On Holes
Several times since I have come to Kenya, I have had good friends (who are also brilliant doctors and nurses) move to America to pursue their dreams. They moved with excitement, with hope, with passion, with courage, and I am certain the places they live are better for their hearts and presence.
Today, as I read the news and thought of my friends, I wondered, “How can a person of power try to diminish an entire continent into one small and horrible word?” When someone asked me to repeat what he said because they hadn’t seen the story, I couldn’t . . .my head would just shake as they looked it up for themselves (it has been reported on Kenyan news), and I saw pain shadow their faces.
America has never been perfect. Kenya is not perfect. No country is, but they both are places my family calls home – with all their flaws and brilliant beauty. And I hope, as our world becomes smaller, that we work to build friendships where they are unlikely – to realize stories that are strikingly different in circumstance are similar in struggle and joy – to see that God has created us to build up each other and carry each other when things are hard no matter where we were born. These hard-won journeys unmask incredible beauty.
Our world is shrinking – bridges are being built between countries that have their own unique set of imperfections. However, as as we cross those bridges, we allow our strengths will complement each other, our perspectives will strengthen each other, and we will be better as we see we are all in this together.
“These are decisions made on a few convictions: that the power to act is a gift that grows as it is given, that grace covers covers a multitude of inadequacies, that loss is real but not forever, that this world is not a zero-sum cause-effect closed system, that courage trumps comfort, and that love is the most true thing of all.” -JMyhre
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I hate that one man’s careless, unthinking comment has caused (and most likely is continuing to cause) such injury to millions of people, all over the world… the man just has no filter, and lacks the good grace to apologize for his missteps or misspoken words… It brought to mind the quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth: “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” …clearly this is his hour upon the stage, and we as Americans must suffer the consequences of his lack of filter and consideration for the vast majority of good people the world over… to so lightly categorize entire countries as “–holes” is just appalling and insufferable, but I guess we will have to suffer through more of his ‘sound and fury’ for the next few years… my apologies to any Africans who took offense to his comment… please reassure them that he is a slim minority that would dare offend countries instead of individuals with such a term… love you all dearly.