Time for a break...

So we are moving back to the States in the next few days. I will take a break from blogging during this time, but will start blogging again the second week of July.

I leave you with one thought to ponder. As an American it is natural for me to be proud of my country with its Justice system, laws, prosecution of bribery, and anti-monopoly protections. A recent survey by a respected entity figured the US is 18th in the world in regards to transparency and a lack of corruption. Clearly, we still have room to improve. Rather than a slam on my country, I view this statistic that our country is human and human's need Jesus. So next time a friend from a foriegn culture rips my culture as morally bankrupt, power hungry, and corrupt; I can listen to them and then remind them that the visibility of our mistakes is a great remind that everyone including Americans needs a savior. They need Jesus.

Thanks for reading. I will write again soon.

Cultural comparisons

Two random events in the last day or so reminded me how naturally I compare my culture to others. Most of the time I prefer my own culture. I don't know that it is bad to have preferences or prejudices as long as I am aware of them and know when to switch them off.

First, I am frustrated that everything in Egypt revolves around just in time communication. It is similar to just in time delivery or construction in American. With this method the order and delivery of goods and services is timed so that is arrives exactly when it is needed. The benefit is you save on interest costs and storage costs. We love it in America and most businesses use it in one form or another. Well in Egypt, they do this with communication. Why call when you can just swing by and ring the door bell? Why use email when you can just call people on their mobile (everyone must have one and it must ALWAYS be available)? Why make specific plans a day or two in advance when you can call a few hours before and finalize everything? This all works fine enough when people are there and you can connect. Otherwise, it is a mess and things drag on forever as re-calls and re-visits happen randomly until you do connect with each other.

Second, ... okay, I don't remember the second one anymore, but it was an equally good observation.

So in the end I am reminded of the warning I received from my wife before we left for Egypt...

"You will experience culture shock. You will love Egypt, and then hate it, and then love it again. People who have been there for decades say that culture shock never really goes away." Since I know intellectually that one culture is not "better" than another, I feel the challenge to look for the good in both my home culture and my current culture. Honestly, I still find I am short with people when I am having an "I hate (insert culture)" moment. I will try to keep this in mind when I get home and see some Somali lady looking pissed off. [the leader photo is of a cultural trait that I HATE about America: two people talking to each other and on the phone to other people at the same time.]

Stick'n with it

A few nights ago I had a friend over to visit Sarah and I. We had setup this meeting long in advance so I was planning for a evening of fun, games, and food. Sarah had a change in plans at the last minute so all the prep and cleaning was on me. I worked hard and finished just five minutes before my friend showed up.

We had fun chatting and he showed me some pictures from his home about an hour North of Jeddah. He has the cutest grandbabies! He was generous and gave Sarah a beautiful outfit as well as giving us both fragrances. We gave him a nice photo of Oregon and three business books in English. We ate some food together and then he had to leave for a study group (he is getting his PhD).

So with all this fun, why did I find it sad and disappointing when he left? I had thought we would spend the evening hanging out and getting to know each other better. He only stayed about an hour and ate about half his food.

I am reminded that people are in your life for a reason, a season, and a lifetime (stole this quote from someone else). With my friend I don't know how well God will let me get to know him or how long we will be friends. The result is I try to let my hope and prayers for him go, turn the friendship over to God, and live in the present with him as long as God allows. This has never been natural for me although God continues to work on me in this area.

In the end I was reminded to stick with it and let God take care of the future. Who knows? Maybe I will get a chance to spend time with him and his fiance in the future. What a great chance to make another new friend!

A little light reading...

I was taught there are three types of cultural exchanges in the world:

1) Home culture to Home culture

• The most common for most of us. Chatting with people like you who live in the same area and speak the same language.

2) Similar culture to Similar culture

• Maybe different backgrounds or ethnicities but both of you are living in the same region. Think of it as your average 1st generation Mexican American that has lived in the US for 5 years or so having a conversation with a non-Mexican American. They both have the cultural rules of life in America down. However, there maybe some language barriers and they probably have different traditions and habits.

3)Foreign culture to Foreign culture

• This is what most people think of when you say cross-cultural encounter. A white European that speaks English and French spending time with a Chinese person that speaks German, Chinese, and a little English. There is some talking and a lot of hand gestures. Neither side has any idea how the other views them from their cultural point of view.
  

Okay so with this background outta the way, let's look at the challenge of this website. How do we as American's understand and engage the members of the world that live among us in the US.

One way is to read about their culture and how they see us and life in America. Armed with this info, we can go where they are and hangout over tea or coffee. We can seek to understand people and find the things we do have in common. We can embrace the challenge of a similar culture to similar culture friendship. In doing so, we can follow the example the Jesus gave us.

For those that want to give this a try I have the following info:
A great link page on the US Embassy in Cairo website about Muslims in America. While not all Muslims in America are immigrants, many are. There are many interesting links there to inform the average non-Muslim about what is going on in the Muslim Americans' lives as they live here. I have only checked out one site on the link page, Azizah Magazine, but it was interesting reading to me. I think it is like Woman's Day magazine, but for Muslim women in America.

Secondly, Harvard University has a good website detailing the various culture and religious centers sprinkled around the US. You can always contact one of these. My experience is that most people that are part of a different culture or religious group usually stick together in a foreign country or dissimilar culture. We feel safe and happy around people like us. I know I did this when I lived outside the US. As expats, we tend to have the same hangouts, churches, and fellowship habits.

I should probably clarify one thing. I don't single Muslim Americans out as all a bunch of "foreigners" rather, I am focusing on the Somalis or other people groups that are not native born Americans and are also Muslim. I can't imagine what their experience must be like in America, but I will try. I will close with one story a friend told me:

The power went out in on a winter evening in my home town. My friend thought of her Somali neighbors and went to check on them. They had opened their front door and were shining the car headlights in the house. My friend gave them candles and a flashlight and told them to shut the door and keep the heat in the house because they didn't know when the power would come back on. To the native born Americans this is common sense, but to immigrants this was a brand new experience.

President Barack, Chairman Hu, and Jesus

I enjoyed a good cup of tea tonight with a Chinese friend. He works in a very successful Chinese telecommunications company. I only recently met him. I find my friend humble, generous (he picked up the bill), and fun. I also find that my friend is as proud of China and his company as I am of America and the companies I have worked for.

It was interesting to me to remember my natural competitive feelings toward my friend's success when we first met. America is struggling right now. The media in the US runs story after story about the cat and mouse game between China and the US as both jockey for advantage. It is too easy to view a successful Chinese company and by associate a successful Chinese employee as a threat to my country's, my company's, and my own prosperity.


The Gospel of Mark (The New International Diplomatic Paraphrase version)

Then President Barack and Chairman Hu, the sons of Commerce, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. They replied "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" "We can," they answered. ... "These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."

When the EU, Russia, Japan, the UAE, and rest of UN members heard about this, they became indignant with President Barack and Chairman Hu. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Okay, so this was not an official paraphrase. I had a little fun changing out the names. The point is still valid in my mind. The world tells us for every winner there must be a loser. If the growth or success of another country outpaces our own then they must be taking away some of our prosperity. So seek advantage and power whenever and however you can find it.

The Gospel's words remind me that competition with each other has no place in the church. That is what makes following Christ different. Power, wealth, and advantage become tools of service. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul speaks of how the church is made of many parts like a human body where the function and ability of each part is different, yet all parts are equal. If even one part is missing the body can not function.

The resulting logic in my mind is that it is unimportant who has wealth, power, or advantage. I must cheer others success, and seek to serve to the best of my ability with what I have been given. Thanks, George for your friendship and this valuable lesson! (the tea was good too.)

Grief

For fun I typed in the name of a Muslim friend into Google. I found my friend was a voice of reform at home. He is an American educated moderate. I think that is wonderful. I also found a passionate letter that my friend wrote on the Islamic Awakenings's website.

A queasy awful feeling hurts me inside. My mind is spinning with random thoughts that feel disconnected from each other. I feel sickened by the realization of my fears. I fear that pro-Israel/ anti-Muslim activities and attitudes of American "Christians" will destroy the ability of other people to see them with anything but loathing and hatred. I fear those who do not follow Christ would see nothing of what attracts them to Christ in his followers.

I have attached a link to my friend's article below. Please note that I do not agree with many of his statements. The reason I post this link is so you can see his pain and the damage that MUST be over come.

article

My grief is over the view that he has of followers of Christ. My pain is because I can see why and how he would feel the way he does. My pain is because my brothers and sisters in Christ are letting Arab image bearers of God slip away because they refuse to love them. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! How will the world see Christ in us if we are no different in action than it is. Doesn't the world have enough people who love those that love them and hate those that hate them. Please! for the love of our Savior and his great command, we must stop playing favorites and treat all fairly with love.

Is God a Capitalist?

It seems like the issue of God's "political stance" comes up more often in the days after the 2004 Presidential election. With the assistance of Karl Rove, the ACLU, James Dobson, and NOW, American followers of Jesus are forced to define God's political platform.

What happens when we put a new suit on God with a small American flag pin on the lapel? At campaign headquarters, we busily plot political-religious strategy. We have one group that screams "Truth... truth is the most important thing that God must get across. If he doesn't tell them the truth then people die without salvation!" Another group crys "Love... love is the most important thing God must speak about. He is so charismatic and warm. They are starving for the real love that comes from him and will find strength in his love. Without that strength they can not face the truth."

As Americans we feel passionately about our opinions of what God wants an obedient follower to do and say. We are his hands and feet in this world so our votes are more than just an electoral action. They become a manifesto of faith and send a message to the world around us about what we believe.

"What message is sent when we don't show unity?", we worry. "Will the world get the wrong message because some of the followers are saying the wrong things?"

The socialists point to Acts 2 and 5. The capitalists point to the parable of the talents and Paul's writings about giftings. Authoritarians point to God's model of government in heaven and the one he chose for Israel (after they rejected him). Democracy advocates point to the ability of it to facilitate open discussions about faith and smooth out the winds of generational religous shifts.

So in the end, where is God on these issues? And how should his people act and vote? I have no easy answers and am not vain enough to speak for God. I leave you to your own struggles.

However, I do think these struggles offer us a chance to remember God's promise. He promised that peoples from all the nations will be present in Heaven. He also commands his people to submit to earthly authorities which God has placed over them.

Since we know these facts, we should not force a communist to become a capitalist before we share fellowship with him/her. The same is true for views on social and cultural issues such as dress, grooming habits, and body language. Must we "civilize" the "savages" as a condition of belief in Jesus or is it enough for them to "savagely" seek and praise God?

I challenge all of us including myself to seek to strip away my culture and bias from his gospel, love, truth, and glory.