I thought a lot about Bono today. Being in Africa how could you not? Bono is Africa. I'm obviously kidding/making fun of Bono and all the people that act like he's the next Mother Theresa. Have you noticed that in the past few years the number of people that say the phrase "I just, like, really, like, have a heart for the poor in, like, Africa," has drastically risen? I don't know if its Bono doing this all himself, or if American Idol and GAP should get the credit, but I really don't understand the sole focus on relief as opposed to real change. From the inside out change.
To me that's the biggest difference between Compassion and all these other causes. Don't get me wrong, I am all for helping the poor and needy in ANY way shape or form. There is a lot of mess out there and we need to do all we can to help.
Today, our first full day in Kenya, we visited a Compassion project in an area loaded with HIV/AIDS. While there the high school students performed mini-dramas for us. Apparently it is the kind of thing they do in the area to educate the locals on the the prevention of HIV/AIDS. This is the same education these kids received when they entered the program as smaller children. It was really neat to see these "kids" being the teachers for the area. Crazy, Bono didn't even have to go.
I love so much that this is a conscience approach within the Compassion organization. They desire to change every country from the inside out, not just send relief, although they do that in a mighty way. We heard the Kenyan country director speak today on the need for honest leadership in the government, and he believes that one day a Compassion student will will get there. After meeting some students from their Leadership Development Program, so do I.
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