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PERSONAL OPINION
Canadian complaints in perspective (with an echo from Afghanistan)

John H. Redekop

Canadian society has changed so much that if a person becomes an evangelical Christian, there may be ridicule at work or at school. (In our country, for a Muslim to become a Christian may mean death.) We’re unhappy with all of the churches in our area; we don’t know which one to attend. (We don’t have that problem. We have no churches to attend. Our country has 48,000 mosques, but not a single church building.) There is too much violence on television. (There is too much violence in our lives. There is no off-switch when war brings brutality and death to our streets.) Our government is not providing enough support for our amputees. (Until recently, our government created amputees. They get no support. Most are beggars.) It’s hard to sleep after television news stories about war. (It’s impossible to sleep when your town is being shelled. After several big battles, we fled with almost nothing.) Our neighbourhood is not what it used to be. (Our neighbourhood no longer exists.) The major media tend to be biased against Christians, especially evangelicals. (Our media often justify the torture and killing of Christians.) The postal system is too slow. (At present, we have no postal system.) Most political candidates don’t keep their promises. (Our politicians make no promises. They simply drive out the existing government.) I probably won’t vote. It seems not to make any difference. (We have no political choice. We have no elections. We can’t vote.) Too many refugees are allowed into this country. (Because of war, we are refugees. We desperately need help. Please help us.) Our government spends too much on foreign aid. We have big needs in our own country. (Thank you for your foreign aid. For many people here, it means the difference between life and death.) We have long waiting times at the hospital, even in the emergency department. (We have no long waiting times. We have no hospital. It was destroyed in a bombing raid.) One of our three children has a chronic health problem; this complicates our life. (One of our three children died in a bombing raid. A second one died because there was no medicine to deal with an infection.) I’m gaining weight. I’ll have to watch my diet and exercise more. (Our family is losing weight. We don’t have enough to eat. We are getting weak.) Public health insurance plans no longer cover what they used to. (We have no health insurance plans. Because we have no money, we get almost no medical and dental care.) Our schools teach some values we don’t like. (We have no schools. After 22 two years of war, every school in the area has been destroyed.) Our universities and colleges are too crowded and too expensive. (Most of our universities and colleges are closed. The few that are open have no heat or running water. Their libraries have been destroyed by the Taliban and the wars.) Our furniture is out of date. We’ll donate it to Mennonite Central Committee and buy new furniture. (We have no furniture. MCC has provided us with warm blankets.) Real estate taxes are too high. (Our family lives in a United Nations tent. We own no real estate; we pay no real estate taxes.) Income taxes are too high. (We have no income; we pay no income taxes.) Our food costs are too high. For a family of five, we spend over $500 a month. (Our family, now only three of us, spends less. In fact, we spend almost nothing. For over three months, we have survived on handouts.) It’s costing too much to maintain this large house. (We once lived in a house, a small house. It lies in ruins. Now we live in a tent in a refugee camp. We have no heat, no running water, no toilet and no beds. We have no maintenance costs.) Our son’s unemployment insurance payments are too low. He gets only two-thirds of what he earned before he was laid off. (There is no unemployment insurance in this country. Right now, no one in our family is employed.) One of our cars is getting old, and a new one is expensive. (We have no car. Our mule died because we could not afford to buy hay. Now we walk.) We’re not sure that our retirement benefits will be adequate for our lifestyle. (We have no retirement benefits. We’ll likely not reach retirement age; few in our country do. Right now, we need food in order to survive. Having basic necessities is the lifestyle which we strive to maintain.) We’re not sure we’ll be able to afford a cruise or a major holiday trip this year. (We’ve never had a holiday. We’ll celebrate when we get a roof over our heads.) We have many problems. Life in Canada is hard. (We would be overjoyed if we could live like you do. You have food and freedom, peace and prosperity, safety and shelter. Please come to visit us – even for one week. Bring your own blankets – that’s all you’ll need. We sleep on the ground. And be sure to come before your thanksgiving festival.)

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Last modified March 13, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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