There are two sides to every coin

I've been told that I am both an encourager and an enabler while here in Burundi. To be honest, this is true. Sometimes what I actually think is encouraging is keeping someone dependent.

I have been ruminating over these thoughts in relation to aid in Africa, especially while reading Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux. In it he states, "It is for someone else, not me, to evaluate the success or failure of charitable efforts in Africa. Offhand, I would say the whole push has been misguided, because it has gone on too long with negligible results. If anyone had asked me to explain, my reasoning would have been: Where are the Africans in all this? In my view, aid is a failure if in forty years of charity the only people still dishing out the food and dolling out the money are foreigners. No Africans are involved-there is not even a concept of African volunteerism or labor-intensive projects. If all you have done is spend money and have not inspired anyone, you can teach the sharpest lesson by turning your back and going home."

An inflammatory statement, for sure, but worth looking at for a grain of truth. I'm still observing and learning. And as usual, I love Africa and want to see it thrive.