A long time ago I learned the hard way not to take three tired hungry kids to the grocery store at 4pm. I stick to my guns. At times I even pay a babysitter to be with the kids so I can avoid the situation.
Yesterday I was in a bind. Almost bare cupboards. Almost bare fridge. No meat. 4pm. Three kids. No supper plan. In the words of Julia Child, "Boo-Hoo".
But I stuck to those guns and I determined to make something that resembled supper.
I got creative.
I found a cup of couscous, some herbs from the garden, a cucumber from Joyce, 8 ripe cherry tomatoes hanging on the vine, a can of black beans and a squeeze of lemon. Can I say "yum"?
I then discovered a rather over grown zucchinni in the garden and proceeded to shred it, add a little flour, cheese and eggs. Fried it up and topped it with some yogurt. Again, yum!
I felt a little empowered. I felt entrepreneurial. I could make something rather delicious out of what I thought was a very little.
My pride crumbled though when in a flash I remembered a talk that Andrew Rugasira gave at the Summit Leadership conference a couple of weeks ago. He was talking about the situation in Africa and advocating for Trade-not-Aid. He mentioned the fact that whole families in Uganda live on $1 a day.
$1 a day.
He challenged us to change our thinking on that $1 a day. Half-full thinking rather than half-empty. Think about, $1 a day - think about how creative these women are with that $1 a day. Think about how entrepeneurial they are. Think about it.
Think about what Africa has to offer us as far as trade goes and not just about how we can give them aid. To read more about his vision for trade-not-aid click on his name above.
Here I was thinking my cupboards were bare. For a moment or two I actually pitied myself. But I have cans of beans. Veggies in the garden. Even yogurt. Plus I have the ability (if I desired) to get in the mini-van and go to the grocery store to buy whatever my heart desires.
I made a yummy meal. I am creative. But I'm no etrepreneur. Those women with $1 a day, they are the ones we should admire. Admire and support.
What would it take to get "Good African Coffee" in our grocery stores?
What would it look like if our churches, schools and businesses only served/sold fairly traded coffee?
What can I do?
3 comments:
Right on, Robin. I was throwing myself a similar pity party over Friday fatigue and not caving in and ordering pizza. Consider Africa!
Indeed...when times are bad and I'm throwing myself a pity party...will think of Africa!
I think that's why frittatas are so popular in all of the American cookbooks! And I confess we do have cereal for supper on those odd nights.
Our church has a fair trade coffee/chocolate sale the first Sunday of the month. If we all keep voting with our dollars it really does make a difference. Seeing more organic and fair trade on the local supermarket shelves is encouraging.
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