A Gift to Share – Part 2
We trust you will be blessed to bless others in seeing some of the insights that have so deeply impacted our lives through our training this summer at the Center for Intercultural Training!
From Caleb, Jacob, and Rachel:
- A couple of weeks ago, Rachel started crying about missing her cousins and friends. Kristin encouraged her to pray to God that he would hug her, but Rachel said she did not see or feel Him. Later, after she was in bed awhile, Rachel came out of her room and excitedly told Daddy (who did not know about her conversation with Mommy) that she had prayed to God, and in her words, “He came to me and hugged me, and I felt it!” She also felt better.
- Rachel also likes learning words in “Porkagese” (Portuguese).
- Caleb & Jacob like trying new foods in class.
- Caleb wanted to share that he has learned about “third culture kids,” who are a mix of two cultures to make a third one.
- One of Jacob’s highlights include making a Ghana belt out of yarn and straws. He really likes the cultural training.
From Kristin and Mark:
- “The gospel doesn’t change, but maybe we should.” (Jackson Wu)
- National leaders around the world have asked CIT to focus on the following in their training of North American missionaries: Humility & Gratitude.
- I am thankful that I can discover my true identity in Christ, and that it is in neither culture, and transcends both cultures. (Kristin)
- In cultural transition, it is important to observe before interpreting. (Kristin)
- In view of where we are going: God is already there, and has been there for a while. (Kristin)
- One of our facilitators shared his heart as a father with the fathers in our class taking their children onto the foreign mission field: “Don’t be afraid. Kids will do well. It’s a great experience for kids.” (Mark)
- A key to everything: “Attitude – Attitude – Attitude” (Kristin)
- The best way to help your kids is your own attitude and how you model it, because they pick up on it. (Kristin)
- We as North Americans are over the top with compliments and superlatives compared to other cultures. (Mark)
- 2 keys for cultural adjustment: Talk less and talk quieter (Mark)
- I’m thankful that Mark leads me well. (Kristin)
- I am grateful that Kristin is a true partner to me, and I to her. (Mark)
- One indicator of our ethnocentrism is when we find ourselves more upset when our country is disrespected than when our God is disrespected. (Mark)
- Discipleship begins where people are and moves them toward Christ (like moving them from where they are on the map toward their destination–people start from many different places).