The American Family Enters the Third World

This is a quote excerpt from a book I read a while back (with my own thoughts added at the end). I don't remember the book it was in but I read it after my first trip to West Africa. The description brought me to tears as I realized how accurate it is and how clueless I was before I traveled to a third world country myself. Still, it blows my mind how one culture can be so oblivious and uninformed of nearly an entire continent in dire need, physically and spiritually.

It's worth reading.

"We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his ‘wardrobe’ his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out so we turn to the cupboards…the box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can must be rescued for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.

Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool shed…Communications must go next, not that they are missed since we must take away the family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio…

Now government services must go next. No more postmen, no more firemen. There is school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms…There are of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided the family has a bicycle which is unlikely…

Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of five dollars. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of a ….peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured.”

But let’s not stop there.

There are some American concepts that will have to go. Rather than a run, time will slow to a walk. Not that it matters as most do not know how to tell time or have any contraption with which to do so.

Morals once again have a dominant place in society. And the family too for that matter. All that takes place in each individual life has a major effect on the family the individual is a part of.
Children will no more be “protected” from the harsh but real things in life such as death, illness, diseases, pain, and especially work. There is no such thing as “child labor.” That in itself is an oxymoron. The child is not ‘laboring’ but learning and helping the family. There is no such thing as CPS.

The cliché “It takes a village to raise a child” no longer exists as a cliché but as reality. A teenager in the neighboring village may cane your child because he is doing something foolish. He will do it without your consent. Your child will be taught a lesson. And he will learn to respect all authority. Unfortunately, he may learn to fear them as well.

Privacy does not exist. An individual society does not exist. Rather than iPod, iTunes, i-Bible, it is we, we, we.

Any person is automatically entitled to what you have. So there goes your cash hoard of $5.00. And there goes your sugar and salt too as they are expensive.

The good thing is, with all of the family and villagers around, safety is less of an issue. However the health issues may increase due to lack of knowledge and understanding of health and hygiene issues.

This American family finding itself in a different state of living will be required to learn "the system." The way of life here is to be indebted to others and to have others indebted to you. This builds relationships. The American family must throw out it's pride and rely on others. It must throw out it's selfishness and allow others to rely on it as people draw from the family's already skeleton resources.

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Because the culture is so different than our own Western culture, it would be so easy to label it as "bad" or "primitive" or "wrong." Third world culture is different because it has to be. How awful would we be to have First World expectations for a Third World country?

I have found myself working to rid myself of the First and Third World mentality. In my line of work, "the World" is not what life's about; in fact, it is the enemy.

It is important that people are able to see from a Third World perspective. It's also important that we don't get caught up in choosing a side and labeling it as better.

Jesus came to and for all. Jesus served all. Jesus met all kinds of needs. Jesus cared. Jesus' first priority was His Father's business.

We should have a heart for all people. We should serve all. We should help meet all kinds of needs. We should care deeply. Our first priority should be the Father and His business.