Upside Down World

First off i would just like to thank God for allowing me to go to South Africa and return home safely; still healthy, alive, and strong. I don't even know where to begin. South Africa was an amazing experience that i advise everyone to be apart of. It opens your eyes to a lot. Yes, i was able to see healings, pass out things to families, and dance for the people of South Africa, but i also got a lot from them as well. One of the main things I loved about them is their heart of thankfullness and greatfullness and the pride they took in their things. Whatever it is that they had they cherished it. We were able to go into informal settlements (shacks) where one shack was smaller then bathrooms in houses over here in america. One shack was a home for up to four families. It would be a grandmother, her children, and their children living in one shack. But when you went inside you wouldn't be able to tell that there was more than one person living in that house. Their floors and everything else in the house was spotless. Even the dirt outside their houses was swept. They took pride in everything they owned. One house we were able to go to was the home of a grandmother named Ms. Hilda. She lived with her children and grandchildren. The thing that touched my heart about her was when she said, "anytime you get something from someone you should thank God because they don't have to." As we continued to hand out things and pray for people; every person we came across said thank you. It made me think of do i say thank you for everything i get, for waking up in the morning, for a house, clothes, food, transportation. We as american christians weren't taught to say thank you, but give me more. Another encounter I had was with a young male named Ndoda. He was a dancer and it was after the concert we put on. After he got done dancing he said, i have to thank God for every move i make because He's the one that gives me the strength to dance and move; i understand that my talent is a gift from God. Do we as american take the time to thank God for the gifts and talents that He's given us or do we use them to glorify outselves leaving God out of the picture. Yes, they may have less monetary things than we do, but i bet you that they're way happier then we are. Yes, they may lack the resources we have, but i bet you they work harder than we do. Yes, they may not know how to read or write, but i bet you every christian has their Bible with them at all times. No, everyone doesn't have a car/transportation, but i bet you they don't mind walking hours upon hours and miles upon miles to get to church and they get there no less than two hours early. We have monetary things and still aren't happy, we have resources like crazy but still aren't willing to work hard, we have the privelege of being able to read and write but we refuse to carry a Bible around, we have cars/transportation but we still be late. Seems a little UP SIDE DOWN doesn't it? Like I said going to South Africa open you eyes to a lot like: how selfish we are, how spoiled we are, how ungrateful we are, and how much more we need the mercy of God. Get your passport and go NOW!!!