| Tuesday, June 13, 2006 |
| All in Two Weeks |
We've now spent just over two weeks here at training. I wish that I could blog everything that we've been learning and experiencing here. That would take hours and hours. After each day of class, after talking through things with Aaron, I'm spent, and I have no desire to spend time typing away at the computer. But everything has been so impacting so far that it deserves at the very least an overview. So here it goes...
Thus far we've spent time identifing our personal values, where they come from, and how they will fit or conflict with our new culture. We've talked about the challenges we'll encounter entering into a new culture. There are a host of stresses that come with leaving your home and then entering and living in a foreign culture, and we've discussed how we will maintain vitality amidst all of these stresses. We've discussed our personal conflict styles, and how to have healthy conflict. We've considered the lifestyle choices that we will have to make, how to deal with crisis, and how to say goodbye well. And that has just been in the last two weeks!! Many of the issues have been very emotional, as the reality of this major life change sinks in.
It would be great if all this training meant that we are now fully prepared to handle all that is ahead, but I am certain that no one can ever be fully prepared for anything really. I know that we will make a countless mistakes in our new life in China, and while that's not fun to think about, it's better to know that now than to be surprised by failures when they smack us in the head.
I thought I would include a reading that was shared in class. It is a different rendition of a well loved passage. It encapsulates much of what I am feeling, and encourages me to strive for what ultimately matters.
If I speak with the tongue of a national, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbol.
If I wear the national dress and understand the culture and all forms of etiquette so that I could pass for a national, but have not love, I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor, and if I spend my energy without reserve, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love endures long hours of language study, and is kind to those who mock his accent; love does not envy those who stayed home; love does not exalt his home country, does not think evil about this culture;
Love bears all criticism about his home culture, believes all good things about this new culture, confidently anticipates being at home in this place, endures all inconveniences.
Love never fails; but where there is cultural anthropology, it will fail; where there is contextualization it will cease; where there is linguistics, it will vanish.
For we know only part of the culture and we serve only part.
But when He is reproduced in this culture, then our inadequacies will be insignificant.
When I was in America I spoke as an American, I understood as an American, I thought as an American; but when I left America I put away American things.
Now we adapt to this culture awkwardly; but He will live in it intimately; now I speak with a strange accent, but He will speak to the heart.
And now these three remain: cultural adaptation, language study, and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
(Author Unknown) |
posted by Danielle @ 7:28 PM  |
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| 6 Comments: |
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enjoy the blog y'all, but you gots to put some white text or a lighter background up here so you can read it withough having to highlight everything :)
rest those hammies.
josh
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Hi Danielle,
I loved that rendition of the passage. It is something that I will share with Andrea; although it may not be as big a culture shock to go to England there still are many things in those words that pertain to her,also. I continue to keep you and Aaron in my thoughts as you prepare for these 3 years in China; and as you said, nothing will fully prepare you for this change in culture.
Diane
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Oh my goodness! How true are the words of that passage! I need to copy and frame that as a reminder to myself. It's worth it!
Hope you guys are doing well. You're in my pr-s.
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Hello! I'm thinking of you and so excited for your grand adventure. Keep up the hard work and it will all fall into place.
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Hello! I'm thinking of you and so excited for your grand adventure. Keep up the hard work and it will all fall into place. Have fun!
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Hey guys! I need new posts to keep up! I can't believe you are leaving soo soon! Skype us! He is preparing you, and we are talking to Him about you. Is this ok to post? We love you so much and already miss you. China is so lucky to have you.
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enjoy the blog y'all, but you gots to put some white text or a lighter background up here so you can read it withough having to highlight everything :)
rest those hammies.
josh