The Website of Miah and Michelle Collins

I’ve been back in Africa for 2 and a half years now and it seems appropriate (mostly for my own good) to formulate and put into writing what I currently believe about this continent, it’s future, and what role a person like myself could and should play here.

I’m certainly no expert on Africa and I fully recognize that it is quite presumptuous for me to claim to diagnose Africa or to “know” what the solution is. And yet, as someone working here with the desire to make a difference, I have to make judgments somewhere along the line. And I don’t believe that any of my thoughts are unique. They have developed over long conversations with young Africans over newspapers and “Ricoffee,” through books about Africa and economic development, and of course through my relationship with Christ and knowledge of God’s kingdom agenda. So, with those disclaimers out of the way… here it goes.

1. Education
If there was one thing that I believe more time and energy needs to be put into in Africa, it is education. I have seen firsthand how lack of education limits lives of young people. Without a high school diploma, a young South African is severely limited. And there are schools in this country where, last year, not one senior in high school passed their final examination. All around I see victims of a failed education system.  There is a young guy in my running club who is smart and articulate and speaks great English. He is hard working; in fact he works 7 days a week for a small salary. I asked if we could help him to find a better job, the problem is he does not have a high school diploma and so he won’t get hired to do anything other than garden work. In fact, statistics would say that he should be very happy that he has a job as most people with his level of education do not.
Without options in life, young people in South Africa tend toward destructive behavior. Young girls become pregnant in order to get a monthly government grant, and then they effectively give the child over to the grandparents and use the money for themselves. Young men turn to gangs and crime. Statistics show that around the world the more educated a person is, the less children they have. I’m not saying having children is bad. What I’m saying is that as education decreases, children increase, so that the poorest people in our world today are having far more children than they can afford to raise. That means that those children will have less opportunity than their parents had.
Education has an impact a vast number of other issues such as health, the environment, peace and stability. I am very thankful for organizations like Vision and Compassion who promote education. Providing for someone’s education gives them a greater chance of being a positive force in the world, and from my experience, does not lead them to continue to be dependent throughout their lives.

2. Self worth
In South Africa, it is not really taboo to talk about race. It is a regular topic of conversation here, and people deal with it in different ways. I think that Africa and Africans believe that they are capable of less than other continents, that they will always be inferior. I don’t think they are aware that they believe that. They can say things like “It’s good enough for Africa” and go on from there. This inferiority complex leads them to accept mediocre or even oppressive leadership as part of life. It’s like a woman who remains in an abusive relationship because she doesn’t really believe that she deserves better.
There is, however, push back against this. It can take on bad forms (nationalism, African superiority). Sometimes this is done innocently like a church in Zimbabwe longing for the day when they will be coming to the aid of the West (i.e. the hope that positions will be reversed rather than everybody being able to share in God’s provisions on earth).
However, I have come to see one of the roles of Christian youth workers in Africa to instill self-worth and self-belief in young people. A youth pastor that I talked to recently said this: “We took some students from a school we are working with on a camp. And we spent the weekend talking about ‘destiny’. That’s a great charismatic word that my Baptist roots would be ashamed of. But we want to teach these students that God has a real plan for their lives, and that they learn what that is and achieve it.” I got to meet some of those students and they shared with me their ‘destiny.’ Most of it was about helping other people, opening a children’s home, becoming a teacher, spreading the love of God through their actions.
This is the reason why I have been a big supporter of the World Cup. Sure, maybe some of the money used to build the stadiums could have built people shelter or to dig water holes or to feed people in drought stricken areas. But the World Cup sends another message to young Africans. That message is that Africa can offer something to the world. Africa can host one of the world’s biggest events and do a great job at it. And if we can do it for the World Cup, why not in other areas as well? If the World Cup can be excellent, why not our schools, our hospitals, our churches, our banks, our businesses?
Working with J-Life I have seen how (through the training i.e. education) young people are released with self-confidence to start new initiatives and face the future with optimism and confidence.

3. Leadership
I really believe that raising up a new generation of leadership in Africa is the key to securing a better future here. I am thankful to work in an organization that is not about what I can do (as an American with American resources) but it’s about what Africans can do. And we always try to make sure the guys we work with understand that. Of the young people we have trained at J-Life over the past 3 years, many of them are now practicing or studying to be psychologists, teachers, pastors, political scientists, physiotherapists, IT technicians, social workers, doctors, and businessmen. They know that it is up to them to take responsibility their countries and their people. They know that God wants there to be great schools in Africa, great churches, great social services, and great business.
Although the West has caused some of the problems in Africa (the legacy of colonialism, slavery, and exploitation does remain) the accountability for Africa’s failure to progress since independence must rest with its own leaders, and I say that with upmost humility. Africa needs better leaders, people who will stand up and show the masses what it means to be a good African. Perhaps a good question to ask in regard to Africa is “Will the next generation of leaders do things differently?”

4. Trade
I am so thankful that the West gave Africa the chance to host the World Cup. I am so thankful that the skeptics are now quiet. I’m thankful that the majority of soccer fans put up with our vuvuzelas and embraced Africa’s World Cup.
My last point is that Africa needs a chance, an opportunity to be part of the world market. This is absolutely necessary for Africa to thrive without international assistance. What I am about to share is a touchy issue so I want to go into a bit of background.
During the colonial era the Western powers made the most of Africa’s rich natural resources. They would take the resources to their home countries where they were manufactured into products (much of which was sold back to Africans). When colonial powers left Africa, they left it with very little infrastructure which means that to this day Africa is reliant on the export of natural products for economic survival. The problem is that many of these products are “protected” in the West against an influx of African products. For example, to protect cattle farmers in Europe, some countries offer subsidies worth $2 per head of cattle per day. An African farmer cannot compete and therefore has no market outside of his own country for his cattle.
This is one simple example but it means that many African countries cannot gain entrance to the world economy. The West often criticizes Africa for trade restrictions while they themselves impose huge restrictions and create great subsidies which keep Africa out.
If you want to campaign for anything on Africa’s behalf, campaign for the abolishment of these trade restrictions so that Africa can have a chance to be part of the world economy.
So you might be asking: “You’re supposed to be a missionary, so where does God fit into all this?” Well then, I’m glad you asked.

1. Education
The Bible teaches us that what you know is important. Knowledge of God is important - “my people perish for a lack of knowledge.”
Education is not just knowledge but the good application of knowledge: What the Bible would call wisdom. which God’s word has a lot to speak about. I have seen how people’s knowledge of God leads them to seek knowledge and truth in other areas as well. Young people who have come to J-Life start to read books and become more involved in current events.  In fact, where this is not happening we should be concerned as Christians. If there is not a hunger for knowledge our Christian education may be incomplete.

2. Self Worth
The Christian tradition informs my belief that Africans are equal all others. The philosophy that all humans are made in God’s image stands against the philosophy of “survival of the fittest”. The Gospel (as opposed to “karma”) tells us that our need for grace put’s every human being on an equal footing before God.

3. Leadership
At J-Life we believe that if we can transfer the character and priorities of Jesus (discipleship) to the young people who come to us for training we will succeed in helping them to become the better leaders that Africa so desperately need. Jesus is our hero, but he’s also our example. The Bible clearly teaches us to live like Jesus. The life of Christ holds the keys to what it means to be a great leader, and a great African.

4. Trade
This issue is very much linked to the second point. If we claim to believe that before God African’s are equal to any other people, that would naturally lead us to desire to offer them the same opportunities that we have. The least we can do is to allow African’s the chance to part of our world economy so that they can have the dignity of living off their own hard work rather than always receiving from others.
The Soccer World Cup has been a great illustration for this. When Ghana played the US in their second round knockout game it set up the world’s richest nation against one of the world’s poorer nations. The USA could not ask to start 1 goal in the lead because they have a better human rights record than Ghana. They were not allowed an extra player on the field to reward them for their superior infrastructure and military. They couldn’t even have the ref on their side (quite obviously) just because they had a lot more money to bride him with. When they took to the field it was 11 against 11 and the scores were 0 to 0. It was Ghana vs USA. (I was rooting for the Yanks, just so you know)
The world doesn’t usually work like that, so as Christians we work to give the underdog a chance.

Maybe I can paint a hypothetical picture here:
There is a small village in Senegal that lies on prime cotton growing land. They have limited opportunity to sell their produce because of the poor road system connecting them to the main city, and the lack of infrastructure and bureaucracy at the port. Worst of all, trade restrictions and taxes make the prices of their cotton uncompetitive with that of other countries.
NGO’s help the people of theis village stay alive. They ship in food and health supplies from the West and offer primary education to the children. When the children get older, they will realize there is no future for them in the village, some will stay to care for their families but most of them, especially the young men, will leave for the city to try to earn a living. In the city they will lose their culture and along with it their values, causing many societal issues in the city. A few will make a living in the city; many will try to immigrate to Europe to better their lives. Things continue like this from generation to generation.
Here’s another scenario. The trade restrictions on cotton are lifted and the village is able to sell some of their cotton, increasing their output from year to year. The government is happy with the taxes they receive from this new export and they fix the road to the village which gives them even better access to the market. As people in the village have some money, a few small shops open, offering jobs as cashiers, doing phone repairs, and even mechanics for the trucks that travel to and from the village. Women are able to cook food and sell it to the people coming in and out of the village, meaning they are able to educate their children. Less people leave the village permanently to look for other opportunities. A small school opens and some of the young people are sent for teacher training etc etc…

So that’s about what I have so far. And I hope that’s these thoughts will continue to change and grow and be challenged. Feel free to help me with this.

Miah