here vs. there

So yesterday we had our first appointment at Childrens. And as I sat listening to the squeeks and knocks of the MRI, I conjured up this list of here vs. Liberia:

here:
there's so much red tape, it's difficult to get appropriate medical care.
Liberia:
while there is no red tape, there's no machines/consistent electricity to give appropriate health care.

here:
everyone spends/wastes money like there's an endless supply
Liberia:
everyone spends/wastes money like there's an endless supply

here:
parents give children and over abundance of stuff and not enough responsibility
Liberia:
parents give children an over abundance of work and so so plenty responsibility

here:
education is free and unappreciated
Liberia:
education is costly and savored

here:
time is a valuable commodity that is used and pushed to its limits
Liberia:
time is an oddity of little importance

here:
hearts seem almost hardened to the things that matter
Liberia:
hearts seem almost hardened to the things that matter

here:
we make issues out of non-issues (paid attention to politics lately??)
Liberia:
the issues they face are over-experienced, thus ignored by the general population


And then I wonder... I wonder why we consider one better than the other... I mean, is it more like the lesser of two evils when we choose where to live? I tried to explain so many times to any Liberian who would listen that America aint that grand. Yes there are jobs here, yes we have lots of cars here... and yet... and yet it doesn't equate to a life closer to Christ. It doesn't equate to the things that truly count in this life. I mean, if God is real and we believe that with all of our hearts... if He's the whole point of our existence... then do these things count for anything?