Carey’s first impressions of life in the third world

I always ‘knew’ my first trip to Africa would be confronting. We’ve all seen the footage on TV from various World Vision campaigns etc, so I think perhaps in some ways it’s easy to think you are prepared, that you know what to expect. I think that’s how I approached this trip! However I was wrong, Africa has been anything BUT what I had expected. There has been, well, a lot of surprises!

For me, so far anyway, the poverty I have witnessed hasn’t perhaps been as “shocking” or in-your-face as I thought it may have been. Maybe it’s just too much to take in at first. But it’s with time to sit back and reflect that I have found I’ve really been able to process what I am seeing and experiencing – and it’s hard to not feel, well, a bit depressed! The plight of so many Africans that we are seeing every day, walking the streets, seems so hopeless! Certainly one of the things that has surprised me most so far is how many people are walking on the side of the road - every road! I think the first question I asked dad after touch-down in Malawi (much to his amusement!) was: “where on earth are all these people going!??” Although he didn’t have a worded response for me, a wry smile was enough to convey the answer. With employment in Malawi near something ridiculous like 80% it seems that sadly people have little better to do than roam the streets. Children as young as 3 or 4 are out, unsupervised, sometimes completely alone, walking on the road!

The vast problems that face Africa (and indeed the entire third-world) are certainly something that I have found very troubling over the past week. And the more I find out about it, the more complex, confusing, and daunting the whole thing becomes! It’s hard to not get discouraged. However, as I have continued learning about Africa and its people, over this very short time, it’s hard to not see the hope that is present here amongst the hopelessness. As dad happily tells our African friends at every opportunity he gets, this continent is undoubtedly the heart of the Christian faith at the present time. God is so incorporated into every aspect of life here, it’s quite astounding! And the way they worship, sing, dance, and their passion for the saving message of Jesus is unlike anything I have seen in Australia! It’s so encouraging to see people who have so little, give so much for what they believe.

I’m certainly not pretending to have drawn any real conclusions about what my response to the “Africa Experience” is yet. I feel like I am only just scratching the surface of gaining any real understanding of poverty and its implications for us in the West. I suppose it feels a bit like a tug-of-war. One moment you may feel horrible, lost in empathy for people here who have, literally, nothing. The next you may feel humbly encouraged upon seeing such genuine happiness in a person’s eyes, after you take the time to stop and talk to them. Can we really make much of a difference by coming over here for a few short weeks? I don’t know. All I am really sure of is that we certainly can’t make an impact if we don’t come at all!




Also, below are some photos from our time at the beautiful Mount Mulanje today