I’ve run into a curious situation. You saw my post about the small village in Alaska that preferred not to have any blog discussion about them. Some of what I learned before going was troubling and cause for specific prayer. Some of what I experienced while there was amazing and cause for celebration.
As I prepare to go to Uganda, I specifically inquired about whether or not the darker parts of the issues in the villages (child sacrifice) could be discussed online and the response I received was a resounding “yes!” I was told the people there know what their problems are and they want them to stop. Raising awareness is one way to bring an end to these problems.
What is it that makes one village want their needs to remain private and another village willing to make their needs public? I wonder if there is any relationship between the public/private discussion and my own ponderings about journaling and the fear behind the public nature of writing in a blog.
Culture must certainly play a role in these differences as well as a variety of other circumstances. For example, many Alaskan villages are not on a road system, which may result in a culture preferring privacy. Many Ugandan villages are on a crude road system which may result in a more public culture. Whatever the reason, the two mission experiences will differ in the issues within the villages and the desired degree of anonymity.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
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