The merry clay of Chiang Mai: Grace sightings

We’ve just returned from nine days (including travel) in Thailand and the gathering of Evangelical Friends Mission (EFM) workers from around the globe. We met at a resort hotel in Chiang Mai, an uncommon luxury for some of those in attendance. I spotted grace in many places, both blatant and tucked into obscure corners.

--The people and their stories: I loved getting to know Quaker missionaries from (and to) India, the Philippines, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Hungary, Guatemala and Cambodia. I took on the role of being a “story catcher,” and spent time interviewing women from India, Nepal and Bangladesh, listening to their stories of encounter with Jesus, arranged marriages, and experiences as Quaker Christian ministers in Hindu and Muslim contexts. While our stories contrast in many ways, our experiences of grace coincide.

--The merry clay of Christian experience: One evening the family from Bhutan shared a song from their context, and the English translation contained one of those phrases that serendipitously combine error and truth. When the words, “He lifted me out of the merry clay,” flashed on the Powerpoint, some of us smiled. I’ve been smiling ever since. While perhaps not representative of the bog and mire of hard times, what a delightful way to think of this good earth.

--The merry clay of Chiang Mai: The resort where we stayed was set in the middle of a huge botanical garden that included a series of small lakes, joined by streams that flowed around tropical trees and flowers. This was merry clay indeed, full of beauty and grace. Insect song and the calls of strange birds added to the mystery and gave a new setting for worship. We walked every day and continued to discover new paths through the forest.

--Thai hospitality: I love the Thai greeting, hands folded and head bowed as if in prayer. Maybe I’m romanticizing, but it seemed to communicate a reverence for the presence of another person. Our welcome was warm, the food amazing. Of course we only got a glimpse of this complex culture, but my desire to know and understand more has been kindled. I suspect I would find grace upon grace.

--Friendships new and old: I especially loved talking with Kathi, missionary to Ireland, and sensed the beginning of friendship. But I also savored those afternoons when the EFM missionaries and staff had their coaching sessions, leaving us Quakers from other yearly meetings free to do whatever we wished. The “whatever” we chose was to meet in the coffee shop--Johan, Becky, Hal and me, iced Thai chai, yoghurt smoothies and great conversation.

--Another family fix: Of course part of the allure of this trip was knowing that our Rwandan kids and grandkids would be part of the event. This was their territory, as David and Debby serve under EFM, the sponsors of the event. It was good watching them interact with their cross-cultural team members. And having another chance to run around with Aren, Gwen and Alandra was honey to my spirit. Again, grace upon grace.

--Home again, with memories that make me smile.

Thank you, Lord.

Dysfunctional families in mission

On Saturday we flew from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and today, Monday, we fly to La Paz for three weeks. Our two weeks in Brazil were intense and full. On our last day in Londrina I moderated the oral comprehensive exam of a Brazilian doctoral candidate I’ve been mentoring. Luis is a gifted theologian and psychologist and has served the last few years as president of a large interdenominational seminary in Londrina.

It’s no wonder progress in his doctoral work has been slow. This is the case with so many of our students, all leaders in their own spheres of influence, with little spare time. In addition, they have families they are committed to. Luis and his wife have two young boys who demand more time with their daddy.

Luis wants to focus his research in the area of family, bringing together his background in theology and psychology to investigate the role of the family in fulfilling God’s mission in the world (what we call the missio Dei). In his original proposal he planned to do field research among Christian families in Londrina, showing how the dysfunctionality of his case studies hindered their participation in the missio Dei. This carries a presupposition that God uses healthy families for mission. We’re been working for some time on refining this proposal, bringing it up to Ph.D. level. (Proposal development is extremely difficult.)

What Luis presented on Friday has evolved considerably from the original proposal with its focus on dysfunctionality; it is more objective, open to let the research make discoveries. But something very interesting came out in the actual defense.  One aspect of Luis’ research will be a hermeneutical case study of two biblical families, the intergenerational family of Abraham/Isaac/Jacob/Joseph and that of David/his parents/his many wives and children. One examining professor noted that the Bible is full of dysfunctional families. Yet these are the very people and families that God uses in the missio Dei.

This turns Luis’ original proposal on its head. Instead of exploring how God uses healthy functional families in mission, it seems we need to investigate God’s use of dysfunctional families and flawed people to carry out his purposes in the world.

A closer look at the Bible reveals very few “normal,” “healthy” (as defined by cultural norms) families, or even people, for that matter. Yet God took Abraham, David and a host of others and co-labored with them in moving history forward on paths of justice, righteousness, and salvation in its fullest sense. The story continues through the pages of the New Testament, and today dysfunctional families and flawed people (like me and you) work together with God in kingdom purposes. Maybe we’re all God has to work with.

Sometimes I wonder is there exists such a wonder as a “functional family” or even a “normal person.” Maybe we’re all on a continuum, gradually being transformed into the image of Christ, as Paul writes in 2 Cor. 3:18. And this image possibly has little to do with either functionality or normality. In the meantime (that slowly, by grace, is becoming kindtime), I’m glad God can use me. Just as I am. And as I am becoming.

Windows on cross-cultural servanthood

I have the joy of announcing another new book. The complete title is Windows on cross-cultural servanthood: A tribute to Betty Sue Brewster, and the entire book is available online as the current issue of the journal, Global Missiology,Vol. 1, No 4. Edited by Jude Tiersma Watson and Georgia Grimes Shaw, this is a different kind of festshrift to honor Betty Sue Brewster upon her retirement from Fuller Theological Seminary. Like Betty Sue, it’s unconventional and practical, a narrative record of the experiences of fifteen women who have given their lives to cross-cultural ministry. I contributed one chapter, as well as the preface, which I will reproduce here:

Preface to Windows on cross-cultural servanthood: A tribute to Betty Sue Brewster

This is a green book.  We chopped down no trees in order to produce it. In fact, it’s not even a book, strictly speaking. In contrast to the traditional “festschrift,” the editors decided early on to publish these essays as part of an on-line journal, thus making them accessible worldwide. Generosity is a green virtue.

There is another reason why we call this collection of essays green. We offer it in honor of Betty Sue Brewster, whose maiden name just happens to be Green. In some way all the writers reflect the influence of Betty Sue’s life and contributions.

A deeper reason for calling this volume green runs beneath the surface, an underground stream feeding its roots. I’m reminded of a song Kermit the Frog used to sing: “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” Our family sang along with Kermit, partly because of a metaphor circulating in the missionary community, a teaching tool to help missionary kids understand and accept the tensions of living cross-culturally. David and Kristin found insight and comfort knowing that they were a unique combination of the culture they grew up in and called home (Bolivia) and the culture their parents came from (the USA) and drug them back to periodically on those unnatural vacations known as “furloughs.” It’s like what happens when you combine the primary colors, yellow and blue. You end up with green. Our kids came out neither totally Bolivian (yellow) or totally of the USA (blue).  They’re green. And while it may not be easy being green, it’s good. All pilgrims are green.

The metaphor doesn’t apply just to children of missionaries. All people who work incarnationally in cross-cultural mission become changed.  Incarnational mission is a concept and practice that Betty Sue and her husband Tom pioneered, practiced and passed on to following generations.  It’s a concept that is fleshed out in the essays in this collection.  It reflects the lives of people who have integrated home culture with the cultures of the world as they seek to live out Kingdom values in mission practice.  It reflects people who have become green.

There is yet another link to the color green.  You’ll notice that all the authors are women. This is intentional. Betty Sue championed women as leaders in mission. Granted, she did this in her own quiet, gentle manner.  But gentleness does not equate weakness. In the case of Betty Sue (and the writers of this collection), gentleness expresses itself in strength, identification, relationship, creativity, narrative and the deep values of the Kingdom of God. Some would say that these feminine traits are more naturally green—conducive to walking gently over the earth—than are the aggressive masculine traits sometimes associated with mission. These stereotypes bear more than a grain of truth (but are probably not fair to men).

At any rate, this is a green “book,” full of stories written by women in mission, encouraging us to walk gently, thoughtfully and respectfully as we journey cross-culturally. And it aptly honors one who showed us how.

Dreams, drama and a thesis defense

Sergio da Silveira began the presentation of his thesis with a story. As an idealistic young man he had just graduated from the state university in Rio de Janeiro with a major in Portuguese literature. His dream was to go on and get his masters degree in literature, but there was an obstacle. He sensed God calling him to become a missionary.

Sergio chose to follow God and he gave up his academic dreams. For over 30 years now he has been involved in missions, first as a Brazilian missionary to Bolivia, and more recently as director of a program that trains Brazilian missionaries in Bolivia before sending them on to their final destination in Africa or the Middle East.

He told us that this afternoon, God was fulfilling his original dream. He was here to defend his masters thesis, not in literature, but in mission.

When Sergio speaks, all his Brazilian passion and flare for the dramatic come to the forefront. This was probably one of the most entertaining thesis defenses I have sat through. Sergio doesn’t just speak; he preaches, and although this was a formal academic event, he preached his way through it, accompanied by broad gestures and dancing feet. After he informed us that his research was qualitative and descriptive, based on empirical data obtained from case studies, he paused, then exclaimed, “Isn’t this marvelous?” At another point he explained, “Don’t be alarmed. This is my natural way of talking.” An occasional “amen” and “hallelujah” punctuated the 45 minute presentation, which had to be sped up at the end to include his conclusions. We were all panting. This was followed by 45 minutes of questions from the panel of judges. Sergio’s style didn’t change.

I love the origins of the word “enthusiasm.” It combines the Greek words for “in” and “God,” and one might say it meant, “infused with God.” That describes Sergio yesterday. I know the long road he walked to get to this point and the triumph it represents. Academic propriety can just go out the window sometimes. I didn’t miss it.

In his research Sergio was evaluating the effects of the intermediary training program that prepares Brazilian missionaries for their future service. He was motivated by the fact that well over half of Brazilian missionaries sent abroad encountered problems so severe they quit and came home before their first term ended. The program Sergio directs places missionary candidates in places of ministry in Bolivia as part of their training, hoping that experience in a culture that is a little different from Brazil will help prepare them for their posts in Africa or the Middle East. In the cases he studied from a 15 year span, over 70% of the 54 candidates were able to persevere in their new posts. Hopefully Sergio’s research will encourage his mission agency to continue this type of preparation.

It certainly encourages us. Hal was Sergio’s mentor and has had to work with him long distance for the past several years. He graduates from the masters-in-mission program we founded and directed at the Universidad Evangelica Boliviana. Even though we are no longer there, it’s good to know that the process works, and that our students are making significant contributions.

 Sergio passed his defense. We all went home tired but content. Today he is back to work, full of enthusiasm, one dream accomplished, many others ahead. Thanks be to God.

Living on multiple levels: Santa Cruz version

Right now Hal and I are in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  As I got up in the darkness just before dawn this morning, the sounds of roosters and tropical birds greeted me. I remembered the rain on the roof sometime in the middle of the night. As the day slowly grew lighter, traffic sounds added their own tones, reminding me that in spite of all the rural atmosphere, this is a city. Taxis and buses, roosters and the parrots flying over the red tile roofs give a decidedly sensuous start to the day.  A new day in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

 The view from our balcony

This is one of the realities, one of the multiple levels, I am living now: the level of cultural diversity, the sights and smells and sounds of a specific place that both challenges and delights us.  This is part of the richness of life we are so privileged to enjoy.

Speaking of sounds is good way to begin because we are basically here in Bolivia to listen.  It’s been two years since we’ve been in this place where we’ve spent more than 25 years. Our task right now is to listen and learn. What is God doing among Friends in Bolivia? What are the challenges and hopes people carry today?  We are spending time with church leaders and pastors, with people in the Bolivian Evangelical University, and especially with students, friends and fellow disciples of Jesus who have become part of our lives. And this opens us up to levels of reality on both the community and personal levels.  And this is the heart of why we’re here.

A

 Visiting with, Emiliano, one of the pillars of the Friends movement in Santa Cruz

 Helping Sergio put the finishing touches on his masters thesis in mission

As international/intercultural travelers, we are also very aware of living our adventures on the physical level.  This does not get easier with age and experience.  Quite the opposite, our bodies don’t seem to be quite as adaptable to sudden changes of climate and diet.  Although I don’t intend to go into detail about this, it is certainly a reality and one of the multiples levels we experience.  (There are, unfortunately, moments when this is the primary reality!)

Another very real and simultaneous level of reality I’m experiencing has to do with what I’ve been reading. I loaded up my Kindle with great material for this trip, and for the last week I’ve been deeply into Eric Mataxas’ biography, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is certainly among that “cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1) cheering us on, and I’m learning much from his life and witness, comparing the challenges he faced in German church of the 1930s and -40s with those of the church in Latin American today.  I finished the book last night, and this morning Hal looked at me in surprise and said, “Nancy, you’re crying.”  I hadn’t realized it, but I had been in the middle of an imaginary conversation with Bonhoeffer, trying to process his story by entering into it.

Another level of current experience is family. Our kids and grandkids are never far from our thought and prayers. Thanks to modern technology, we can keep up to date, not only with big decisions, but with the funny things the grandkids say.  Like three-year-old Peter correcting his mother when she told him to “Chew your food up good before you swallow.”  “No, mom,” he responded, “it’s ‘chew my food well’.”  He’s right, of course, but how did he know that?  And why is it important that I know that he knows that?  I’m not sure, but it’s part of my experience today, making me smile each time I think of it.

If I’m beginning to sound a bit schizophrenic, let me say that there is a center that holds all this together.  The good Quaker testimony of Jesus in the midst of his people applies in several senses.  I find that Jesus is also the center that holds all my levels of experience together, the hub that orchestrates all these levels of reality, creating beauty.  I’ve been reading and re-reading the book of Colossians this month, meditating everyday on a verse or phrase. It’s a spiritual discipline that helps me center on Jesus and reminds me that I’m here to listen.  The verse that Hal and I chose for pray for this trip is Col. 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…and be thankful.”

That’s a good note to close on.