The Messiness of Working Cross-culturally

Even though I tend to remember the "good despite the bad" when it comes to things that happened to myself in the past, I can dig up endless regrets about things I did or didn’t do which I feel affected others in a negative way. I would say most all were unintentional, rather were due to my immaturity, inexperience, and unawareness at the time. I suppose we can’t easily get around these realities as we go through life. But every once in a while a memory is stirred and feelings of remorse flood back to mind.

Three aspects of my cross-cultural work in Cambodia were brought to my attention lately, causing me to reflect on how I impacted the lives of others. The drama, Torba, shown at LMS in January, did a great job of expressing many of the same emotions I have carried for a long time, but was unable to analyze completely until now. Like the MCC worker in the drama, I now question what I did that was of any value. And even further, I feel regret for what didn’t happen and maybe could have, had I been more aware, more mature, more experienced. What did I really accomplish there? Did I say the right things? How did I portray the gospel to both Christians and non-Christians there? Was there more I could have done?

As I look back on some of my experiences, I think I was either oblivious, or worse, chose to ignore my gut feelings when I wasn’t sure I was doing the right thing. Was it because I was too tired of playing my cultural role to figure out what the right thing was? Was it because I was intimidated by those I felt had more experience? Was it because I felt that when and if I took a stand to state what I felt was not appropriate, I would not have support? The answers are probably, yes, yes, and yes. But are they good enough excuses when I consider the long-term effects of imposing Western thought and practices on an Eastern culture?

I think we fool ourselves when we think we can change the world by taking our experiences and practices into a new culture. If we consider the fact that America was built by immigrants and yet hundreds of years later, we still struggle with racism and accepting those characteristics we label as “non-American.” How much more would a country that is mostly homogeneous, ethnically-wise, struggle to accept the ways we live? Sure, American ways export more easily since our values and practices are usually gift-wrapped in financial benefits. Thus, the message, “accept our ways, get our money!” But I believe that deep down inside, the people into whose land we enter do not fully embrace our values and practices. How foolish of me to ever think that my few years in another culture could help change minds and hearts!

So what about my work in organizational development, cultural study and youth ministry? I have no idea what worth it held. It enforces in my mind, however, that I need to trust that God was revealed despite me . . . that His love and call to a life of discipleship was spoken despite my ability to articulate it . . . that in God’s mercy, He will raise up a Holy Church in Cambodia, despite the mis-understood Western influences I helped to spread. I think that working cross-culturally requires a lot of time spent in reflection on the ways God is already at work in the culture rather than problem solving using our experience as the basis for change. I wonder if I made enough time for that when I was there.