Money Matters
I think if there is one thing that can be agreed on, the world over, it is that money matters. In America we see people live for money. They will go to great lengths to accumulate more money. Many of them have more than enough, but they will always look for a way to get an extra dollar.
The Bible has a lot to say about money. A lot of warnings. Anything from warnings against borrowing to warnings against being rich.
In Ghana we see a whole new side to money matters. It has always been a bit baffling living in America and looking at these poor countries and wondering why they can't improve themselves. Surely there are jobs to be had. Surely there are ways to get ahead. And in the short time that we have lived here, we have had quite an education. There are ways for an enterprising man to make money. But the teaching they have had, the life style they live, all influence them in ways we have never thought of. Many of their ideas are not bad. And we can certainly learn from them. But they do also hinder themselves.
We white people are constantly asked for money. A man walking by on the street the other week asked, Can I have some cedis? I never hesitated in walking and he never did either. Did he expect me to hand over money? Maybe he was hoping for a small handout. Driving through the village, parked in Cape Coast, walking somewhere, children will often say, "I need one cedi." I honestly don't carry money if I walk to the shop unless I need to. Then I can honestly say I don't have any. Normally they are just asking to see what you will say. And usually you can joke around with them and they are just as happy for a bit of attention. The other thing I have learned to say is, "I don't have any for you." I might have some, just not for that person.
Kenny had a student steal two phones at the shop. He probably needed cash. And rather then look at the long term of staying in school, learning a trade, and having a better paying job and supporting himself, he looked at the here and now. He had a need, and saw an easy way to get some quick cash.
We had something happen to us that got me thinking on this subject. There is an older lady in this area that walks around collecting empty bottles to sell. They use them to sell soap or oil in the market. She had come to our house a handful of times so I got in the habit of storing any empty bottles on top of my fridge for her. One day when she came she told me she was very hungry and weak from not eating. I sliced her a chunk of bread and gave her a banana. Then I collected the bottles I had for her. When I took them out to her she said, "The bread is too small. Don't you have a bigger piece?" She hadn't thanked me for it and I felt that I had been generous already. I told her that is all I have for her today.She also told me about her two small grandsons she was raising. And if my small boys had extra clothing she will take them. I told her I would think about it. She grumbled but moved on to the next place. I wondered at her attitude since normally if you give someone something they are very grateful.
It went several weeks till we saw her again. This time she wasn't collecting bottles. She talked to Kenny for a while. She had a hernia that she showed him and wanted money for treatment. He asked her how much it will cost. She had no idea. He told her before he would even consider helping her, he needs to know what it would cost.
Three days later she was back. She had been to Accra to see a doctor and she needs this amount for labs, this amount for an EKG, and this amount for a deposit for the surgery. She had a typed letter from the doctor asking for medical assistance for her. She had papers requesting the other things with the prices on them. She told me she had put money towards it already and had a bank statement book to prove it. I called Kenny and we debated but finally agreed we could help her some but not with all of it. We don't know her well, but it is hard to say no when an elderly lady is sitting on your steps begging for money. We had planned before coming that we need to know the person before we give them money. We didn't realize how grey the area can be of knowing people. And how hard it can be to tell someone no. I gave her the amount we had agreed on and she sighed and looked away. It wasn't as much as she wanted. I told her that is all we can help her with right now. We will be praying for her and I hope her surgery goes well. She sighed again and then said, "Can you give me transportation money?" I said no, my husband and I agreed to give you that and no more. "Get a paper and I will give you my number to send me more money when I am at the hospital." (They send money through their phones quite frequently.) I told her again, that is all we are giving you for now. She walked off in almost a huff. After she left I thought about it. She never once thanked me! What a contrast to my dear wash lady that works hard for the money I pay her but still thanks and blesses me over and over.
I asked the other missionary ladies about her story because there were so many red flags and I feel so inexperienced with these things. They all said her story just doesn't line up. Why would she travel four hours to Accra when there are hospitals here that would do an operation like that? Why would a doctor type a letter and not sign it? I felt rather foolish but also a bit wiser. They will often use medical problems as a way to beg money and the only real way to help them properly is to take them to a clinic or hospital. I had a feeling we hadn't seen the last of our lady and she didn't disappoint.
Three days later she was back. We went through the whole story again. Every time I challenged her on her facts or asked questions why her story was different this time, she had the same answer. "Because of my English you don't understand me!" "That is not what I said." "You don't understand me." She cried, she begged, she pleaded. Kenny told her we have helped you all we are going to at this time. I asked her if she has asked for help from other people. She said other people will just shame her. "We Ghanians are wicked people. We are not good like white people. Because of your God you will help me." It was an exhausting conversation. As she left she once again asked for money for transportation money. I told her I am sorry but we have helped her all we are going to for now.
After she left I second guessed myself. It is not our money anyway. If we truly believe it is God's , should we have just gave and what she does with it goes with her? How do we know if we are helping or hurting?
Two months later she showed up again. I checked her story with some more people and found out she had already received money before and still had not had the surgery. I told her again and again I won't help her. She told me how she can't work and she really needs help. The next day she showed up with three huge bags of empty bottles begging for money for transportation. I hardened my heart again and said no! She had lied to me too many times.
The fact that we obviously have money and the people around us obviously don't, or at least not near as much as we do, creates a bit of a problem. On one hand we feel guilty for living so much better then they do. And then on the other hand we feel deprived for having to go without the things our friends and family have back home. How do we find a balance between the two? We tell people over and over that our money had limits too. I am sure if they knew the numbers they would think it sounds pretty limit less. But the truth is we are living on less then what we used to. The other truth is, it hasn't hurt us a bit. It is good for us to do without some things. To live a bit more simply. I think the experience is good for our children as well. When we hear, I want this or that. We can give them examples right next door of children playing with old moto tires and sticks. It does help them be more content. And when the electric is off and we run out of water I can look at my neighbors and remember they live this way all the time. Surely it won't hurt me for a few days.
Money will always cause problems in this world. The question we need to ask ourselves is, Am I using my money well? Am I using it as God would want me to? And at the end of the day we need to remember that although money matters, what we do with our money and what God thinks about what we do with our money, matters more.
The Bible has a lot to say about money. A lot of warnings. Anything from warnings against borrowing to warnings against being rich.
In Ghana we see a whole new side to money matters. It has always been a bit baffling living in America and looking at these poor countries and wondering why they can't improve themselves. Surely there are jobs to be had. Surely there are ways to get ahead. And in the short time that we have lived here, we have had quite an education. There are ways for an enterprising man to make money. But the teaching they have had, the life style they live, all influence them in ways we have never thought of. Many of their ideas are not bad. And we can certainly learn from them. But they do also hinder themselves.
We white people are constantly asked for money. A man walking by on the street the other week asked, Can I have some cedis? I never hesitated in walking and he never did either. Did he expect me to hand over money? Maybe he was hoping for a small handout. Driving through the village, parked in Cape Coast, walking somewhere, children will often say, "I need one cedi." I honestly don't carry money if I walk to the shop unless I need to. Then I can honestly say I don't have any. Normally they are just asking to see what you will say. And usually you can joke around with them and they are just as happy for a bit of attention. The other thing I have learned to say is, "I don't have any for you." I might have some, just not for that person.
Kenny had a student steal two phones at the shop. He probably needed cash. And rather then look at the long term of staying in school, learning a trade, and having a better paying job and supporting himself, he looked at the here and now. He had a need, and saw an easy way to get some quick cash.
We had something happen to us that got me thinking on this subject. There is an older lady in this area that walks around collecting empty bottles to sell. They use them to sell soap or oil in the market. She had come to our house a handful of times so I got in the habit of storing any empty bottles on top of my fridge for her. One day when she came she told me she was very hungry and weak from not eating. I sliced her a chunk of bread and gave her a banana. Then I collected the bottles I had for her. When I took them out to her she said, "The bread is too small. Don't you have a bigger piece?" She hadn't thanked me for it and I felt that I had been generous already. I told her that is all I have for her today.She also told me about her two small grandsons she was raising. And if my small boys had extra clothing she will take them. I told her I would think about it. She grumbled but moved on to the next place. I wondered at her attitude since normally if you give someone something they are very grateful.
It went several weeks till we saw her again. This time she wasn't collecting bottles. She talked to Kenny for a while. She had a hernia that she showed him and wanted money for treatment. He asked her how much it will cost. She had no idea. He told her before he would even consider helping her, he needs to know what it would cost.
Three days later she was back. She had been to Accra to see a doctor and she needs this amount for labs, this amount for an EKG, and this amount for a deposit for the surgery. She had a typed letter from the doctor asking for medical assistance for her. She had papers requesting the other things with the prices on them. She told me she had put money towards it already and had a bank statement book to prove it. I called Kenny and we debated but finally agreed we could help her some but not with all of it. We don't know her well, but it is hard to say no when an elderly lady is sitting on your steps begging for money. We had planned before coming that we need to know the person before we give them money. We didn't realize how grey the area can be of knowing people. And how hard it can be to tell someone no. I gave her the amount we had agreed on and she sighed and looked away. It wasn't as much as she wanted. I told her that is all we can help her with right now. We will be praying for her and I hope her surgery goes well. She sighed again and then said, "Can you give me transportation money?" I said no, my husband and I agreed to give you that and no more. "Get a paper and I will give you my number to send me more money when I am at the hospital." (They send money through their phones quite frequently.) I told her again, that is all we are giving you for now. She walked off in almost a huff. After she left I thought about it. She never once thanked me! What a contrast to my dear wash lady that works hard for the money I pay her but still thanks and blesses me over and over.
I asked the other missionary ladies about her story because there were so many red flags and I feel so inexperienced with these things. They all said her story just doesn't line up. Why would she travel four hours to Accra when there are hospitals here that would do an operation like that? Why would a doctor type a letter and not sign it? I felt rather foolish but also a bit wiser. They will often use medical problems as a way to beg money and the only real way to help them properly is to take them to a clinic or hospital. I had a feeling we hadn't seen the last of our lady and she didn't disappoint.
Three days later she was back. We went through the whole story again. Every time I challenged her on her facts or asked questions why her story was different this time, she had the same answer. "Because of my English you don't understand me!" "That is not what I said." "You don't understand me." She cried, she begged, she pleaded. Kenny told her we have helped you all we are going to at this time. I asked her if she has asked for help from other people. She said other people will just shame her. "We Ghanians are wicked people. We are not good like white people. Because of your God you will help me." It was an exhausting conversation. As she left she once again asked for money for transportation money. I told her I am sorry but we have helped her all we are going to for now.
After she left I second guessed myself. It is not our money anyway. If we truly believe it is God's , should we have just gave and what she does with it goes with her? How do we know if we are helping or hurting?
Two months later she showed up again. I checked her story with some more people and found out she had already received money before and still had not had the surgery. I told her again and again I won't help her. She told me how she can't work and she really needs help. The next day she showed up with three huge bags of empty bottles begging for money for transportation. I hardened my heart again and said no! She had lied to me too many times.
The fact that we obviously have money and the people around us obviously don't, or at least not near as much as we do, creates a bit of a problem. On one hand we feel guilty for living so much better then they do. And then on the other hand we feel deprived for having to go without the things our friends and family have back home. How do we find a balance between the two? We tell people over and over that our money had limits too. I am sure if they knew the numbers they would think it sounds pretty limit less. But the truth is we are living on less then what we used to. The other truth is, it hasn't hurt us a bit. It is good for us to do without some things. To live a bit more simply. I think the experience is good for our children as well. When we hear, I want this or that. We can give them examples right next door of children playing with old moto tires and sticks. It does help them be more content. And when the electric is off and we run out of water I can look at my neighbors and remember they live this way all the time. Surely it won't hurt me for a few days.
Money will always cause problems in this world. The question we need to ask ourselves is, Am I using my money well? Am I using it as God would want me to? And at the end of the day we need to remember that although money matters, what we do with our money and what God thinks about what we do with our money, matters more.
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