Is it OK for White People to Post Photos with African Children to Support Black Lives Matter?
My short answer is, no. No, it is not ok.
It misses the mark entirely.
At the same time, I see others slinging stones at those who do and I don’t think that is the appropriate response either.
My hope is for this article to be a resource for you, a place of learning, just as I am learning each day as well.
I served ten years with an international non-profit focused on orphans and children-at-risk in Zimbabwe. My first trip to Zimbabwe was for two months. In two months time, you make more than friends, you make family. I stayed in homes, I stayed in villages, I ate foods I’d never heard of, and I traveled the country. People in villages would shout ‘Mzungu!’ (white man!) as I rode in the back of a pickup helping to deliver food and supplies to communities.
In one village, the most desolate place I’d ever seen, children started crying as soon as I got out of the pickup. Some were seeing a white man for the first time. Soon, the language of ‘ball’ had us all playing, tossing a ball back and forth as they’d run up and touch me and run away.
I fell in love with the people and the culture and decided to commit myself to serving there. I started leading teams of people to Zimbabwe to serve with the kids and soon I joined the Board of the organization, eventually becoming the Vice President.
On one of my trips, I met a lady named Regina. She was originally from Michigan and had dedicated her life to serving in Zimbabwe. She had…
