From Jeremy's YouTube:
In 2007, I went to Ghana in West Africa.
My life was changed ever since I met the people of Ghana. I realized that alot of us, especially in the States, take life forgranted. We are extremely blessed with abundance of food, resources, and choices.
Then I go to Ghana, and some of these villages don't have the right medicines, barely any food, and lack of many things. But what I've realized is that they have a joy inside that isn't fueled by materialism or anything of that sort. The more you have in life, the more u want, the less you need God in your life.
In Ghana, because they have soooo little, they rely and trust in God for their survival and health. FAITH. A strong faith.
I will forever be grateful for what they've taught me through their living and their lives. I wanna go back to Ghana one day and learn more and help more and put my faith in action. God is doing great things in the lives of people there!
Jeremy "Passion" Manongdo
I know what you mean, man.
When I was in the Philippines a couple years ago, we were driving around my uncle's banana plantation and I kept noticing these little shacks all over the place. Then I'd notice clothes hang-drying around them. Then I'd notice a family of five standing around one of 'em. It'd finally hit me:
This is their home.
That realization was so intense, but it totally put things in perspective for me. I thought to myself: the car I drive today is probably worth more money than what these entire families will ever see in their entire lives...
It's so easy to get caught up in material things because we've been blessed with it our whole lives. iPods, computers, internet, cell phones, cars, microwaves, fast food, running water, air conditioning...we've been blessed with these things for so long, we forget that people once lived still live without any of these things.
One thing I've started to wonder about myself: if I were completely stripped of all things familiar to me -- friends, family, technology, reputations -- what kind of man would I be? How much clearer would my world be?
Thanks for the reminder, J, on exactly how lucky we are, how some things are more important than others, and how God is always a part of our lives.
-Mel