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A while back, I started reading a book called The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. It is about a 14 year old boy (William) from Malawi (a small country in the southern part of Africa) who builds a windmill out of scrap parts to generate electricity for his family. He taught himself how to do this from a book he got at their library.
I knew I was going to have some time to read yesterday, so I went to my bookshelf. Most of these books I've started to read, but never finished. I decided to finish The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
The first half of the book explains what life in Malawi was like for William. Most of this portion of the story centers around a famine that occurred in Malawi in 2001/2002. Needless to say, reading about a famine right now was humbling.
People in Malawi were so hungry they resorted to eating corn stalks, pumpkin leaves, banana peels, corn cobs, and even seeds covered in insecticides (why plant for tomorrow if you can't eat today?).
Reading all of that made me thankful for my potato soup, rice and beans, and homemade bread.
If you haven't already, you should read The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns- such a good perspective on what it means to live as Christians in a world in which we have so many privileges and a responsibility- a calling- to do something with them. Let me know if you want to borrow it- I (Anne) am almost finished with it.
ReplyDelete@Anne - I'd love to borrow it when you're done. Thanks for the recommendation. :)
ReplyDeleteCasi's reading that book right now (or actually just finished) and said it was very good. Definitely inspired a couple thought provoking conversations for us.
ReplyDeleteYes- I would highly recommend the book also!
ReplyDeleteI got to experience a little of what Andy and Janell are going through, in spending a few days with them, and it is both humbling and inspiring to see their very serious commitment to this endeavor. It is not easy, but they are sticking with it. Sure makes you think about the plight of so many less fortunate than ourselves. Janell is doing a great job of doing the most with what she has to work with (not much!) and really, the food is great...especially when you're hungry!
ReplyDeletevery very humbling.
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