first world

Along with my job come some interesting opportunities – today I was asked to run dvds and powerpoint for a Mission Study on Sudan for the women’s group at the church.  Several other church’s women’s groups were there as well.  I’ve read a book about the Lost Boys of Sudan before and was pretty familiar with just how horrific the situation is and has been there for essentially forever.  Barnabas, one of the Lost Boys, lives in the northern part of our county in community with about 20 other refugees and came to speak to us.  I kept thinking how amazing it was that one of these people I’ve only read about in abstraction and who survived such insane conditions was standing in front of me, looking healthy and having accomplished so much.

Meanwhile across the room there was a woman from another church who’d been clearly perturbed all morning at each woman who didn’t use a microphone properly.  She’d been making faces and huffing and puffing at these poor ladies.  I just kept thinking what a first world “problem” this was to be upset about.  So, to sum up, it reminded me of this quotation I read some time ago, from preacher Tony Campolo (he used to occasionally open sermons this way):

"I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a s--t. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said s--t than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night."