UBUNTU – The essence of being human. Enrich yourself in order to enable
your community to be enriched.
Bishop Tutu described Ubuntu
as:
The essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.
I believe there is an imbalance of material and emotional poverty in this world. I see this vividly in the two worlds I live in, African and Australasia. My experiences in Africa see an emotional richness. There is apparent joy, a focus on the present moment, an automatic gravitation towards celebration, dance and song. But the material poverty breaks my heart, every day. Living in New Zealand and working in Australasia I see a lot of material wealth, beautiful homes, children with bedrooms over flowing with toys, food being thrown away. I live in a beautiful home, my four children do not lack for toys and we are able to feed a 50kg golden retriever on the food that is 'spare'. Yet there is so much sadness here, it breaks my heart, every day.
My intention this year is to inspire global balance. Not guilting or judging us in the developed world to give to Africa. Nor making emotional intelligence yet another job we 'should' be doing. But to connect the two worlds I live in and in doing so enable the gifts from Africa to be given to the developed world and in return we gift back what they lack...inspiring Ubuntu.
