AFRICA HAS SOMETHING

I asked my English friend,

"What about Africa?"

She said. poverty, HIV, it must be hard to live

there

She said we were guilty of stealing wealth

So that people were starving,

And that water and schools were needed.

And I tried to write a poem

Asking God for words to say

About things I know nothing of,

Coming as I do, from my comfortable

land of plenty.

God said;

You got it wrong!

Africa is very rich

They have more than your country has

Of the things that matter

England can learn from Africa

And I wondered

God, what do you mean?

In my minds eye

God grew a string of pearls

And vivid colors

And music

And the sound of a drum.

God said:

Africa beats to a different rhythym

God said:

Can't you hear?

Africa rises to praise Me

In the hearts of my people there

There is joy and dancing

They awake me with their singing

They bless me with their raising

Of hymns in the heat of the dawn

And they are willing to praise me

At the end of the evening.

Therefore I will bless them

With riches lost to the western mind.

And I asked my African friend

"Tell me about Africa"

She said;

warmth, food, good weather, wildlife,

culture, singing dancing,

Music, rhythm,

enjoying love, life relationships

family values

These things are not lost to us

In my mind's eye,

Africa grew bright.

And God seemed to add:

Pearls of great price!

They still have the gospel.

My Son is found on their streets

And in the villages

In the crowds in the churches

I see arms raised to praise me

Hearts that will honour me

A people who have not forgotten to love me

A people who know how to trust me

They are rich with what matters

There is salt in the African earth

Bringing it flavour.

And in time to come,

They will understand

The riches they Have

In ME.