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It was a
very dark room. The African family had
lovingly prepared for our team the very
best meal they could possibly afford. It
was a very special event. As we sat down
with this family who were personal
friends of Jason Raines, everything was
festive and exciting. We were the first
Americans (other than Jason) that these
people have ever met and it was an honor
for them to host us. It was an honor for
us to be treated so royally.
As we began to eat the one dish that
was prepared for us, I quickly became
aware that along with the delicious
fresh tuna that made up this stew, I had
been served a quite large piece of tuna
intestine!
With my gag reflexes working
overtime, it may have been the hardest
three bites of “food” that I had ever
encountered. Not eating these
interesting morsels was not an option.
One thing we all should be committed to
is that a ministry team should never be
an offence. Not to eat this meal would
have certainly been offensive.
“There’s no way in the whole wide
world I would have eaten that!” This was
the response of an adult when I relayed
my story to him. This is a typical
response to many who are not attuned to
the cross cultural issues involved with
mission trips. The problem is that this
person who said this was himself going
on a missions trip in just a few short
weeks. “I do the McDonald thing and pack
plenty of snacks when I travel” was his
answer to the type of a dilemma I faced
in Africa. “I don’t do anything more
exotic than steak and potatoes” was his
philosophy on eating.
Quite frankly, in my opinion this
person is not ready for a missions
ministry. He is a liability to both the
team and the host missionaries. Paul’s
advice is:
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God. Give no occasions of stumbling,
either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the
church of God: even as I also please all
men in all things, not seeking mine own
profit, but the profit of the many, that
they may be saved.
Mission trips can require all types
of events that can cause an offense. The
way we dress, conduct ourselves at a
meal, the way we address older and
younger people and the way we conduct
ourselves with the opposite sex are all
very important. A person who refuses to
eat in a cross-cultural home, or refuses
to play by the culturally relevant
“rules” simply is not ready to be part
of the team.
The best way to deal with such
situations as a team leader is pre-field
preparation. Protect your team from
surprises, and help them deal with every
perceivable situation. When surprise may
occur, and thy will with unwelcome
frequency, teach your team how to make
good decisions that will not be
offensive and will not hinder your
trip’s objectives.
The Board of Missions is prepared to
help you work through all the issues of
preparation for missions trips. Plan to
make our seminar Culture Link a
necessary part of next year’s
preparations.
Now let’s go fishing!
Dana
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Allentown which will be sent to our
missionary friends in Kosovo. On
Wednesday, a man from Master Provisions
in Covington, KY will fly in to work
with me to organize all the STUFF I have
accumulated over the last year or so and
then on Friday the container will
arrive. On Saturday a group of
volunteers will help to sort clothing,
shoes, etc. and many large bags of those
items will be loaded onto the container,
and Lord willing we will be able to fill
it to brim. Should you be interested in
helping with this project, either with
clothing or muscle, please call me at
610-838-8729. I apologize for such late
notice but I have been out of town quite
a bit, both with work and visiting my
dad who has not been well.