Humility in Crossing Cultures

Tucker and I are looking to move to a part of town in Atlanta that is truly the area where internationals from all over the world choose to make their home. Tucker is currently working in apartment leasing at one of these locations, a place full of Latin Americans, African people, and your occasional Caucasian neighbor, and I do mean occasional. The opportunity to cross cultures so close to home is incredibly exciting, and after years of telling short term participants that the foreign field is all around them with all the immigrants moving to the states, we are excited to start this adventure and work alongside these people. The other day, however, I realized that I have a lot to learn.

After working in Mexico for three years, first at the school and then discipling women in the small market town where I lived, I developed a pretty defined picture of what my role was on the team I ministered with. Meeting women and making relationships with people has never been a difficulty for me, I simply would just walk into a shop and start a conversation. I am a very outgoing person, fear or uncertainty never really stopped me in those situations. The friendships I developed as a result were extraordinary and I found myself assuming that my style of interaction would be how I would do things, no matter where we ended up. In my limited experience with cultures, I unconsciously determined that this pattern of relationship making would cross any culture.

Now two months later, I have found that the place I held on the front lines of relationship making has been changed, and I know that I will need to trust in God all the more in this next step. While my confident husband goes out meeting Ethiopian men in the market, Indian restaurant workers in the food court, visiting Mosques and various temples, I have found myself patiently waiting to learn how I must dress and what are the taboos I must not do in order to meet the women in these local places. A couple of days ago, I accompanied my mother-in-law and husband to the Global Mall to eat Indian Food. This Eastern, and pre-dominantly Indian setting has become a favorite dining place for my husband who works only a few miles away, and I must say I love the fact that we are often the only Caucausian people there. After lunch we began to explore, and found a gym offering martial arts classes. As introductions took place, I confidently stuck my hand out to shake the man's hand. His reaction was polite, "Sorry mam, I can't. I am Muslim." This single event has began a series of humbling and life changing thoughts as we look to heading to an Eastern country someday. My whole approach to ministry for the last few years must change as I go to countries that place a high importance on the place in society for women. This is good.

Lean not on your own understanding, the Lord keeps urging me, and yet I find myself trying to gain confidence in my own ability. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." To see the Kingdom come in the life that God has destined for our family, I must humble myself and be led by my husband Tucker and ultimately Him, Trusting in the Lord, and not my own assurance or confidence. And as Tucker and I look to being led into this cross-cultural lifestyle, I must be willing to let Tucker go first. This may seem easy for many of you, I however thrive at being the adventuresome one, the first one or at least among the first ones. And so, as I pray that the Lord refines me and us, I have found that refinement is touching every aspect of my life that may intimate or breed pride and cutting it off. Lord, I pray that I will accept whatever you will give me, and whatever place I must take as we live among these people that define the roles of women so differently.