Father, You’re the Poorest Man in the Village

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Like all missioners in Tanzania, Father Jack felt uncomfortable about the gap between his standard of living and that of his neighbors. They live in mud brick houses with thatched roofs, while he has a cement block home with a tin roof. They tote their water from a well a fair distance away; he has tanks of rainwater collected from his roof during the rainy season. While bound for an outstation with Charles, his catechist, the missioner confessed how uncomfortable he felt living like a rich man among the poor. In disbelief, Charles wrinkled his brow. Then he blurted, “But, Father, you’re the poorest man in the village. You have no grandchildren!”