Importance of understanding the culture of the “Other”

When I made the decision to serve The Lord in full time ministry under the mentorship of missionaries 28 years ago, I met opposition from sources I least expected. In his attempt to caution or to deter me, a native senior minister, a member on the board of directors of the mission asked me a question that bothered me. The question was; “what have those missionaries enticed you with?” He made other negative statements about the missionaries that were mind boggling. He was trained and had served with the same missionaries for over fifteen years. I wondered why he had such an attitude about the missionaries whom he had ministered with for such a long time. It was obvious that the relationship between him (the other native ministers as well) and the missionaries was not healthy. After a period of about three years the ministry split following a sharp disagreement between the natives and the missionaries. This was not a pleasant experience to say the least. Over ten similar cases occurred in other ministries in the same city in the past fifteen years. Both the natives and the missionaries have been deeply hurt in each of these instances. I believe that neither the natives nor the missionaries had evil intention against the other. I believe that the misunderstandings that have happened between missionaries and the natives particularly in my country are based on ignorance of how the others’ culture works. Soong-Chan’s book, “Many Colors”, has helped me to reflect deeply about these occurrences as well as my own culture and to see the culture of others from a new angle. I agree with Soong-Chan that we should prioritize understanding others over and above seeking to be understood. His insights have helped me to understand culture’s internal aspects namely; Concepts of personal space, ideas regarding modesty and beauty, concepts of leadership, concepts of fairness, values, understanding of truth and how different cultures view power and the distribution of power. Soong emphasizes that that is where cultural clashes happen. There is a need to learn to identify the values and motivations under the surface and this applies to both the natives and the missionaries. When this happens, judgmental attitudes will diminish and cultural sensitivity will be developed.
Culture is much more than which foods are eaten or how weddings are conducted. It is more than learning a few words in the native language. Culture includes all facets of personal and community life. It determines the use of time, the meaning of space, the rules for interaction between men and women as well as a myriad other aspects of behavior patterns of a people. Culture affects everything that is thought, done, made, or spoken. Crossman said; “Culture is a people’s mental map of their world. It provides them with a guide for their decisions and behavior.” Learning how the other culture works is important.
To be continued.