A Guide to Culture

Hello from Pre-Field Orientation (PFO)! Jarrod and I have had FULL days of seminars, lots of yummy food, and meeting new people. The focus of our discussions has been entering new cultures and teaching "third culture kids" (TCKs) - those who have spent a significant part of their developmental years in a culture other than the parents' culture, and develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience of the TCKs, but their sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience. It has been lots of information to absorb, and I'm sure we will continue processing it for a while. One of the readings from a seminar, Learning to Adapt, was a play off of 1 Corinthians 13. I wanted to include it to give you a taste of some of the ideas we are considering as we think about moving to Korea. I would love to hear your thoughts...

A GUIDE TO CULTURE

If I speak with the tongue of a national, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I wear the national dress and understand the culture and all forms of etiquette, and if I copy all mannerisms 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 culture, is not proud of his national superiority, does not boast about the way we do it back home, does not seek his own ways, is not easily provoked into telling about the beauty of 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 lead to syncretism; where there is linguistics, it will change. For we know only part of the culture and we minister to only part. But when Christ is reproduced in this culture, then our inadequacies will be insignificant.

When I was American 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

Northern Maine

Jarrod and I have spent the past week in Northern Maine visiting with my family. It has been a great vacation and relaxing time after the busyness of packing and moving.

Jarrod has only been to Maine one other time - Thanksgiving 2007 - so this is his first experience here during summertime. He has been able to experience my mother's gardening madness (well.. perhaps not madness, just consumes every minute of her summer that she is not working... but at least it provides her all the veges she could want for the next year and more!) We have spent lots of time outside - playing basketball, long bike rides, and four square (yes, my siblings are in middle school). Jarrod has also had some authentic Maine experiences... seeing a moose on the roadside, tasting ployes, eating Maine lobster, and -my favorite- getting ice cream at Houlton Farms (a significant childhood memory for me!). We taught the family some new games, including "greed" or "chicken" - a dice game.... and.... drum roll please.... my mom rolled six 1s at once! (That means you automatically win, the game is over.) It was amazing.
We also went to the "Camp" - what those in Maine call their cabin on a lake - and had fun kayaking, playing games, and squashing ants. :) Their camp is "new and improved"... and has become quite the vacation spot. I am told that it is open to all who want to visit Northern Maine... so if you are looking for a rustic Northern getaway experience.. I have some connections! :) There have even been reports of moose sightings from their driveway (although, sadly, I cannot personally confirm this with my own experience.)
Tomorrow we head to Mississippi (well, a suburb of Memphis... one mile into Mississippi) for Pre-Field Orientation (PFO) with the Network of International Christian Schools (NICS). We are not exactly sure what to expect, but look forward to meeting others that are going to the same school in Seoul as well as the NICS missionaries that will be going around the world. The orientation will last for two weeks - before we return to VA for our final goodbyes.

Please conatinue to PRAY for our visa process, we are hoping and trusting that we have jumped through all the necessary hoops to get our Korean visa and will be able to arrive to the school on time.

Happy Birthday, Jarrod!!

We arrived safely to Maine on Monday afternoon and had a special Korean meal prepared by my mother - Bulgogi, rice and kimchi - to get us ready for some of the tastes and flavors that we will experience daily in Korea. Then she pulled out a huge cake from the freezer - and surprised Jarrod with another ice cream cake that she and Jeremy (my litte brother) made with love! Mom was thinking of her son-in-law and made it vanilla with a layer of caramel... but made half of it for her daughter... chocolate fugde brownie with a layer of hot fudge! Again, I was super impressed with the cake and realize I will have a lot to live up to for future birthdays... :) unless I can convince them to come to Korea to make Jarrod's birthday cakes.It was a special way to start off our time in Maine, and has thus far proved to be a very relaxing and much needed vacation.

Homeless... the traveling begins!

This past week has been full and exhausting! Good news, however, Jarrod and I finished packing & moving out of our apartment by Saturday. We spent the night in Edinburg with my dad, had a special birthday lunch after church, and then returned to our townhouse one more time to get the stamp of approval from our landlord. He was pleased with the condition of our home, as were we.. so, we said goodbye to New Market. It has been a great place to live.

From there, we headed North to my sister - Denise's - house so that we could spend the night and have less travel for an early morning flight out of BWI. We arrived to their house before dinner to find a special meal planned for an early birthday celebration for Jarrod... complete with a homemade cookie dough ice cream cake (Jarrod's favorite!).

It was really good and I was super impressed by my sister's culinary skills!We had a fun time with our nephews, Stephen and Scott - who are growing up SO fast! - as well as some exciting games of ladder golf... first boys vs. girls, then Steyaerts vs. Puffenbargers. Lets just say, I want a rematch... on both accounts! Thanks, guys for making it a special evening for Jarrod!

The next morning, Jarrod's birthday, we woke up at 4:30 in the morning to make it to the airport before the Monday morning rush hour traffic began. Again, good news- we made it without trouble... but we were tired!It was fun flying together.. the first time we have done this since getting married... and I really enjoyed having someone to lean on while I was sleeping in the plane. :) Thus begins our weeks of being "homeless" and traveling.... we are in Maine for a week, and then head to Mississippi for pre-field training, and then will spend some time at the beach before returning to the Valley for our last 12 days before Korea.

The Lord has been so faithful in working the details together thus far, and we continue to trust Him with all that is still to come.. praying especially for our Korean visas to go through without difficulty. Thank-you for partnering with us in prayer as we continue to prepare for our time in South Korea!

movin' out

This week has been full of sorting through papers and piles we've put off for so long... giving away belongings that we do not want to store or that we think others could use while we are gone... and packing our furniture and other belongings away for at least the next two years. It is exhausting!

We will be out of our apartment by the end of this week, and then traveling the East Coast for the next month (visiting Maine, Mississippi, and North Carolina) - to return to the Shenandoah valley around July 10th for 12ish days.

The summer is flying by before our eyes, and it is overwhelming to think about all that is before us. We are scrambling to get our stuff packed and working to getting all our paperwork for our Korean visas on time to leave when we are supposed to... and trust the Lord for the details. It is easy to get caught up in the busyness of a full schedule (who would have thought - with both Jarrod and I currently not having to go to work)... to be overwhelmed by all that needs to be done and worry that it won't be done in time...
In this time, how important it is to align our hearts with our Lord, walk in His Spirit, and remember His words that say, "do not worry, for who by worrying can add a single hour onto his life... but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well..." (Matthew 6) "Do not fear, for perfect Love drives out fear..." (1 John 4) " 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.... for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
As we walk each day in the renewing of our mind with these promises and exhortations, may we remember that God does not give grace for tomorrow or next week... but He supplies all we need for today; His grace for the moment.