So what if we have the poor?

We recently visited mama Kyengo in Mukuru Kwa Njenga. For those of you who know Lifespring Chapel’s location, a drive to Mukuru is a circuitous route. A walk there is more direct. However, the contrast in economic & environmental standard of living is stark. Around Pipeline we have residential homes that are in secured gated estates. A few hundred meters westwards the population density increases. People are living in smaller concrete flats. As you move on, you will end up in the tin roofed neighbourhood of Mukuru.

We drove there until we could drive no more. We got out and walked the rest of the way skipping the open sewers. Of course we stood out as outsiders. You notice the industriousness of the people there despite the difficult living conditions. On some you will notice an occasional smile, on others the frown of hassling.

Finally we arrived at the 10 x 10 room; Kyengo’s mum’s home. She quickly hassled to get her guests extra seats so we can be comfortable. The room had a single door that served as the source of natural light and ventilation.

Our visit there was brief, yet we could not ignore her plight. Neither could we ignore the plight of her neighbours and the residents of the slum. Zoom out a little and consider Nairobi, Kenya, Africa, and the extents of the earth. There are wars, famines, genocides, calamities, homelessness, tsunamis, floods, cholera outbreaks, racism, and the list can go on.

The state of the world can paralyse anyone. There is so much helplessness. The subject of poverty has been interrogated and discussed by many people for many years. It is constantly in the lips of national leaders, the UN, NGOs, Churches and you can add to the list. Will this ever be resolved? Will it come to an end?

But then, Jesus also said these words, “For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." John 12:8 He spoke these words in response to Judas’ comment that Martha should not have wasted the expensive perfume on Jesus.

When dealing with this subject, we should seek to answer these questions

Whose people are these?

Who’s Mission is it?

What counts?

I welcome dialogue on this subject to all who would care to consider it.

Love of Money

"...but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wondered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Tim 6:6-10

With the economic crisis biting, it makes one wonder whether the pursuit of money deserves to be the main mission of anyone. Is it possible to get enough and be content? How much is enough? At what point to I stop in my pursuit to get rich? What is the difference between riches and wealth?