Small changes for a brighter futureKeith Gonsalvez - 16 Oct 2013

When I was first introduced to the EXPOSED anti-corruption campaign I confess my initial thoughts were: Advocacy? Halving extreme poverty? Corruption? OH NO! The issues seemed larger than life and somewhat distant to me. That was until a tragic event brought home just how devastating corruption is. My friend’s brother was killed along with his friend, the driver, in a car accident. I rushed to be with my friend as he attempted to reclaim his younger brothers body. The authorities refused to release him, claiming they couldn’t, as they didn’t know who was driving at the time despite eyewitnesses and official statements.

The authorities then gave my friend the ‘magic statement’ – “if you want, we can help!” Their heartlessness was so disgusting. They were trying to profit from my friend’s grief. This really brought home everything I had recently learned about corruption during my time at CANOPI: it was incredibly tempting to give in and pay the bribe so my friend could properly grieve. I knew in my heart however, that was not the path God wanted me to take. I convinced my friend to bring eyewitnesses to the authorities and his brother’s body was released less than an hour later without paying a cent.

This was a turning point in my understanding of corruption, it was no longer intangible. I realised that even small things in my own life, like buying a pirated DVD, all contributed to a world in which corruption thrives. As my youth Pastor told me: “God will not choose the equipped, he equips the chosen”.  What I’ve learned is that it’s not easy to be set-apart, “there is a price to pay for the life you choose” but choose we must, after all; We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).