How would you respond

[bobby]

dont know where to put this 

 

How would you respond 

  I live in low-income Apts and i was doing laundry at the laundry room at my apartment when this lady walked up to me and asked why i was there, i said i live here, she replied your an American, we have a lot of Eritreans that all so live here as well, the lady i was talking to is form Eritrean.  

I told that i was poor and had to live somewhere, but she's said your an American, this went back and forth for a few more mins i finally said just because your an American done not mean that you are rich and privilege or have opportunities, all means to me is im an American, witch it done not mean a thing to me, im happy for you that your life is better for now, then when you live in Eritrean, then i left it like that 

But i got to thinking was that best response, true i never had opportunities, and have always been poor but i also have become content over the years to 

How would you respond to that question

[hatcheckgirl]

Bobby, you are living as Paul and Jesus recommended us to live.  The Introduction of the Study Bible at Q 15 has all the scriptures that show you are living the 'best life" ever, because you know Jehovah and he gives us the "real life", despite whether we are rich or poor in this system. (https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/introduction/)

 

I too live in community housing.  Just because we are native born and not immigrants, doesn't mean Jehovah's people are not affected by economic, medical or family issues etc that means we rely on the government to help us.  Good for you, my brother.  Use it as an opportunity to share your faith, bring tracts or a contact card.  You might just bump into her again.

 

[Hermez]

I think you handled that well  . Moving forward like hatchetgirl said, use it as an opportunity to give a witness on your next laundry day. Go ready with a tract. Jehovah willing possibly a return visit and future Bible study😀

[daydream]

Tell the Eritrean lady that you are spiritually rich and that is what counts with Jehovah the Almighty God, the highest Personage in the whole Universe.

 

*** w01 11/1  “The Blessing of Jehovah—That Is What Makes Rich” ***

ALL of us want to be blessed. The American Heritage College Dictionary says that blessings promote “happiness, well-being, or prosperity.” Since Jehovah is the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present,” every real, lasting blessing originates with our loving Creator. (James 1:17) He showers blessings upon all mankind, even upon those who do not know him. Jesus said of his Father: “He makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.”  However, Jehovah shows special concern for those who love him.

 

The psalmist wrote: “Jehovah himself will not hold back anything good from those walking in faultlessness.”  Yes, those who serve Jehovah have rich, meaningful lives. They know that “the blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.” The Bible also says: “Those being blessed by [Jehovah] will themselves possess the earth.”  What a blessing that will be!

 

Spoiler

(Matthew 6:20)  Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

 

[Ishaya]

All you have to do is look behind you,what do you see? the poor here in Africa,to them your low income house in the US, that the Eritrean lady despises,is actually a palace and an enviable place to live in,and so you are still privileged Bro Bobby.

 

Your response to the Eritrean lady shows a humble and balanced spirit,the Christlike spirit which gives real peace and happiness.

 

[daydream]

Those Eritreans still left behind back in that lady's home country would give an arm and leg just to live in the good US of A.  Yes Brother Ishaya is right, the foreign lady is under the impression that all Americans are rich but unfortunately there are many people who are homeless and live a hand to mouth existence.

 

*** w75 2/15  How You Benefit from Pursuing Godly Devotion ***

17 Should we ever become discontented, losing appreciation for the blessings that have come to us from pursuing godly devotion, we could be led into thinking that greater gain is to be found elsewhere. For example, a person may no longer share the attitude expressed at 1 Timothy 6:8: “Having sustenance [food] and covering [clothing and shelter], we shall be content with these things.”

 

He may come to look enviously upon the prosperity of others and become fully absorbed in material pursuits. From a spiritual standpoint, this could be very damaging, eventually perhaps leading to losing an approved relationship with God. Pointing to this danger, the apostle Paul wrote: “Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.
https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1975126&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=23

 

 

Pablo Rivera Gomez walks outside his tent last year. It was one of several at a sidewalk encampment on Leeward Avenue, close to a site in L.A.’s Koreatown that had been under consideration for a homeless shelter  (2019)

 

February 11, 2021

With more than 151,000 Californians who experienced homelessness in 2019, the State has the largest homeless population in the US

https://borgenproject.org/facts-about-poverty-in-eritrea/

9 Facts About Poverty in Eritrea

 

5. Susceptibility to drought: When drought does strike northeast Africa, Eritrea is one of the countries that experiences the greatest blow. Months can pass in the Horn of Africa without rainfall and these episodes are frequent and recurrent. This results in food shortages and increased rates of malnourishment among children. Statistics show that malnutrition has been increasing throughout Eritrea as nearly 22,700 children under the age of 5 suffer from the condition

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by happiness IS

[daydream]

Eritrea remains one of the world’s least developed countries, and the majority of its people depend on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods.

 

Eritrea was formerly the northernmost province of Ethiopia and is about the size of Indiana. Much of the country is mountainous. Its narrow Red Sea coastal plain is one of the hottest and driest places in Africa. The cooler central highlands have fertile valleys that support agriculture.

Eritrea was made an Ethiopian province on Nov. 14, 1962. A civil war broke out against the Ethiopian government, led by rebel groups who opposed the union and wanted independence for Eritrea. Fighting continued over the next 32 years.

 

[dove]

How terrible it must be for the brothers still imprisoned there..

Edited January 1, 2022 by Dove

[daydream]

*** ijwif Imprisoned for Their Faith—Eritrea ***
28 Jehovah’s Witnesses  were set free on December 4, 2020, after being imprisoned for their faith for between 5 and 26 years each. On January 29, 2021, one male Witness was released after being imprisoned for over 12 years, and an additional three Witnesses were released on February 1, 2021 . They had been imprisoned for between 4 and 9 years. 20 Jehovah’s Witnesses remain in prison at this time (14 males and 6 females).
 

Spoiler

Eritrea arrests and imprisons Jehovah’s Witnesses—including women and the elderly—without trial or formal charges for religious activity or for undisclosed reasons. President Afewerki revoked the Witnesses’ citizenship by a presidential decree dated October 25, 1994, because they did not participate in the 1993 independence referendum and they conscientiously object to military service. Prior to enforcing conscription, the authorities in Eritrea provided for genuine alternative civilian service. Numerous Witnesses took part in this service under different government administrations. The authorities systematically issued “Certificates of Completed National Service” and often praised the participants for their work. On the basis of the presidential decree, however, security forces have imprisoned, tortured, and harassed Jehovah’s Witnesses in an effort to force them to renounce their faith.

 

Witnesses Die Because of Severe Prison Conditions

4 Witnesses have died while imprisoned in Eritrea, and 3 elderly Witnesses have died after their release from prison because of the harsh conditions they experienced while detained.

In 2018, two Witnesses died after their transfer to the Mai Serwa Prison. Habtemichael Tesfamariam died at age 76 on January 3, and Habtemichael Mekonen died at age 77 on March 6. Eritrean authorities imprisoned both men in 2008 without charges.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=1012732&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=6
 

 

[Ishaya]

15 hours ago, Ishaya said:

All you have to do is look behind you,what do you see? the poor here in Africa,to them your low income house in the US, that the Eritrean lady despises,is actually a palace and an enviable place to live in,and so you are still privileged Bro Bobby.

 

Your response to the Eritrean lady shows a humble and balanced spirit,the Christlike spirit which gives real peace and happiness.

 

maybe the condition of the extremely poor in Africa is too far to compare with your condition. 

So why not think about the surging number of homeless Americans with you right there in the US.think about those who have to endure painful freezing winter nights out on the street or the growing number of homeless people sleeping in dumpsters because of lack of shelter.to these homeless people your low income apartment would look like a palace,dont you agree?

 

the point is,It doesn't matter whether you are American or not,

what matters is that you have to learn to be thankful to Jehovah for what you have wherever you live.

 

Inequality is a serious problem in the world today,what people commonly think about Africa is the poor  people here,but clearly the world knows very little about the wealthy and extremely wealthy that live here too.these live in luxurious estate and own very expensive cars and private jets.they take long holidays abroad and enjoy  lavish lives in seven star hotels.their business ventures are waxing stronger and money comes in by the minute.

Its hard to understand why we still have the poor here in Africa when there is enough money to go round.

but i guess its even harder to understand why you have growing number of the poor and homeless in rich countries too.

 

In my opinion,Rich country or poor country doesn't make any difference,its all in satans world and in nowhere is satans rulership fair or better,it just needs to go!

the need to bring this system to an end is absolute felt.