Harvest in Africa

Part one of the church's harvest festival is done and the theme this year is Africa. A rather difficult choice I feel as having been to north Africa myself I know it is not the most reliable of places to have a harvest.

Still our church took up the challenge mainly because two of our members have been to various places out there over the summer holidays. One climbed mount Kilimanjaro, the other did some charity work in a village of the Masai tribe then went on to trek and safari for the final week. Two very different holidays, both with similar discoveries. That was that despite lack of technology, material wealth, running water or even guaranteed harvest, these people enjoyed live and sharing it with others. No language barrier was a problem, drawing and miming covered any difficulties.

What little they had they shared, what they were given in return was received with such gratitude, it was unbelievable, even the small things like a toothbrush or a comb. This two events aren't unusual in Africa either, as I was in Tunisia a few years back, before the recent upsets. Out there life is a little easier in the towns as it has a fair footfall of tourists, or so you would think. The average wage out there is £150 per month. Yet a carton of cigarettes is £10 and most people smoke out there.  The cost of water and cola to us is dirt cheap at what was approximately 50p a large bottle, but to them it is high expense. There is free education right the way to and including university level available to them out there, but few families can afford to have a child not earning after 12 or 14 years old. Yet most people are fluent in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, German even Russian. In fact the only language they seem to be stumped by is Polish, so if you ever want to avoid a conversation in a market place learn one phrase in Polish and you are safe, it worked for me. The recommended tip out there is 50p and trust me you go through a lot of 50ps out there, it is how they top up their wage.

That said the level of customer service is so high out there my 3 star hotel was equal level to most 5 star ones over here. I am notorious for creating a whirlwind in a hotel room, as I dash here there and everywhere. By day three even I was feeling bad for the kind of mess my house maid used to clear up after. But I could never catch her to tip her highly for her work, after speaking to the receptionist there, who also bent over backwards for his guests and to whom I left a £5 equivalent with, I found out that toiletries out there were very pricey and named brands were an impossible price. Bear in mind this is a country where a bottle of supermarket whiskey will trade you a made to measure leather jacket. So having cleared it with the hotel staff I left my poor maid not only a cash tip but all my bottles of shampoo, conditioner, hair mousse etc, well they would only leak on the way home anyway. I mean these were full size containers not the travel size, and most only had a 1/3 gone, so there was easily a months worth, and some of them were good names like Paul Michelle, VO5 and so on, to me they are what I call every day brands, to them they are a massive gift. Apparently what I gifted to her was in total worth more than two months wage, to me it was just saving space in my suitcase.

I am not saying all this to make me look good, in fact its the opposite, I am trying to give those of you who travel to that continent an idea, as to how you can help. Those little items at the end of a holiday that you don't really need to take home, like shampoo and tooth paste are a god send to these people. Over here we take deodorant and shower gel for granted, to them its an expensive luxury. So as most of us travellers do instead of just ditching things we don't need to take home, see if there is anyone who would benefit from them, rather than leaving them for landfill. Even silly things like pens and pencils have become prize possessions as other people apart from me have found out.

Anyway back to tonight activities, we have also launched our shoe box campaign for Christmas, which usually get sent to children in orphanages in parts of Europe, well this year we are dividing it up between them and children in the charity projects in Africa, so that we can share the little luxuries in our life to give some basics to those who really need it. I have stated through out my blog that finances are more than tight whilst I am waiting for tests, but if I have to sacrifice one present this Christmas, so I can give a child some basic requirements I defiantly will. I won't say what I saw this evening opened my eyes, because I have seen it in the flesh, but it reminded me of what I had forgotten.

We may not be able to guarantee a harvest in Africa, but if every one gave them a small parcel or shoe box, we can sure ease they need and in return remind ourselves what we really have.