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Pastoral
Pondering:
Seizing an opportunity
to cross the
cultural barrier |
The nervous knot in my stomach grew as two strangers approached.
What would I say? Would I be able to communicate?
Our decision weeks earlier to host a refugee family had become a reality.
Between us, Katrina and I have traveled to five of the seven continents, and those
cross-cultural experiences have been invaluable learning opportunities for us. We wanted
to give our kids a cross-cultural experience, and this became possible when Afghanistan
came to Boise. Seema and her 4-year-old daughter, Reega, would provide an opportunity to
learn all kinds of things.
The first and most obvious struggle was language. Seema knew a few English
words; Reega knew none. Our Farsi came from the Farsi-English dictionary we had checked
out from the public library. Gesturing, play acting and lots of patience got us closer and
closer to understanding each other.
A second struggle was culture — the role of men, the impact of Islam and
a history of the violence that comes with living in a war-torn country. Seema’s
brother and husband, as well as her home and livelihood, were all victims of the Taliban.
I simply can’t relate to their situation, but I have a better understanding, which
impacts the way I relate to our new friends.
The good folks we worship with and minister among have taught me some
important lessons, as well. When we invited our church family to be involved with the
Rafats, they responded in wonderful ways. The church outfitted their apartment from top to
bottom. They provided food, clothes and rides. Above all, they offered a great measure of
love and acceptance.
Seema comes to church each Sunday, and while she can’t understand very
many of the words being spoken, she clearly understands the smiles, hugs and words that
say, “I love you.” Those words and actions also say, “Jesus loves
you.”
I wonder if all who walk through the doors of our churches experience the
same. A whole other world right in our own cities speaks a different language and has a
different culture from ours in the church.
We assume our churches invite and welcome those who do not know Christ. We
often don’t realize our churches have foreign culture, rules, traditions and a unique
history. We thoughtlessly speak unintelligible dialects to those outside the church
culture.
I am challenged to learn to learn what becoming a “cross-cultural”
minister means. I need to understand other languages and cultures. Most important, I need
to learn how to speak unconditional love into those situations.
Folks in our church reach out to others who might not share their cultural
values. In several situations this year, people have been open to Christ because they were
loved and cared for just as they are. In fact, some of these new believers help shape my
idea of what church should be.
What do we do that is central to the gospel and what things
have simply become the cultural trappings of the church? Answering these questions will
certainly mean doing a better job of being multicultural and multilingual. The
implications are enormous. To be truly cross-cultural means giving up sacred cows in order
to minister outside our walls and comfort zones.
Shawn McConaughey is a pastor at the Boise Friends Church in Boise. |
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From Sept. 20,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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