In fact I have so much food in my fridge that every couple of weeks I throw some out because I didn't use it fast enough. I can't believe that I only get two days off a week for a weekend and 4 weeks of paid holiday a year. That is so unfair, I deserve more!
Wait and Wait is all I do
The wait times in the first world are ridiculous. I made an appointment with the doctor and I was on time but he kept me waiting 30 min to see him, don't they know that I have a lot of better things to do with my time. I went for my Starbucks and had to wait in line for 10 minutes and then go to three different stores to buy an otter box to find out that they are all sold out.
Can you believe that now my new iPad is not protected because they are sold out everywhere? I finally had to order one online and that is going to take five days. When I went to the grocery store to buy some marshmallows for baking and they were out. How does a grocery store run out of marshmallows? I went out for dinner and the server got my order totally mixed up and finally when my food did come out my food was cold so I had to send it back and order a new one.
What would we sound like to the rest of the world
These complaints sound familiar? Daily on social mediums we complain about our "first world problems." These so called problems aren't real problems but just minor inconveniences that are part of life.
We work and get paid on time each month, we are entitled to paid holidays. If we get sick we can go to the doctors (we have doctors). We have police, ambulance and fire trucks that will come if we need their services, there are schools to send our children to, and we have roofs over our heads and food in our bellies and clean drinking water. We have so many clothes that most of our wardrobes are bursting full. Man, life for us is really tough.
I can only imagine what people in the third world would think if they heard us or read our comments. They would think that we are a bunch of spoil brats. We look around and see the lack in other nations and yet we complain about our situation.
The reality for those on the other side of the world
Having been on several mission trips overseas, I have had the opportunity to see and experience what life is like in a third world country. In India, they don't have the privilege of a public health care or social assistance programs. If you get really sick you are likely to die because you cannot afford the doctor bill so you don't go.
In the hostel in Darjeeling where we stayed at, we never knew if there would be water when we turned on the taps. We were blessed to have indoor plumbing but several times there was nothing coming out of the taps because there was no water. Those that didn't have indoor plumbing would have to queue to get water for hours and hope that there was still some left.
The level of poverty in nations like India is inconceivable being poor means to literally have nothing. One day my group and I made the mistake of handing out some things to some poor people, we almost had a riot on our hands as everyone wanted some. We had to eventually jump in a passing taxi and then take refuge in a local church to escape the crowds. They are so desperate for food and handouts that it is hard to know where to begin. It is a daily struggle for life there.
In the Solomon's, I remember at the hut we were staying at, hearing this young boy cry all the time. It was getting a bit annoying for our team until about half way through our trip when we found out the real reason he was crying. This family didn't have enough money to buy food, so the poor boy was hungry. He was crying because he was hungry. No child should have to go without food. Suddenly our frustration towards this little guy changed as we realised that he was hungry and we were able to help the family out.
In Costa Rica, a family had a severely disabled adult daughter who they would have to carry around because she could not walk and they could not afford to buy a wheelchair. She was house bound for many years. One day she was given a chair from a generous western traveller I know and her family's life changed. She could now leave the house and experience life.
These are all real problems. The hardest part is that coming back from these life changing trips I would always say "I am not going to take for granted what I have been given. I'm not going to complain when I have to stand in line to buy my groceries or when I have to wait at the doctors office." After a few weeks of living the comfortable life where I can go to the fridge and pull out an abundance of food or go to my closet and complain that I have nothing to wear I get into my old habit.
Can we Change
This past year I have changed. I have started to evaluate my problems and those around me as – are they a real problem or are they a "first world problem." Running out of marshmallows or not finding an otter box is a first world problem and I need to realise that. Instead of complaining I should thank God for all the blessings I have in my life. In the grand scheme of life it isn't going to matter if I had to wait for something. The truth is that we have no idea what over half of the world goes through on a daily basis.
For most of them, life is a constant struggle of 'where am I going to get food or safe drinking water.' I need to be thinking of ways to help bless those that are in those nations and not focusing so much on me.
We need to realise that God put us in this place of blessing for a reason and that it isn't to be used on just ourselves. So, the next time you are standing in line for your morning coffee, take that time to pray for those around the world who are inline waiting for their daily water, and maybe skip the coffee and give the money away to help them.
Genevieve Wilson is a happily married stay at home, home-schooling mum of 3, whose passion is to see people come to know Jesus. She worked 8 years as a missionary with Youth with a Mission(YWAM). She has a heart for justice and to see the abolition of the modern day slave trade. .
Genevieve Wilson's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/genevieve-wilson.html