January 29 – Equality
Megan Anna Neff
Read: Psalm 139
It was July
of 2005, and I was traveling down a dusty, bumpy road with three Malawians:
Gibson, Steve and Nixon. I clocked many hours in the car with these guys while
interning at World Relief Malawi. Our conversations often drifted into
interesting dialogue about politics and religion.
I remember
that particular day in July because the bombings of London during their morning
rush hour had just happened, and we were listening to the BBC. With the
announcer’s prompting, we honored a moment of silence for the victims. After
the moment of silence had passed, Gibson pointedly asked me, “In the U.S did
you ever observe a moment of silence for Rwanda?” He was referring to the
Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Almost 800,000 people died, and we in the U.S. heard
little about it.
I had to
respond with a meek “No.” Gibson laughed and proclaimed, “The life of one white
person is worth the lives of a thousand Africans.” I sat stunned and silent. I
wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t deny that I lived in a world that treated
U.S. citizens with far more value than Africans. If we were to hit one of the
many potholes that littered the road and spin out of control, I could
anticipate how the news back home might read: “U.S. citizen dies in car
accident.” The three other lives might be mentioned as naught but a footnote.
As I pondered
the reality of Gibson’s comment, I kept asking myself: “How can I see beyond
the bias of my culture in order to value the equality of all lives?” Since that
conversation with Gibson, I have read reports of far-off tragedy with new eyes,
imaging the people and faces as if that tragedy had happened to my friends,
neighbors and community. It’s a heavy, sobering way to read the news, but it
reminds me of the humanity of all and the value of every life.
Prayer:
Lord and giver of all
life, help us to value each person, created in love by you.
In your mercy, guide
and assist our efforts to promote the dignity and value of all human life.
We ask this through
Christ our Lord.
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