Ive followed this journey of yours. Ive read the comments about Jennifer.
Ive kept quiet
until now.
I am, as you and many others would say African Born I am black.
I saved and worked and struggled. As all do.
I came to America for College, I stayed because I found a job I am extremely happy with. I also found love.
Before I moved I researched. I researched the history, the varied cultures, and the state I was moving to; Massachusetts. I no longer live in Massachusetts.
I am angry. I am sad. I am also sickened.
I am angry that you didnt research where you were going. You have endless resources to do even the most basic reading about the places you are visiting. By doing this, you show that you care about our cultures. That you care enough to know that Africa is a Continent. That you dont refer to Africa as one place. Africa is a Continent with various countries with deep and vast histories. Peoples of all colors and ethnicities.
I am sad that you did not prepare in any way-except to pack your suitcase. I am sad that you didnt care enough to learn, again, even the basics of the areas and people you will encounter.
I am sickened, so very sickened that you see Africa as a place that is only filled with slums.
I am sickened, angry and sad that you were, as you wrote disappointed in Nairobi. And why? Because it isnt a slum. Because it isnt your picture of poor.
How dare you? How dare you express disappointment that Narobi isnt a slum? I am nearly speechless. You are actually upset that Nairobi isnt filled with shacks and rivers of sewage. That Nairobi has clean running water, that it has resturants. And stores. And people that can work. People that are living in homes
That are relatively safe.
How dare you?
If you are really here to spread the mesage of God. Why can you not spread that message to the people of Nairobi?
Ive read some of the reasoning and it can be summed up by its too hard
because the people are too well off and might not listen
the people are too well off
Again: How dare you?
If you are truly here to spread the word of God, who and what the people you encounter would not matter.
After reading this, I can say with no doubt that the only reason you are here is to see the poor brown skinned people. So you can return to your home, your friends, your church
and say that you helped the poor. So you can feel good. So you can feel proud. So people will give you praise for helping the poor brown-skinned people. So you can tell others how you survived the slums.
If your message is so important, if bringing Him into the lives of others is paramount
It should never matter who or what the people are. How and where they live. It should not matter at all.
So I am sick. Revolted. By you by the very fact that you are disappointed Nairobi isnt what you expected
a slum.
Will you express disappointment if the slums you visit are actually eliminated one day?
Ive seen people say poverty tourism and this post proves that. The only reason you have come is so you can walk amongst the poor. So that you can brag that you helped them.
You are here to say that you hope one day that the people you visited, the poor, one day are no longer poor
but thats obviously not true. Since you are so disappointed by Narobi.
You arent here for the poor. You arent here for Him. You are here for yourself, so you can brag and boast and get points for helping the poor brown skinned people.
You sicken me.