Are We Really “Saving” Africa?
Featured, Social Justice — By Penny Carothers on September 21, 2009 at 12:10 am
Is it up to us to save Africa?
If you think about this at all, like me, you generally operate under the assumption that those with access to power, resources, privilege, education, knowledge, and connections are the most important piece of the puzzle. If we don’t bring the forgotten wars, diseases, and injustices to the attention of those in power, who will? And, to a certain extent, it’s true: if we don’t do it, the Western world will ignore the issue. But it also begs the question, is it truly up to us to save Africa?
It’s not our fault we believe it’s in our hands. When reporting on these things, most news agencies and many aid groups focus on the negative (of which there is plenty) because it sells and it tugs at our heart strings. But that means it’s up to us to demand something more. Demand that reporting on Africa no longer focus on the perpetual basket case scenario, the place that is incapable of helping itself, the continent that needs to be saved. Demand that we see a more nuanced, holistic, and accurate picture of the continent that cradled civilization and serves as home to so much beauty, hope, reconciliation, perseverance, and particularity.
When it’s all said and done, I have to admit it’s easy to buy into the guilt-inducing headlines and campaigns because I want to make a difference and it gives me a sense of accomplishment and purpose that I am doing my small part for those who have so little. Lately, though, I have been wondering, is this what social justice in Jesus’ name looks like? What about serving, relationship with the other, and laying down my life? How do I do that for someone who is 3,000 miles away whom I may never meet? And, most importantly, how am I transformed in the process? When I ponder these things I am convicted that if we remain untransformed, we aren’t living into God’s story, and that means we won’t be of any help at all.
When I get down to it, I realize, paradoxically, I am both the answer to the needs of the world and the problem behind them. Not only do I serve to fuel the wars raging1 in the heart of Africa through my consumption, but I can also be a channel of blessing. I prefer to focus on the last part because I like my cell phone and my lifestyle, and it assuages the guilt of living in the most privileged country the world has ever known.
But when I am overwhelmed by a desire for change, by a need to do something, when I can’t stand the fact 30,000 kids will die of preventable illnesses today and tomorrow and the next day, when I am overwhelmed by the plight of millions of AIDS orphans and the hundreds of thousands of child soldiers, I force myself to take a deep breath. Sometimes, I pray.
Which is, also paradoxically, one of the most effective things I can do.
It’s not the end, but the beginning. It’s the recognition that God – and not me – is in control, and even though I don’t always like it, real change begins with God, and from God’s work within me. Africa, and places that experiences the same impediments to growth and prosperity, will only get worse when I believe I am the answer to their problems. I may be more enlightened, more educated, and more faithful than the colonizers, but perhaps the real problem begins with the fact I believe that last statement. Africa will get better only when the people who are leading its development are Africans.
But Africans will only lead their own development if you and I let them. Because we have more power, more “expertise,” and more influence, we must step aside and come alongside if Africans are to lead. I know I can be a part of that growth and a channel of blessing only when I act with humility and an understanding of my own privilege and lack of knowledge when it comes to the complexities of working in developing countries (and this is often a challenge – I have a Masters focusing on International Development!). Even more importantly, I need to continue to develop an appreciation of the knowledge, expertise, and abilities of Africans to solve their own problems. Only then will I – and you – actually do good for the people of the continent of Africa and the vastly different countries that make it up.
When I look around at the people and the groups doing work in this area, I see a lot of good intentions and some really good work, but not as many organizations that live by these principles. Unfortunately, even though we don’t realize it, most of us still suffer from the White Man’s Burden, and often act out of guilt rather than real, sacrificial love. Or, commonly, we work out of the assumption that anything we offer will be better, because they have so little (see a critique of this mindset here). What would the world look like if we believed in the resources of those at the bottom, and acted out of love, in a power-under, come-alongside sort of way, toward those who benefit from our connections and resources?
By way of illustration of the harm that can come from believing it’s our role to “save” others, I’d like to take a few moments to talk about an organization that does a lot of good, but often gets caught up in the kinds of activities that can be so harmful to resource-poor communities.
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- Johann Hari and others’ solution: “To get there, we need to build an international system that values the lives of black people more than it values profit.” ↩
16 Comments
Penny,
I think this may be the most important and provocative article the Writers Collective has ever published. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you also for the article’s integrity, fairness, and generosity.
Agreed. Burnside is proud to finally run this.
Wow. That was well written, and very thought provoking. Thanks for your honesty, Penny. I really appreciated that (it’s hard to say I enjoyed it…)
Wow- that was really informative and very well-researched. I’m glad you wrote it; it does make me think a little harder about the best ways to effect change in developing countries. One of my (very wise) college professors said that our tendency as people was to simplify stories and conflict and life in general, and that he was working to ‘muddy the waters,’ so to speak, to bring out the complexities involved in various (environmental) issues. I think he would really appreciate your article, because it does bring up some of the complexities that people prefer to distill down in ways that are harmful. Good job
(I’ll be sure to e-mail it to my prof!)
Good. Thank you.
As one who has been to Africa several times, and who has family there doing “mission work” (are we not all missionaries in our work?!), I appreciate this piece.
And I just have to agree: Yes.
Thought-provoking, knowledgeable, and full of insight-the girl has done it again! Nice job Penny. Your hard work is apparent in every line. I am so proud to see you pursuing your passion. “America’s solution to Uganda’s problem” is only made more obtuse by your use of specific campaign and lobbying examples-really drives the message home. Well done!
Penny,
First, you have single-handedly elevated Burnside Writers Collective to a status comparable to a serious, credible publication. I’m no longer sure if we will ever be able to see stories about basketball or beer here without thinking, “what happened to BW; they were once writing on the cutting edge of social justice issues?”. I may never have another piece published here for lack of meeting the new quality standard you’ve provided with this article!
Second, you’ve touched on a point I’ve been thinking about for some time. What is our responsibility in Africa when in fact we can’t seem to get Americans to even reach out to our suffering neighbors, literally next door or sleeping in the parking garage where we work. In preparing a sermon on James 1:27 last week, I realized that there was no way I would see success in getting people to answer a call to action when that would require them to think about distant Africa. Instead, I worked very hard to get them, maybe for the first time, to take a much small step. I called them to help our “orphans and widows” in our neighborhoods. It is my hope and prayer that after people have a life-transformation with efforts locally (and invite others to do the same), there will be an army of folks whose hearts are so prepared to help others in the name of Jesus, that we will no longer have to look to secular NGOs, but instead see millions of transformed Christians ready to serve, bless, and help the world (whether from the US, Africa, or anywhere).
Whoa, whoa…let’s not get too hasty here about cutting out all the beer/basketball articles.
Which gives me an idea for an article about beer AND basketball.
Thanks guys. I really appreciate your words.
I also want to thank Invisible Children, and specifically Erica D’Alessandro, for her willingness to spend the time engaging with someone who was questioning her organization. She spent a lot of time developing lengthy and thoroughly responses to my questions and critiques. She is the main reason this article actually has a hope of being accurate and fair. (And I hope she and IC feels that it is – if not, I’d love to hear why.)
Thanks again everyone for taking the time to read 4,000 words about this topic!
Penny, your piece is amazingly well researched and well written. Thanks for not only pointing out problems, but also for offering candid and practical thoughts on how to better approach these issues.
Penny writes “What does it mean to serve, to pursue social justice in Jesus’ name, to lay down one’s life, to care for the least among us? The answers to problems like world hunger, family homelessness, AIDS orphans, and child soldiers are incredibly complex – but our response can be very simple.”
Yes, that is precisely what I love about the Jesus of the New Testament – he acts, and calls us to act – simply, directly and faithfully.
And yes, our lives, interactions and the consequences of our actions are incredibly complex. For example, who among us does not have a cell phone? A key component of every cell phone is coltan. Every ounce of coltan, that we use every day, has been smuggled out of the Congo. And every dollar, spent on behalf of our cell phone usage has gone to a variety of terrorists, kidnappers, murderers and rapists. (according to Wikipedia, about 5.5 million people have died in the wars in the Congo since 1998).
So I circle back to the nearly eternal question “What would Jesus do?
Would Jesus use – or not use – a cell phone? Would Jesus refuse to wear clothing made in Asian or African sweatshops?
And of course, what would Jesus expect each of us to do?
I firmly do not believe that Jesus would want us to live under a cloud of guilt. In fact, quite the opposite, Jesus calls us to be agents of fully orbed liberation.
Some of us will do that as individuals, some will work with large scale organizations. And I am convinced that it is not the celebrities or the petitions that will manifest the kingdom of God on earth; it will be each transformed life. And yes, it begins with each one of us.
And yes, the harvest, and the need is great; beyond measure in fact, but the New Testament is the blueprint for how a small group with a vision can transform the world.
Consider those few individuals who have refused to leave the world as it was – from St. Francis, to Mother Teresa to M. Ghandi. There is nothing stopping us from initiating our own faith in action – except our own inertia.
The ultimate deception is that we can’t do anything.
Our small individual steps are the best we can do – and they truly are the best we can do.
Excellent article.
In thinking about the debate over whether to encourage taking out Joseph Kony by any means necessary, or to advocate for the non-violent solution of peace talks, it occurs to me that there is a third option: praying that Jesus would personally visit Joseph Kony.
It’s completely impractical and maybe even impossible, but it’s happened before. A man named Saul used to murder Christians. Until he met Jesus.
Penny,
I really appreciated this article. IC played a big role in motivating me to spend a semester in Uganda last year. I did so through my school and ended up at Uganda Christian University in Mukono. It did a lot to challenge my western savior complex. Your article deftly navigates a sticky issue. I’ve been invited to work with the IC chapter on campus and I’ve struggled to respond in a nuanced way (that is, balancing my inner Sachs and Easterly).
All this is to say – it is good to know that there are people like you working to elevate the conversation and push past the damaging stereotypes of all things African. There is so much more to East Africa than the war and poverty – or smiling children and grateful recipients of aid.
I also have to point out your comments on trade in the beginning of your article to say that it is SO REFRESHING to hear someone (outside of academia) portray free trade as part of the solution to poverty, rather than the source of all evil. Clearly the issue is more complicated, but I’d love to see an article or two on farm subsidies for readers without an economics background.
Keep up the good work! I look forward to reading your next piece and
Cheers,
Jonathan