Material World

I remember seeing a photography exhibit called “Material World” by Peter Menzel that showed families from several different countries with all of their possessions in their front yard. It was meant to be a snapshot of the different living standards throughout the world. The families were selected because they represented an average family from their nation. I remember being shocked by how in most of the pictures the families had so little belongings. I remember thinking “I wouldn’t want to volunteer for that, what a pain to take all your stuff and put it in your front yard!” Obviously, for most people, this was not the primary hurdle (imagine explaining to your neighbors what you were doing).
Here are a few of those pictures:

Mali------------------------Samoa

Thailand ---------------------------------- The U.S.

A few days ago Bud and I helped a Brazilian couple move. They were a young couple with one baby. The family is going to be our new neighbors and they go to our church, so naturally, they asked us to help them move. I was shocked by how little they had. Everything could have easily fit in a pickup truck bed. Everything! Furniture, appliances, beds, clothes.

Today, I overheard Ella explaining to Ava what it was to be poor. Naturally the conversation turned to what it means to be rich. Ava asked, “Are we rich, Dad?”. What a difficult question to answer. In the past year we have given up good incomes and a comfortable home. I have to admit, there are times when I feel poor, and that I have limited my options for the future. And yet I look around everyday and see people living with so much less. I’m still not sure how to answer Ava’s question, I guess for now I’ll just have to tell her “It doesn’t really matter”.

-JTP