I Am Because We Are In the West, the majority of people live in cities and, as a result of the industrial revolution, individualism with all its related problems is the main way of life. The nuclear family is the basic unit of society there, but often even that is now breaking down. We know that the extended family in Africa also has its problems, but being part of it also has considerable advantages. In my language there is no word for cousin. The children of my parents brothers and sisters are all my brothers and sisters. If I visit my extended family in Ghana, the home will be full of children all calling me Dad. (I doubt I would be able in every case even to tell whose children belonged to which brother! But fortunately I am not supposed to be able to). Until very recently there were no orphans in Africa. In many African languages there was no such word as orphan, because if parents die there are plenty of mothers and fathers in the extended family to look after such children. They are not orphans. Many families did not even give surnames from the father or the mother to the children. They gave names of other senior members in the extended family, in order to impress upon the children that the nuclear family unit is only an element of the bigger unity in the extended family. By the grace of God we Christians in Africa find ourselves with this kind of facility which we did not create. What insights into Gods plan for the church are thereby granted us for sharing with the larger body of Christ? The Christian church is in fact one big extended family of God. The thing about the extended family, particularly when it is practiced in its pure form, as it still is in rural areas of Africa, is the care and concern which is lavished on you. At the same time there are checks upon you and responsibilities which you have to carry. These things can be reflected in the church of Jesus Christ. Our love for one another in the church should keep us from living in an individualistic way, and bring us to live for one another as members of an extended family. I think it was John Mbiti who said that whereas the European says, I am because I think the African says, I am because we are. The African defines himself in terms of the community. His own identity is rooted in an awareness of the community of which he is a part. As we live in our extended families with their privileges, disciplines and responsibilities, we have insights which we can contribute to the church of Jesus Christ.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:43:57 +0000
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