Are You Wealthy?

In the mid-90's I helped resettle Rwandan refugees to the Dayton area. It was one of the most educational and rewarding experiences of my life.

I recall a time when we were working hard to lobby for a particular family to receive the necessary paperwork that would allow them to come. This process took a few years (!) and we anxiously awaited their safe arrival.

My boss at the time saw my uncontained excitement and inquired as to its source. I told her their story and how the day was coming soon when they would *finally* be reunited with their loved ones and begin a new life in a safe place. She paused for a moment and asked, "Well, are they poor?" (The insinuation was that they would come to our country and be a drain on the system.)

I responded that, yes, according to our style of living in a America, they were financially poor. After all, they had been living has refugees, a wife and husband with their six children, in Kenya for several years, during which time they could not work or go to school.

Then I added, however, that back in Rwanda before the war, they had been a well-educated, propserous family. And that I was certain they would come to America and, once assimiliated, contribute fully to our culture, economy, etc. (I found myself wanting to reassure her that they wouldn't be a drain on our system - and that even if they were for a little while - would that be reason enough not to help them? Do we justify helping others come to this country based on what they can DO for us once they're here???)

What I failed to mention at the time, but have since realized, is that money isn't the only measure of someone who is rich or poor. It is true this family was dependent upon others temporarily to meet their needs. However, they were wealthy beyond measure in other ways.

They were rich in:
~their love for each other,
~their incredible stories of survival,
~their emotional determination to not let the tragic losses they had suffered and violence they had witnessed defeat them or determine their future,
~their long heritage of rich Rwandan culture and customs,
~their sense of dignity and respect,
~their measure of gratitude for all the hands who had helped them along the way,
~their love for and trust in a God who continued to provide for them,
~and a myriad of other profound ways that even I wasn't aware of.

So, what is wealth? What does it mean to you to be rich or poor?

Certainly my financial picture has changed with my recent decrease in monetary income. But I know in my heart (and by the smile on my face) that I am much richer today than I was six months ago.

It is time for us to redefine what it means to be wealthy. Somewhere along the way, we've been sold a bill of goods that has screwed up our perspective and priorities. Well, I for one am not buying that any longer! Along with not buying material things - I am choosing not to buy the party line of this country's consumerism and definition of rich vs. poor.

To that end, here's an article by David Korten. I encourage you to check out the folks at Yes! Magazine. They are beacons of light leading the way to a better future for all of us.

Please write and tell me all the ways you find yourself wealthy today.

For peace and prosperity,
Lisa