So a strange thing happened to me the other day.
I found myself furiously defending the entire continent of Africa,
and when I say furiously... I mean ferociously, fiercely and full of righteous indignation-ly defending this vastly diverse continent.
___
___
I'm in a super neat class here at NPU which is doing in depth study regarding how language develops a culture and in turn how a culture develops a language.
The participants in the class were asked to devote their time to this project based on their prior knowledge of languages foreign to English.
We have understanders of Biblical Greek, Czech, Norwegian, Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian and then myself, our resident Setswana speaker.
After one class in which I dissected some element of the Setswana language in comparison to others, a student approached me while I was walking to work to ask me a question that fueled my holy rage fire and boiled every ounce of blood in my body.
"So you went to school in Africa... They have universities there?"
He then continued to badger me with questions like,
"North Park allowed you to transfer credits from a university in Africa?
They actually accepted those credits?
They actually accepted those credits?
Did you have professors who completed their degrees?
Like, did they even have a Master's?
Like, did they even have a Master's?
Did they go to schools in Europe or America?
Were they African?
Did your university have only Africans?
Did your university have only Africans?
Did you even have text books?
Were the text books published in Africa or the US?
Did you have computers to do research on?
Were there libraries?
Did you actually learn anything,
Or did you just teach people things?"
Umm.
Intshwarele.
Excuse me.
No words.
I have no words.
But at the same time, I have so many words.
So many choice words.
Alllllll the choice words.
My goodness.
This institutionalized racism needs to end.
This deeply implanted myth preaching that skin color effects your intelligence needs to be destroyed.
These falsehoods regarding Africa as a country rather than a continent need to be corrected.
The stigma placed upon any education system other than the American way needs to be reassessed for its fiction.
Our Western perspectives need to be reevaluated and redacted before rereleased, if they are even worthy of being heard by this world.
I recently heard of an African American student stating in class that s/he will never be as smart as her/his white peers.
How can this be perceived, for even a millisecond, as a truth?
This horrifying lie should no longer be allowed to survive.
Cut it down.
Cut it down, now.
___
As I was defending the continent of Africa I was made fully aware of my unique and difficult position within this argument.
I cannot speak on behalf of the continent of Africa.
Really, nobody can.
Africa is frickin' huge.
We're talkin 54 countries, 9 territories and 2 facto independent states,
1.11 billion people,
1,250 - 2,100 (with some counts of over 3,000) languages spoken,
and at least 3,000 ethnic groups...
I can't even speak for the country of Botswana.
(it's 2 million people/Tswana, Kalanga, Basarwa, Kgalagadi and other ethnic groups/Setswana, Kalanga and Sekgalagadi languages)
Ke bua Setswana... go le gonnye.
I speak Setswana, well, a small bit.
I can shine light regarding my experiences gained within my six months there,
I can ask questions and seek answers,
but that's really it.
___
Where does this leave me?
I'm a young, blonde haired, blue eyed, extremely pale, middle class, semi-educated, woman...
What platform do I have to speak power into the entire continent of Africa?
Who will listen?
Who will condemn?
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8
___
I am a young, blonde haired, blue eyed, extremely pale, middle class, semi-educated woman.
This is fact.
But I am also a truth-seeking, justice-advocating, mercy-loving, Christ follower.
This is identity.
___
Last weekend I went on a retreat with the University Ministries department here at NPU as a member of the Chapel Serving Team.
Our team got together to discuss the year, our dreams for Chapel, encouragements, prayer requests, ya know... Good Jesus stuff, when the question of discernment arose.
How do you know when God is speaking to you?
How do you know when an action is Christ inspired?
How can you be sure that you are acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God?
One of our fantastic team members, Taylor Volk, responded,
"Am I loving God? Am I loving people?
That's what Jesus said the two greatest commandments are."
How simple and true is that?
Am I loving God?
Am I loving people?
___
As I struggle with what my platform is from which I can speak truth against the lies regarding Africa as lesser, skin color as a defining factor influencing intelligence, and racism as an accepted reality,
I must ask myself
"Am I loving God?"
"Am I loving people?"
"Am I acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with my God?"
If the answer is yes,
in that truth I have a platform.
___
I don't have it all figured out.
I actually have nothing figured out.
Like really, nothing.
Thankfully, my God has everything figured out.
In that I find strength,
peace,
grace,
encouragement,
and a constant nudge to act.
"Speak Lord, your servant is listening."
Or did you just teach people things?"
Umm.
Intshwarele.
Excuse me.
No words.
I have no words.
But at the same time, I have so many words.
So many choice words.
Alllllll the choice words.
My goodness.
This institutionalized racism needs to end.
This deeply implanted myth preaching that skin color effects your intelligence needs to be destroyed.
These falsehoods regarding Africa as a country rather than a continent need to be corrected.
The stigma placed upon any education system other than the American way needs to be reassessed for its fiction.
Our Western perspectives need to be reevaluated and redacted before rereleased, if they are even worthy of being heard by this world.
I recently heard of an African American student stating in class that s/he will never be as smart as her/his white peers.
How can this be perceived, for even a millisecond, as a truth?
This horrifying lie should no longer be allowed to survive.
Cut it down.
Cut it down, now.
___
As I was defending the continent of Africa I was made fully aware of my unique and difficult position within this argument.
I cannot speak on behalf of the continent of Africa.
Really, nobody can.
Africa is frickin' huge.
We're talkin 54 countries, 9 territories and 2 facto independent states,
1.11 billion people,
1,250 - 2,100 (with some counts of over 3,000) languages spoken,
and at least 3,000 ethnic groups...
I can't even speak for the country of Botswana.
(it's 2 million people/Tswana, Kalanga, Basarwa, Kgalagadi and other ethnic groups/Setswana, Kalanga and Sekgalagadi languages)
Ke bua Setswana... go le gonnye.
I speak Setswana, well, a small bit.
I can shine light regarding my experiences gained within my six months there,
I can ask questions and seek answers,
but that's really it.
___
Where does this leave me?
I'm a young, blonde haired, blue eyed, extremely pale, middle class, semi-educated, woman...
What platform do I have to speak power into the entire continent of Africa?
Who will listen?
Who will condemn?
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8
___
I am a young, blonde haired, blue eyed, extremely pale, middle class, semi-educated woman.
This is fact.
But I am also a truth-seeking, justice-advocating, mercy-loving, Christ follower.
This is identity.
___
Last weekend I went on a retreat with the University Ministries department here at NPU as a member of the Chapel Serving Team.
Our team got together to discuss the year, our dreams for Chapel, encouragements, prayer requests, ya know... Good Jesus stuff, when the question of discernment arose.
How do you know when God is speaking to you?
How do you know when an action is Christ inspired?
How can you be sure that you are acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God?
One of our fantastic team members, Taylor Volk, responded,
"Am I loving God? Am I loving people?
That's what Jesus said the two greatest commandments are."
How simple and true is that?
Am I loving God?
Am I loving people?
___
As I struggle with what my platform is from which I can speak truth against the lies regarding Africa as lesser, skin color as a defining factor influencing intelligence, and racism as an accepted reality,
I must ask myself
"Am I loving God?"
"Am I loving people?"
"Am I acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with my God?"
If the answer is yes,
in that truth I have a platform.
___
I don't have it all figured out.
I actually have nothing figured out.
Like really, nothing.
Thankfully, my God has everything figured out.
In that I find strength,
peace,
grace,
encouragement,
and a constant nudge to act.
"Speak Lord, your servant is listening."
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