WHO BROKE AFRICA? By Micah Bournes
National spoken word and rap artist
The Justice Conference 2012
Let me ask you something:
Who broke Africa? And how do we fix her? Political unrest, rebel militias, stomachs swollen with emptiness. Water polluted with disease, HIV, gender violence, the whole world is crying and we all wanna know, Who broke Africa? And why is it that this one particular continent is taking so long to update, urbanize, enforce human rights and figure out the right way to be human? If only she could be like us, you know— Free. Educated. Healthy. Prosperous. Consumeristic. Pornographic. Gluttonous and never gratified yet we look with eyes of pity upon her for being, “less fortunate.” But what if she’s only less rich? Might African youth have greater joy with a beat-up soccer ball than we do with Flat screens, laptops, new shoes, and a hundred shirts we never wear hanging in a closet full of things we thought would make us happy?
But we remain insecure, alone, depressed. Now, look, I’m not saying we’re no better off than Africa, but maybe it’s presumptuous to assume we are.
Life is hard in Africa, a struggle, but could the conflict be a sign of hope, proving that she is full of those who refuse to let injustice reign uncontested? Africa is no damsel in distress, and we are not her savior. Africa is a Mother in labor, ripe with pain and life, by the grace of God may we stand by her side as a midwife and friend, Offering aid and encouragement but knowing that we must empower her to Push by her own strength Walk by her own faith!
And as we work with our sister in humble love, maybe we will discover how to fix what is broken in us, for brokenness belongs to us all, but hope, only to those who come together before God.
A performance of this piece can be viewed at http:// www.youtube.com/ watch? v=pP2RNfb3kDw