fight poverty with hope
Ask any little boy in America what he wants to be when he grows up and you might hear firefighter, doctor, or astronaut. Little girls will say they want to be teachers, nurses, lawyers. Though their answers differ, these children all have something in common: They can answer the question.
Ask a child in Africa what he or she wants to be when all grown up and you may be met with a blank stare. Shrugging shoulders. “I don’t know.” They can’t comprehend the question and they don’t know how to answer. They don’t know, because they don’t know how to dream.
I’ve seen the blank stares. I’ve watched the shoulders shrug. I’ve heard the “I don’t know”s. Once when I asked a young boy what he wants to be when he grows up, he answered with a statement that has never left me: “I want to be alive.”
Poverty kills dreams. It murders hope. It squashes every last ounce of ambition. Poverty impacts the old, but targets the young. It steals more than full bellies and healthy bodies; it suffocates the future and squanders potential.
What Africa needs—what anyone affected by poverty needs—is not a hand-out. Africa needs more than charity, more than money, more than employment opportunities. All of those are vitally important, but Africa needs something even greater. Africa needs to learn to dream again.
Next time you choose to make a donation, contribute your skills, or give of your time for someone or some organization, find a way to also instill hope, offer encouragement, shine a light at the end of their tunnel. As you spark dreams in people’s hearts, you’re doing the best thing you can do to eradicate poverty.
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This post is part of Blog Action Day 08 – Poverty.
WOW. This is powerful. I thought you were on hiatus? Great to hear from you, though! I’m sure you’re having lots of fun!!
@cassgirl says:
This was WORTH waiting for!!!
You hit a Grand Slam Homer in the bottom of ninth girl!!!
WHOA!!!
Lovin and prayin….
@atangie says:
Bill Wilson of Metro Ministries in New York City says, “I don’t tell the how. I tell the why. When you know the why you will find the how.”
@mandythompson says:
mmmm….. good stuff Alece ~ always. wow.
We miss you around here. Come back…
@ventigrace says:
Hi kitty. First… I have to say, I miss you.
And… you bring to this whole discussion on poverty so much perspective that only someone who has invested her life in Africa can bring. This was great… and your heart, and the heart of Thrive is all over it. I’m so glad you bring “this” here.
Wow this was good stuff. That little boys statement wrecked me. *sigh*
Love you! Miss you!
Alece this was so great. I think anyone who has spent time with children in Africa has a sense of this, that is one thing that has always stayed with me, haunted me. How hopeless it seems and really God is the only hope in this situation.
Love and prayers!
Over this past summer I learned what a difference regular monthly support can make to people in need. I also learned how stingy we are when it comes to committing a meager $10 /month (or more) to helping people.
“I want to be Alive.”
That alone should be a campaign for poverty. That should be a statement that all High Schoolers should have to hear and see film footage about.
That is a story that needs to make people open their eyes. It needs to get the “poor me” society of America to realize how blessed we are.
Great post Alece. You are right poverty kills dreams. It is our ability to dream of a better future that keeps our hopes alive.
Africa’s past is filled with many great civilizations. Every child born in Africa has this spirit within them. Poverty drains this spirit away. If this spirit can be rekindled hope will replace despair. The Africans, just like all the other people in the world, will regain their dreams of a future.
Helping people feeds our own spirit. We need to understand that if we don’t continue to feed our own spirit our civilizations will die just like that of the African’s of the past did.
@danielleH says:
man.
alece, man.
i have to print this post and keep it visible. reading it made my temperature drop and heart beat faster.
you are amazing. (and i miss you)
So well written and so right on!
This is why when I think about the greatest leadership I have not only witnessed but worked under..I think of you and Niel.
“I want to be alive” – Wow! What a statement!
I love the way you write.
I miss you, dang it.
@tamhodge says:
wow. and i really mean, wow!
and i miss you.
@cassgirl says:
“Africa needs to learn to dream again. ”
WE ALL need to dream again. We ALL need to stop shrugging our shoulders and leave it for the other guy
WE need Hope, Hard Word, and a MIGHTY God to do His stuff THROUGH us…
So Africa can be a place on the map again.
You so inspire me to sell everything I own and move there ..
Wow.
Love you so much… I miss you terribly!!!!
Wow…that took me back to our lingo school days. I asked the same question of our college aged Swahili tutors…and was met with blank stares & shrugged shoulders. It took a loooong time for the reality of their non-answer to sink in. And when it did…it began to change me from the inside-out. You’re doing a beautiful thing! Makes me miss getting “gritty” and doing our beautiful thing there… *sigh* But that ache keeps the people I learned to love fresh…
Anyway…now I’m waxing nostalgic! *smile*
…danielle – trevy’s mommy
True that SisterFriend. True that!
Wow! That is simply amazing and such truth. Thank you for sharing that Alece. That is a profound statement about life, not just Africa. And, about having Jesus in your life. Without Him, there really is no life. Praise God for His Son! And, praise God for what you are doing for Him in the lives of His people in Africa.
I miss you dang it!
Shame
Shame
Shame
Shame
;-)
Thank you.
FYP
This is one of the best posts I’ve read in a while.
Indeed, among all things, we need to dream. It is our dreams that keep our eyes focused on the ray of hope at the end of the tunnel, however slight that hope is. It is our dreams that keep our feet to keep moving and never give up, even if our steps are slow and faltering…
Helping hands do help; I won’t discount that. But above all, what the poor needs are an inspiration… a dream of a better future… a hope for the dawning of a better tomorrow.
I am a survivor of abject poverty myself, and I testify about the power of dreams. It was that I dreamed that I got out of it…
@traceepersiko says:
That is incredible. thanks for bringing perspective.
So sad. Africa HAS to start dreaming again!!!!!!
wow – this entry tugs at my heart strings! i am currently a sophomore at oklahoma baptist university, pursuing a degree in cross-cultural ministry. my prayer is to one day live the life of ministry you and your husband are living in africa. thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. =)
Wow! Awesome expression of truth and your heart, Alece. You, MG, are a World Changer!
Hey Alece, I hope you are doing ok. I wanted to let you know that I tagged you in my blog, just something fun for when you have a few min. love ya! and can’t wait to hear about your trip.
wow, everyone — thanks for your encouraging words in response to this post!
All I can say is WOW!
We need to dream again.
indeed we do!