Holding Hands

Anyone who has been to Africa would probably know things are so different here it can make your head spin. The other day Jordan came walking home with our video store friend and had his hand held the whole way back. The joke has been that, if one of us is missing someone or feeling lonely, you just need to go for a walk with someone to remind yourself of those good times feeling loved. Now, I can't speak on behalf of ALL western men but, something about having a very prolonged soft grip with another guy's hand seems to throw off the rotation of the planets and life becomes different. When we began to first experience this holding hands phenomenon, initially it was just purely awkward. I began wondering how close this was to crossing over from being "different" and moving into "just wrong" or perhaps unnatural, as I liked to think. Each time it would happen my mind began thinking about the things that need to be done in Africa. The starving kids need food, the governments need accountability, the environment needs more respect, and men need to stop holding each others hands. I wonder if there are a lot of people who have thought about Africa and formed opinions, as I have, about what is wrong, or what needs to be done. But recently I was awkwardly holding hands with a man and had a thought. Maybe we have been treating these countries in Africa so much like charity that we have left them feeling less then us, and we feel like more than them. It's hard sometimes to get past the cultural differences and meet people where they are at. Where is the equality and the friendship? I feel challenged to offer more to these people. To stand with them, or even just to encourage them to love their own country, and to love themselves. When things get tough in life it's all about what you do in response. When hope is lost, your not left with much. In life we all want a HAND TO HOLD, someone who will stand and care for us, someone who will build hope in us. Its hard to miss that when you walk down the street here. The relationships I have here mean a lot to me and have challenged me heaps. Here is a few of our friends. The people we have met here are Awesome! Kenton (1) Our very funny friend, Moses. (2) Henry, who is looking for a wife. (3) Some of the youth, (between 13-45 years old). (4) Grace, our wonderful host.