Cultural Changes

I went to this cultural integration seminar today and learned about the warm culture of Nicaragua and what it means to be here cross-culturally. Most of it I figured I already knew from the training in Mexico, but we did a portion on how you respond to changes, whether going to another country or to another college. It talked about how at first it is fun, and you love the new environment and what not. Then, after time sets in, you begin to fight the culture a little bit. Often you criticize the culture you are in or want it to be like the culture you were used to. This is followed by flight, where you seek another culture behind the culture you are in. You do this through doing things you used to do or trying to connect a lot to people you used to know. After you work through all your differences, you begin to fit into a new culture. It was interesting to see how that cycle happened to me differently in two different countries, and the amount of time it took me to find a place of fitting. I think whether you are living out on your own for the first time or going to college for the first time, it is not wrong to want to seek the old things you were used to but the amount you dive into them and live in them will prolong or shorten your time to find comfort in a new place.

Major Differences Between Mexico and Nica as of now.

-Mexico did not have a grocery store in the town. Nica has at least 5.

-For two months I did not watch TV in Mexico. Last night, I was able to watch the Clemson/Alabama game in English.

-Mexicans ate a very wide and tasty variety of food. Nicaraguans eat rice and beans with meat periodically.

-In Mexico, I thought we dug big holes. In Nica we dig bigger ones. ( See attached Pictures)

-In Mexico, I lived with 20 people my age. In Nica, I live with orphans 0-4,12-17 and women over 40.

Similarities to follow.

a different world

So I have traveled out of the country three times to do missions and found one re-occurring problem. The work Americans have just finished doesn't work anymore.  I think Jordan taught me this lesson when we were in Cancun because the church there before us had built a church but used a bad piece of wood as the main ridge beam for the roof.  Jordan asked the locals who

lived in the land how they would do it and that is how we built.

In Mexico we learned all about being a learner of the culture. One thing I learned is that Mexican culture is more Christian than America. When I got the truck stuck in Mexico I had two taxi drivers and a dump truck stop to help pull me out. In America, our schedules would hardly allow our friends to help us let alone strangers.

I think we have a lot to learn from the rest if the world.

I was wanting to post a blog about travels and all the stories aroundthat but failed to get around to it. But tonight I watch pursuit of happyness with the ten boys I live with. it was great for them to see a story about a dad who went through so much hell but held to his standards of raising a son. None of these guys have dads anymore but they got to see how people have those standards. It is cool to see adolfo, the house dad, and his mom jackie, the house mom, live there to give these ten boys parents when they don't have to. These are not your average good boys but adolfo and jackie give up their life to try and show these boys what a Christian family is supposed to be like.

State of the World Finances

Here, they are huge about the unreached people groups and cross cultural ministry. They talk about the 10/40 window where there are over a billion people who do not have access to a Bible or have any established church. Here are some stats from Joshua project about the Christian finances. I don't really know how to take it, but it is convicting.


16.4trillion. Income of Christians worldwide
370 billion. Amount Christians give to church (2.5%)
22 billion. Amount church gives to missions (6%)
22 million amount church gives to areas of the world that have no church or bible (1%) or 1 dollar for every $1737 goes to unreached people.

I say that in a calm spirit, but that is still pretty mind blowing...who says money is the answer to all the worlds problems.

tent making

History shows that most biblical missionaries had their own way of supporting their ministry. As it is always quoted, Paul made tents to support himself. Tonight, Jordan and I found our tent making. As you have heard, the rules prevent a lot of things...one being having a cell phone or using the base phone. Well, calls from here to the states cost 30 cents a minute-a rate Jordan and I can't afford. Today we bought a Mexican cell phone with a plan to call the states. It is only one dollar for 20 minutes. How are we making tents you ask? Phones are obviously a hot commodity and could turn into a huge business. I don't think we will pursue this, but it is funny that they always talk about looking for their tent making and we found it right under their noses...

rules?

how tight are the rules at this place? The guy who has lived hereten months wanted to go see his girl at nine pm. To avoid question inghe climbed out the window and rode his motorcycle down the hill withthe engine off. I don't handle all these rules well.

Attitude of a learner

5 days in, and I have already learned a lot. Jordan and I are the only two people from the same state so there is a wide group of people. GFM has a really good vision to reach the people of the world that have not heard the gospel. The people here have huge hearts for the people of Oaxaca to hear the gospel for the first time. There are about 30 missionaries here, and I am older than about 25 of them, which is ridiculous.

There are definitely more rules than I am used to following, but I am beginning to adjust. I am not sure why, but here, I am really good at handstands...which is a good thing!