"Now for a little International Flaire."
I spent the evening with Pastor Charles from Zambia. We talked a little about Zambia, the orphanage, the farm, life and politics. Good times. My nephew, who went to Zambia earlier in the year and lives with me now, graciously offered his bed so Charles would have a place to sleep. Charles isn't very comfortable in our beds because they're too soft, so he slept on the floor. My nephew slept on the couch for some reason, and nobody used his bed.
I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with many people from other countries in my life. When I was in fifth grade, our family hosted a Japanese foreign exchange student. After that, we had students from Italy, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Yugoslavia, Iran and a few others. Most recently, I had two Chinese students live with me for a semester.
I have traveled internationally a little, but not much. Our involvement with the project in Zambia is really important to me. It seems like such a little thing in the scope of the problems Africa faces, but a significant thing in that several villages, about sixty orphans and some refugees from Zimbabwe will have food tonight because of our efforts and influence there.
Whenever I ponder the world as a whole, there are two thoughts that tend to override the rest.
The first is that Americans tend to think that life is really about our cable TV not working right, dropped calls on our iPhone or having to wait too long in line at Wal-Mart. As a people group, we are overall so shallow, spoiled and self centered that we just don't get life sometimes. A week long trip to a third world country and even a casual look beyond the tourist traps should show us how great life here is.
The second thought is how similar all people are all over the world. Life really is about having a role to play in a world that is bigger than we are, about raising a family and teaching children what's right, about love and hope and unity and belonging and acceptance. This is true in our rich, spoiled culture, and in the remote villages of Zambia and everyplace in between.
Charles wants to learn then teach Zambian kids to play baseball, and through that teach teamwork, sportsmanship, correct and instant thinking/decision making, physical fitness and all the rest. But mainly, he wants to give those kids a picture of what it is like to play a position on a team where one's actions impact the whole.
He doesn't want them to feel like the leftovers of society. He wants them to understand that they can contribute to the value and process of life. And because they can, they should. And they should do it with skill and passion.
Wow. I know a bunch of rich, white Americans that could learn that lesson, and the world would be a better place because of it.