Place in this world?

I have been thinking a lot about my time in Kenya since I posted about it last week. I have e-mailed the missionaries I worked with in Nairobi and asked them what happened to my precious gate kids. The second picture I posted of them last week is burned into my memeory. Those eyes! I really did want to pack those two and bring them home with me! I will let you know what I find out. But mainly this week, I have been thinking about the poverty I witnessed in Kenya.

I did a little research. According to this site's data on Gross National Income, the USA has the forth highest Gross National Income, per capita in the world. This means if all our wealth was distributed evenly amongst the population, we would all be making $37,610 annually. The good people of Luxemborg lead the world with a GNI, pc of $43, 940, Norway $43,350, Switzerland $39,880 then, the USA at $37,160. (All of these figures are in US dollars.) Of course we know that many employable people make much less than $37,160 and many make much more. In the US, as in most countries of the world, it is believed that 80% of the wealth is held by 20% of the population. With this 80/20 factor, it is easy to see how there can be so many poor people in the wealthiest of nations.

Now look at a country like Kenya. Kenya is one of the most economically, and politically stable countries in East Africa. However, Kenya's Gross National Income, per capita is about $390. Yes, $390.00! Now apply the 80/20 distribution standard found so prevalently all over the world to Kenya. It does not take a math whiz to understand that many if not most people in Kenya are living in poverty. (By the way, for those of you who are tempted to say that things cost much less in Kenya so the dollar goes further, not so! There is not as wide of a price gap as you would think. For example, thirteen years ago a 2 liter of processed milk in Kenya cost what was equal to an American dollar... only about 30% less than it cost in the US at the time. There are some exceptions, but most things are that way.)
For those of you who are more visual, I think these block graphs explain the Population/Wealth ratio for the world.
Block graph of the worlds population


Block graph of the Global Wealth

So what does that mean to me, a housewife in central Texas?

It means that at my birth, I won the world lottery. It means that I have more economically than a far greater percentage of people in this world. It means it is a privilege to get to choose to stay home with my kids for a few years even if it means driving 10 year old cars, not going to Disney World, and not always being able to splurge on things we want. It means the $150.00 I spent in prescription co-pays last week for my families sinus problems is more money than many Kenyans will make in a year of hard labor. I have a responsibility to live up to all I have been blessed with and to reach out to those with less... for there are so many with less. And today, it means I feel grateful and satisfied, not filling my mind and time with the unending pursuit of getting more.

Then there is the spiritual side of all this. Does God love the little girl born to a poor hungry family of 8 Kenya less than he loves me? Has he blessed me economically more for a reason? Do I have more responsibility to that little girl than she has to me? What would God want me to do for her? Many questions. Most of which are very hard to answer...or are maybe the answers are very hard to live with?

Please don't think I am saying that all of us who have more than most of the world are selfish horrible people. Not at all! I think guilt is a gift of the devil, not a gift of God. What I am saying this: My knowledge of the world and my economical ranked place in it should motivate me to live a life of unselfish service and gratitude. I have to be reminded of that often.

I'm very bad about getting caught up with all I want to do, or buy, or give my kids. Not that that is all bad but, it can not be the center and purpose of my life. This week my memories of Kenya and the incredible people I met there have reminded me that this life is not about our "place in the world" per say. This life is about our place in eternity. For me, that eternal perspective must stay in the center of all my thoughts and actions or I start to get caught up in the woes and woos of this world.

Where am I going with all this? I am really not sure. But, my hope is that my God and Savior will continue to use the people and events of my life to steer me towards the center HE wants for my life. My prayer is that I will not get in the way!