describe how I felt about it? How do I respond to the person who says, “How was it?” Do I say? “Amazing!” or “Touching”, or do I tell them the heart wrenching stories about war, child soldiers, starvation, 4,500 child deaths per day from water related illness, disease, the AIDs pandemic, lack of women’s rights, lack of opportunity, etc.??? Do they want to hear it? Probably not. Or do I tell them about the happy children I see? The ones who just want a hug, a hand to hold, a plate of rice and beans to put a smile on their face. They sing and dance and take care of one another. Do I respond with “yes they are poor in wealth, but not in spirit”? That might ease their minds. Or do I remind them that we, as a culture in the US, are so caught up in busyness, superficiality, money, possessions, image, power and even good deeds, that we completely miss the point of it all. We are depressed, cranky, isolated, overweight, guarded, disconnected with our families, extended families, communities, and ourselves. WHO IS POOR? The answer rarely lies in one’s economic situation.