Today's post is from one of my best friends, Anne Tumborello. Her understanding of the Word and her joyful spirit inspires me each time I am with her. I am so thankful for such great friends and honored to share them with you through this blog! :)
Embracing Constant Culture Shock
In 2007 I took a team of 8 youth and 2 youth leaders on a missions trip with YWAM to Kanpur, India. (Disclaimer before I continue: I love India and think everyone should go there. The people are so amazing and loving. I would go back in a heartbeat. To develop my point, I’m only focusing on one aspect of my experience there.)
We arrived in New Delhi airport and I remember while going through customs a feeling I had never experienced before. I had traveled to Belgium and Africa, but never felt this feeling of culture shock. It only became worse that day. As we claimed our bags and exchanged our money, I felt the shock more. (Of course, I kept this feeling guarded so that the team wouldn’t sense my shock...but on the inside I was freaking out.) We left the airport and got into a crazy cab and I thought I was going to die as we drove on the roads (which apparently have no order or rules.) We arrived at our “hotel” and took our bags up to these little rooms with bars on the windows and 4 locks. Ummm, that did not make me feel safe. After checking in, I told the team to take a nap and we would meet in an hour downstairs. I had to “pull myself together” and find some comfort in this strange place. I felt so much anxiety because I was soooo out of my comfort zone. I decided to lay down on a “mattress”(as comfortable as the floor) curl up into a ball and put a blanket over my head. I was uncomfortable. I was in shock. I really didn’t think this was going to happen to me. After that hour, the shock was a little more manageable, but it definitely continued the rest of the 2 weeks as I experienced the insane population density, extreme heat 110-120 degrees, chaotic roads with animals wandering everywhere, electricity going on and off, different clothes, having to purify water to drink, brushing my teeth with a few drips from a purified water bottle, new sounds, different currency, different toileting system, new smells, dirt, crazy driving, trains with holes so you can urinate while the train is traveling, internet cafes where the internet didn’t work, music, food with lots of spices, no silverwear… the list goes on and on.
Since I studied Social Work, this devotion will include the definition of Culture Shock A condition of confusion and anxiety affecting a person suddenly exposed to an alien culture. Yep… that was me. I had that.
We took a train to Kanpur, which is a city rarely sees westerners. I felt so out of place. I tried wearing the salwar kameez woman’s clothing, but I still stood out with blonde hair. I couldn't help it. I couldn’t change my differences that caused me to stand out. I was reminded every day, every moment that I was in a strange land.
The word I can use to describe the feeling those weeks was peculiar. I felt peculiar. (one more definition and then I’m finished)
pe·cu·liar different from the usual or normal: odd, strange, relating to, or characteristic of another country : foreign: not native to or naturally belonging in a place : of external origin, kind, or character.
Yep… me again. I felt odd, very strange, unnatural. Uncomfortable.
Isn’t that what God calls us in relation to this land?
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: (1 Peter 2:9)
The chosen part and royal part and holy part of this verse are so nice and easy to swallow…but he adds “peculiar.”
So God wants us as Christians to feel odd, strange and unnatural.
As God’s people in this land, He has given us the mission to show our family, friends, coworkers, neighbors who He is and what He is all about… while feeling peculiar.
Okay, but who welcomes the idea of being peculiar? We need to. We need to learn to take it as a compliment. The stares in India were not bad stares, they were some of the nicest people who were just curious because they had never seen a westerner in real life (outside of tv).
I learned to embrace the feeling of culture shock while I was in India. It never went away. I knew that was not my home.
This world, our lives, our conduct, … we are only on a short “mission trip.” We will feel a constant culture shock in our life here because this world is not my home. This world is not your home.
We are living temporarily in a foreign country until He takes us to be with Him forever. Eternally. That is our “land” of origin.
Prayer:
God, may we treasure the feeling of culture shock when our loved ones, coworkers, neighbors think our actions are peculiar. Cause us to enjoy the reminders that we stand out and different from the norm. Please help us to remember today that this world is not our home. When faced with decisions to fit in or not to fit in, remind us that this culture should never be our norm. Please guard us against the temptation to attempt to cover up who we are in an attempt to "fit in" with this culture. By your grace, please allow our spirits to remain sensitive to the culture shock of wickedness and evil. May our spirits embrace the feeling of being peculiar and foreign in this land. No matter how hard it becomes, I pray that you guard us against becoming desensitized to your way of doing things by the constant opposing messages of the culture I live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment