Today I was on my lunch break when I learned the news of the controversy surrounding Greg Mortenson and his book Three Cups of Tea.
It crushed me.
In case you haven't heard, there was a 60 Minutes episode, which aired this past Sunday, that raised questions about the facts in his book. It is believed that he embellished many details, exaggerated the number of schools that were built, and has used questionably used money raised towards operating his non-profit, Central Asia Institute. Allegedly more money has been spent domestically in the U.S. talking about raising money for these schools than what has been spent internationally in actually doing the work. From what I've been reading, it sounds like he did build schools in Pakistan and some of them are doing well. But others are closed or being used for storage. I find this whole incident to be completely disheartening, especially knowing how popular Mortenson's book has become. I know it's becoming a popular choice of required reads for many freshman college courses. How disappointing it is that someone who has been an inspiration to so many is perhaps not to be trusted. While I did thoroughly enjoy the book, I did wonder as I was reading what kind of accountability and follow through was being given to the schools that had been built. After all, it is great to build a school but not all that beneficial unless learning is actually happening inside the schools. And I'm sure there is great things happening in some of those places...but perhaps being honest about what maybe isn't working out inside the other schools would be good to know too. This situation reminds me a little of what was happening at Blue House in Kenya: American donors were handing out money to support the school, but the teachers were not even being paid.
It shouldn't be this way--we shouldn't be afraid to donate money to a seemingly reputable organization. We shouldn't be afraid to help people. I want to believe that we can be honest enough to prevent some of these problems. Giving kids an education should not be so difficult, should it? But I suppose that even trustworthiness is not a fix all. There are so many external factors involved that can lead to problems too. I think about the money that was used to send 2 of my Kenyan friends to school. Neither of them have found a steady job even after finishing their education, and honestly I wonder how they are able to survive. I know that they are talented people, but that finding employment in Kenya is difficult. I play this wrestling match in my mind about whether or not it was worth it to send them to school in the first place. Did that money go to good use? Could it have been used in a better way? Am I making wise decisions? But then I think about my college education and the things I've learned...so much valuable knowledge and insight...and yet much of this knowledge doesn't directly relate to making me good at teaching. Yet I know it has molded my thoughts and views and has helped shape the person I am today. Many people have the same argument about art class--that it's irrelevant and unimportant. But where would our creative thinkers be without it? Without an art class, what would happen to the self-confidence of the artistically talented student who struggles academically?
I have to believe that education is important and that it can promote change and understanding. I have to believe that it's okay and good to assist in sending Kenyans to college when they desperately want to go. I have to believe these things, or I will lose hope. But mostly, I have to believe that God is bigger than all these questions and worries, that He will provide, and that we can trust Him.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Reflections on Others' Thoughts
I'm realizing as I'm sitting here typing that it's almost exactly 2 months before we'll be leaving for Kenya. People have started to ask me if I'm getting excited, and yes, I guess that I am a little bit. Mostly I'm trying to enjoy and make the most of the moments that are here in front of me now. There's much that will happen before June and I want to appreciate the present.
I've had the privilege to hear about other people's experiences abroad twice recently. Tonight I went to hear a girl named Ashley speak about her mission trip to Haiti. Haiti is of course completely different from Kenya, but I'm struck by the similarities between Ashley's experience and mine. She read an entry from her journal about how the Haitians must completely rely on God because of their lack of material possesions and about how our money often intereferes with our ability to trust God. I basically wrote the same thing about Kenya in my book, just in different words. It is comforting to hear others drawing the same conclusions that I did and know that someone can fully relate to what I'm talking about.
A few weeks ago I went to a dinner at VU that was supporting a school building project in Tanzania. I was mostly excited about the event because it meant that I'd get to eat some sweet East African food. And of course, I would never turn down an opportunity to have chapati. What I didn't know was that the chapati would turn out to be pretty bad (I didn't think you could mess it up, but mass production by American caterers equals something only reminiscent of my beloved favorite food of Kenya)...but I got to hear a wonderful talk by a VU professor, which was exactly what I needed to hear (more than I needed to eat chapati). This professor grew up in Ethiopia as a missionary kid. He began by saying that people who visit Africa often tend to keep coming back over and over again, which made me laugh to myself. He talked about whether or not volunteering abroad is worthwhile and productive. He discussed the historic view held by anthropologists that culture is rather permanent and not to be altered. But he gave stories of how cultures have adapted and changed and that culture is rather dyanmic and not stagnant. Therefore, his conclusion was that volunteering abroad can be good and fine if it is done in the right way through seeking out the needs of locals and empowering them.
He told a story about a group of people who went to some country in Africa with the intention of building a school or a hospital. when they arrived they asked the locals what the needs were of the community and what they could do to help them. The locals went away for a day to discuss this question amongst themselves. When the locals went back to the Americans, they said...we would like a soccer field for our community. Of course the Americans were very taken aback by this answer (they wanted to build schools and hospitals...not soccer fields). But someone had the wisdom to ask why they needed this field, to which the locals replied that their youth had nothing to do to occupy their time and keep them out of trouble. the soccer field would be a way to bring the entire community together and to help the youth make positive choices. Amazing, right? It's funny how we can think we totally know what's best for someone when we really have no idea. This story reminds me of a similar scenario in Greg Mortenson's, Three Cups of Tea. He wanted to help build schools in Pakistan, but first he had to build a bridge for the community because travel was nearly impossible.
But back to the professor...he emphasized that people should pick a country and stick with it...meaning keep coming back to the same place to pour into the same people and build into those relationships. This is exactly my reason for wanting to go back to Kenya. I think it's also the harder option than just going to various different places for short amounts of time. When you stick around longer you start realizing the depth of the problems plaguing that society and this can be an overwhelming feeling. Yet, understanding a place better is essential to knowing how to more effectively serve people.
Speaking of books, another great book that I just finished is Little Princes by Conor Grennan. I can't recommend this book enough. I read the entire 280 pages in about 3 1/2 days. I love the honesty and humility with which Grennan writes about his experiences in Nepal and about starting a children's home there. Read it...you'll be inspired!
I've had the privilege to hear about other people's experiences abroad twice recently. Tonight I went to hear a girl named Ashley speak about her mission trip to Haiti. Haiti is of course completely different from Kenya, but I'm struck by the similarities between Ashley's experience and mine. She read an entry from her journal about how the Haitians must completely rely on God because of their lack of material possesions and about how our money often intereferes with our ability to trust God. I basically wrote the same thing about Kenya in my book, just in different words. It is comforting to hear others drawing the same conclusions that I did and know that someone can fully relate to what I'm talking about.
A few weeks ago I went to a dinner at VU that was supporting a school building project in Tanzania. I was mostly excited about the event because it meant that I'd get to eat some sweet East African food. And of course, I would never turn down an opportunity to have chapati. What I didn't know was that the chapati would turn out to be pretty bad (I didn't think you could mess it up, but mass production by American caterers equals something only reminiscent of my beloved favorite food of Kenya)...but I got to hear a wonderful talk by a VU professor, which was exactly what I needed to hear (more than I needed to eat chapati). This professor grew up in Ethiopia as a missionary kid. He began by saying that people who visit Africa often tend to keep coming back over and over again, which made me laugh to myself. He talked about whether or not volunteering abroad is worthwhile and productive. He discussed the historic view held by anthropologists that culture is rather permanent and not to be altered. But he gave stories of how cultures have adapted and changed and that culture is rather dyanmic and not stagnant. Therefore, his conclusion was that volunteering abroad can be good and fine if it is done in the right way through seeking out the needs of locals and empowering them.
He told a story about a group of people who went to some country in Africa with the intention of building a school or a hospital. when they arrived they asked the locals what the needs were of the community and what they could do to help them. The locals went away for a day to discuss this question amongst themselves. When the locals went back to the Americans, they said...we would like a soccer field for our community. Of course the Americans were very taken aback by this answer (they wanted to build schools and hospitals...not soccer fields). But someone had the wisdom to ask why they needed this field, to which the locals replied that their youth had nothing to do to occupy their time and keep them out of trouble. the soccer field would be a way to bring the entire community together and to help the youth make positive choices. Amazing, right? It's funny how we can think we totally know what's best for someone when we really have no idea. This story reminds me of a similar scenario in Greg Mortenson's, Three Cups of Tea. He wanted to help build schools in Pakistan, but first he had to build a bridge for the community because travel was nearly impossible.
But back to the professor...he emphasized that people should pick a country and stick with it...meaning keep coming back to the same place to pour into the same people and build into those relationships. This is exactly my reason for wanting to go back to Kenya. I think it's also the harder option than just going to various different places for short amounts of time. When you stick around longer you start realizing the depth of the problems plaguing that society and this can be an overwhelming feeling. Yet, understanding a place better is essential to knowing how to more effectively serve people.
Speaking of books, another great book that I just finished is Little Princes by Conor Grennan. I can't recommend this book enough. I read the entire 280 pages in about 3 1/2 days. I love the honesty and humility with which Grennan writes about his experiences in Nepal and about starting a children's home there. Read it...you'll be inspired!
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