***Closer to the Kingdom***
- Resourcefulness. Everything is fixed or reused for something else. Hardly anything is thrown away. Rwandans recycle rubber tires to resole shoes. Plastic bags are banned. I could probably fit all of my 14 months worth of trash in 4 garbage bags, and that's from my more "western" lifestyle.
- Friendship. Focus on friendship and the healthy/good obligations that come with it. Friendships are not about convenience like they often are in America.
- Focus on the present, not the past or future. They live more "in the moment," so they're more flexible and don't get stressed out easily.
- Community oriented "Umudugudu" (translates to "Village"). Not only is it fun to say, but it's extremely effective. Each umudugudu is made of about 50 families. It's the smallest unit of societal/governmental structure. They meet every month or so, usually under a tree, and talk about the issues and needs in their community and help each other out. Every few years they vote for new leaders by going to a field and standing behind their candidate of choice. This ties in nicely to Wendell Berry's idea of "community" as opposed to the widening separation of "public" and "private" life in America (see his essay titled, "Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community").
- Responsibility. Students say that they have a responsibility to help disabled classmates. That is, they feel an obligation to step up and help, where without their help the disabled person would not be able to attend school. The responsibility was NOT the school's. The only thing the school does is to ensure that a student is available to help: like retrieving water for a girl who's missing a foot and on crutches. There's good and bad to this system, but I admire the hard work and community responsibility rather compared to a complicated school/budget/taxes/bureaucratic program.
- Reconciliation oriented: Gacaca courts (village courts where they dealt with genocide crimes that occurred locally and with the intention to restore peace and cooperation). Openness to state wrongdoings or disagreements with others in meetings.
- Generous: It wasn't uncommon for a cyclist to offer me a free 6km bike ride home on the back of his bike, and truckers always refused money when I hitchhiked. As I made friends with one particular shop owner, he would always be so glad to see me that he would give me free candy or bottled water.
- Energy. Rwanda's focusing on sustainable and renewable energy (geothermal, methane and hydroelectric projects).
- Healthier, more natural diet without a lot of (bad) fat, sugar, and salt. As long as they stay clear of the sugar cane, African's teeth are usually spectacular. Same can be said for their eyes. Maybe cuz they don't have TV or light in the nights; the need for glasses is smaller.
***Possible Improvements***
- Organization and communication. Do I need to elaborate? Poor organization leads to poor efficiency and lots of delays (lots). Poor communication leads to mistakes and wasted time, energy, and money.
- Stereotypes. Their stereotypes of Americans/whites. The word "Umuzungu" translates as "white man" and "rich man." They believe America and Americans hold the key to their success and America is an easy life, with money growing on trees.
- Saving money. When people were surprised that I could travel so much yet I owned the cheapest cell phone I told them it's because I would rather save my money and use it for traveling. Many people are used to just getting by, so when they get a surplus of cash, it's easy for them to just spend it on the cell phone with a camera, music player and internet. Of course, the added status symbol is an extra incentive.
- Status Lifestyles. Alcohol and food is also a status symbol. Stereotypically, poor men drink water while rich men drink alcohol and are fat. To be rich and important tends to imply a riskier lifestyle.
- Waste disposal: no garbage, littering, especially as more packaged products are being introduced. Human waste is all underground, not good for water table and not used for things like biomass to electricity. Also, many Rwandans don't compost their leftovers. We had a compost pile, but we never used it for fertilizer.
- Amusement and Water Parks. Hello? Anyone heard of splash lagoon or a lazy river? Yeah, I could've used some of that for hot boring days.
- Think! Critical and independent thinking is not always encouraged. Rote memorization and obedience to hierarchy is the norm. Historically, this limits productivity and business entrepreneurship and increases the chance of poor governance and blind acceptance (groundwork for the genocide).
- Globalization. According to the book "Ishmael," Rwanda is a Leaver society becoming more and more like the Takers. The director of Environment and Water repeatedly told me over a drink that, "this world is ours!!" Every bit of land is farmed, threatening population, diversity of crops, and deforestation. As the number of tea and coffee farmers increases, they are transitioning from subsistent local crops to a fluctuating global market economy, which also lowers the value of their crops and increases foreign dependence.
- Libraries. Few (or no?) public libraries outside of Kigali. Why not open the school libraries to communities?
I don't think the lists are complete and I don't claim that they're completely accurate or even biblical, but that's why I'm posting them here - to wrestle with these ideas and to hear your opinions too! Now that I'm back in America I am reminding myself that the experience is only half over...
3 comments:
Kristoffer Sarinas Javier: Interesting. Welcome back to America, Kyle! One thing I'd like to point out is that (and you may be an exception, I dunno) we bring our own cultural measuring stick when we say this and that needs improvement in this society. That being said, maybe the Rwandan culture is "closer to the kingdom" because they are lacking some of these "improvements" that you mentioned. It could just be that these exclusive, poorer, and simpler conditions have led to a kind of society where people have a kingdom-like attitude.
March 21 at 10:48pm · Like
Kyle Gaiser Hey Kris, thanks for the comment. I think you're right that we all bring different measuring sticks, from culture, and even religion, background, etc. I think that's what makes the discussion of "What does the Kingdom 'on earth as it is in Heaven' look like?" so colorful. Spending a length of time in Rwanda has given me a small but better idea of both cultural perspectives.
March 23 at 10:59am · Like
Kyle Gaiser Oops, meant to start a new paragraph. Anyhow, i agree that their simpler lifestyle has brought out many good things that Americans have lost or never had. At the same time, I don't think Rwandans have it down perfect - there's always improvements.
With that said, I really want to know in what ways can I live out my life in our society so that we're closer to how God intended. Do you have any specific ideas or comments from my lists, of you think is or isn't a kingdom-like attitude that we should or shouldn't adopt? Thanks again dude!
March 23 at 11:04am · Like
Kristoffer Sarinas Javier Well, let's always remember that when we say "Kingdom of God" we mean Kingdom of God. And the kingdom is not so much realized by societal improvements but by godly redemption. I have a book by Augustine called City of God, and in it he describes two cities- the city of man and the city of God. He also tells Rome that God had, in a way, blessed them, because they had been a virtuous people. But we know that this book was written during the fall of the Roman Empire. How long does God bless a 'virtuous' kingdom? If contingency exists in the sovereign will of God, then that blessing is most definitely a temporary one, and, in my opinion, until the chance is given to respond to a better, eternal, heavenly kingdom. So how can we live out our lives in society to bring closer the kingdom of God? In short, put God first, and then put others second.
March 23 at 2:53pm · Like
Kristoffer Sarinas Javier I like #'s 6 and 7 of the first list.
Here's what comes to mind when I think kingdom:
Ps 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
Mt 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Mt 5:3-9 Blessed are the... poor in spirit...those who mourn... meek... hunger and thirst for righteousness... merciful... pure in heart... peace-makers
I think the idea is, when I think of the kingdom of God on earth, is that there MUST BE NEEDS, and WE MUST MEET those needs, and that is how the kingdom comes down from heaven to earth.
March 23 at 2:55pm · Like
Kyle Gaiser Awesome. I'm liking these ideas. So, I define a "society" as a group of people living together and interacting with each other, God, and their surroundings. I define the "Kingdom of God" as a society that is living out life under God's rule and as God originally intended - without flaw, in the garden, the new Jerusalem.
God gave the Israelites the Ten "Commandments," the Golden "Rule" (love God and others - Deut and Jesus), and many others laws - all being instructions of sorts of the way that the Israelites, a society, was/is supposed to function under God. I can think of three roles for these commands:
a. To protect the people.
b. As a virtue. To love others and God is a virtue, a gift of the spirit that comes as we draw closer to God (Galations 5) and something we do because we love God and love his statutes (David in the Psalms).
c. For a society to be an example to others (the Israelites were chosen so they could be an example and a light to the gentiles).
However, I would say that the role of the commandments is NOT salvation. To love God and to love others is not for our salvation or others, but it is an instruction for how a Kingdom society functions (I think that's along the same lines as what you said). In fact, it is by the commandments, by the law, that I am condemned (Romans); it is by grace that I am saved, through Christ.
Therefore, I would say that the Kingdom of God, as defined above, is not ultimately about salvation but has much more to do with the interactions of a society. Not to downplay salvation, but not to overlook what is beyond salvation either. There will be a day (check my theology here) when there is no more need for salvation, but there will still be a society, a Kingdom of God, in heaven (or on a new earth, but I'm not sure - that's a different topic). Furthermore, you said for a society to live closer to the Kingdom meant "to put God first, and then put others second" - in other words, to follow His commandments. True, but following commandments does not bring godly redemption, so how can the Kingdom of God be about salvation? Redemption is critical, but isn't it a prerequisite to receiving the Kingdom, and not the Kingdom itself?
True, no society in history (Romans) or at present or in the future (before Christ comes) will achieve perfection or have eternal blessing. But if we are to be a holy people (not just as a nation, but as a community or a local church or a Bible study, or the Catholic (global) church), set apart as a light to the nations, then we should be living together as God intends, as an example. The question remains, "What does this look like?" "How can we live closer to what God intends?"
That answer is definitely found in the commandments throughout the Bible, including "Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbors as yourself." But what does that means specifically? I'm pretty certain that love is expressed differently in Rwandan culture than it is in America, than it was at the time of Deuteronomy's writing. If I call you a fat and old papa, you probably wouldn't think me too loving, but some Rwandans would. I said before that a society also deals with how it interacts with its surroundings. If someone makes a golden idol, makes wealth his love, or has no care for the creation we are called to guard, I believe that shows disrespect and disregard for the Lord. And while golden calves may have been an issue before, green dollar bills and integrity in business are more pressing issues today. While Americans may tend to treat friends as assets, status, and conveniences, Rwandans may tend to have poorer budgeting skills. It is all linked to how a society honors God and His creation.
Sorry for the ramble, I'm just trying to express myself clearly, and trying to learn at the same time! So thanks for reading and thanks for your ideas too. I appreciate it!
March 23 at 5:04pm · Like
KJ:
I agree wholeheartedly with what you said. We actually talked about this one night at house church. What does the kingdom of God look like? I agree that it goes beyond redemption, but that redemption is a prerequisite, and that love, for God and neighbor is its currency.
However, I believe that love is universal! It touches all of the points on the first list, and more. It has less to do about manners and colloquialisms and more to do about sacrifice, protection, bearing all things, trusting all things, forgiveness, kindness, keeping no record of wrongs- everything 1 Cor 13 speaks about.
"1Jn 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
Our need for salvation was there, but Jesus was not obligated to give Himself for us. God did not have an obligation to save us to prove Himself worth of praise (the rocks and the trees know), and yet He did. In the same way I think the kingdom of God is not obligated to love, but that love pours out from us.
Acts 4 shows a picture of the church the way we should be:
Ac 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
Ac 4:34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
Ac 4:35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Jesus prayed about us:
Jn 17:20 ...I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
Jn 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
March 23 at 5:43pm · Like
Kyle Gaiser I like your phrasing, redemption is a prerequisite, and love for God and others is the currency. Good way to sum it up. Glad to hear the house church is still going strong too! Haha, you guys rock.
I wish we (everyone) could do a better job regarding the acts verses. Great verses, but difficult to live out thoroughly.
Hope all is well on your end. Maybe we'll cross paths sometime?
March 23 at 11:06pm · Like · 1 person
Kristoffer Sarinas Javier Most likely. If not here, then in the Kingdom :)
March 23 at 11:39pm
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