Are you from a rich country?

On our first night in Uganda, I was visiting with the night watchman at our hotel, and he asked me in a friendly way, "Are you from a rich country?"

I answered, "Yes, I'm from America." He then was curious about where in America, and we had a brief conversation about Houston and Texas.

One of the contrasts that any American is struck with upon visiting Uganda is the vast difference in what we have versus what they have. The conclusion is obvious: we are rich, and they are poor.

But as this question and its implications kept coming to the forefront of my mind during the visit, some other interesting conclusions came to mind.

1. Uganda in 2005 reminds me a lot of the West Texas I knew in the late 40's and early 50's. The dirt roads, the lack of having "stuff," and people primarily making their living with their hands all were reminders of those times. And when I then reflected on the stories my parents and inlaws have told about their childhoods, Uganda now and life in American then seemed very similar. Most folks had little, lived primarily in rural settings earning their living by working the land, lived in houses that barely provided shelter and which didn't have electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing, and certainly by our current American standards, lived in poverty -- they didn't have all the stuff we have.

2. Uganda is rushing headlong toward urbanization, and with it, getting all of the "stuff" that the rich western countries have. What I saw was a mixed blessing. With urbanization comes the need to create jobs which are not dependent on working the land. While I saw lots of entrepreneurship in action -- small businesses operating everywhere -- I also saw crowds of people just standing or sitting everywhere in the towns, unemployed. Uganda is obviously struggling with creating jobs for all of the folks moving to town from the villages. That looks more like poverty to me than seeing the people living with little, but making their way, in the villages. The desire to have the "good life," living in town and having stuff, seems to be an infection that has been planted in Uganda from the west.

3. Folks who had visited before told me that I'd be struck by the paradox of how little people had but how contented they were with what they had. I too found that to be true. It's both a reminder that our worship of "stuff" misses the mark, and that contentment and joy are not linked to "having stuff."

4. Perhaps an even bigger contrast than the disparity between America and Uganda in terms of possessions is the difference in social interactions. We Americans are known for being in a hurry and getting right to business and then moving on. In Uganda, no social interaction happens without first inquiring about how the person is, whether they slept well, whether they enjoyed their food, how their family is, etc. Only after this social connection is made -- only after you have recognized them as a person -- do you proceed with business such as ordering a Coke. The richness of relationships in their society is light years ahead of those of us from the "rich" countries.

All this reminds me of the wise man who said that the answer to all questions is, "That depends." Am I from a rich country? That depends -- on how you define rich. If your definition of rich is material possessions, then the answer is yes. But if your definition is wealth in terms or relationships and valuing others, then the answer is "I'm visiting a rich country."