Busy, busy, busy...

No one can ever say that life is a missionary is boring (or in ministry at all for that matter).  What started out as a meeting with the staff this morning to step up the level of integrity in every area, ended up being the funniest meeting of all.  Working with another culture can be challenging in this area, because there are very different ideas, culturally speaking, to what is acceptable and "above reproach" behavior between the cultures.

For example, Americans have personal space.  If someone oversteps that personal space, we tend to back off.  Also, Americans tend to be very aware of the personal space even more when it involves someone of the opposite sex.  Here in Asia, personal space does not exist.  People bump into each other and never even give it another thought, much less say excuse me for it. It is the norm.  This goes for male and female too.  There is nothing wrong walking arm in arm down the street just as acquaintances with each other. Where as in America we would immediately think there is a more intimate relationship going on there.

pic from wikipedia online

This morning in the meeting we went over boundaries and personal space.  We discussed the differences in this between cultures, and set an acceptable standard for the office that both the American and the Chinese staff members could agree upon (using the Word to help set these based on it's standards for God's children, regardless of nationality or culture).

After the meeting, I began working with the Pastor and our interpreter to go over the bible verses for the curriculum in the study classes we are beginning.  Of all mornings, we ended up reading and dissecting Mark 7:21 - 23.  These particular words used in this verse were foreign to our interpreter and it became hilarious listening to her version of what she thought the translation would be and then our version of what it is in English.  Of course these verses also go into much of the morning's integrity meeting.  The funny part was how naive the interpreter was and her face during this process, and her comments in light of the morning.  It was so cute, but I guess you had to be there.

Oh, well, it was a great morning.  Off to a very late lunch.  --joy