December Prayer Letter

Praise

My injuries are well on their way to being 100% healed! I’m able to walk well and have been doing a fair amount of biking, too. I’m quite happy about these developments!

I’m reasonably settled into my new house. I’m enjoying it immensely and have had numerous guests for meals and/or overnight already. I’m especially enjoying the many birds outside my back door. (You’ll notice I’ve posted more about that below.)

Prayer

Travel

I’m traveling to Mombasa on Thursday. (This is a much delayed trip to see Masudi; I had booked a ticket there three months ago, just prior to getting hit by the car.)

On the 5^th, Karo, Jim, Joy, and I will go to see Karo’s parents in Siaya. From there, I’ll go to my place at Matunda.

That’s a LOT of miles to travel, as I crisscross much of the country. As you likely know from what I’ve said before, the roads in Kenya are atrocious, to put it mildly! By the time I reach my destination, I’m usually exhausted. Please pray for me in that regard, for safety on the road, and for good visits with those I’m traveling to see.

Health

I’ve had recent bouts with ringworm plus intestinal bacteria, amoeba, and parasites.

Ever Present Cultural Differences

I came to Kenya just over six years ago, having received absolutely no training regarding cross-cultural ministry. The Holy Spirit compelled me to come; so I came. There are so very many cultural differences between the African (or Kenyan) view of life and that of the Western (or American) viewpoint. Some are subtle; others are very in-your-face.

I find some of these differences to be quite admirable and some even to be endearing. However, at various times in the past six years, I’ve been frustrated and confused as I encounter some of these different approaches to life. There have been occasional misunderstandings and moments of friction. Of course, neither the African or Western approach to life is superior to the other. They each have merit and each one works well in its own setting and context.

But… I cannot escape the fact that my entire being is saturated with being a Westerner. It’s how I lived for 45 years. It’s what I know. It’s what I passively absorbed as a child and what I now subconsciously exude as an adult.

I’m currently reading a book about cultural differences when it comes to money matters. The author (who has lived and worked in Africa for 25 years) lists and aptly illustrates 90(!) different approaches (between the two cultures) to this one subject. I’m finding the information to be so enlightening!

Let me share just one major difference: Africans readily share space and things, but are possessive of knowledge, whereas Westerners readily share their knowledge, but are possessive of things and space.

Here’s an interesting quote from this book – “Interpersonal relations between Africans and Westerners in Africa may be friendly and cordial, and typically are, but developing significant friendships on a personal level requires considerable effort.” The author goes on to state that the most significant reason for this difficulty is “the important place that material resources are given in African friendships”.

I have another book that compares three cultures as related to tensions about time, judgment, handling crises, goals, self-worth, and vulnerability.

The assignment God has given to me in Kenya, has me primarily interacting with Africans (not Westerners). Additionally, this cross-cultural interaction is very up close and personal, primarily in either my home or in Kenyan homes. So… it’s inevitable that such tensions arise from time to time.

Romans 12: 1, 2 (The Message) says,
“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking… the culture around you (ones culture of origin) drags you down to its level of immaturity…”

I don’t want to be an unthinking Westerner. I want to “fix my attention on God… (and) be changed from the inside out”. I want God to “develop well-formed maturity in me”. To put it another way, I desire to function as a Kingdom citizen, and not as an American citizen living amongst Kenyan citizens.

Would you please pray with me for increased sensitivity and decreased prejudice in this crucial area?

“Anyone who intends to come with Me has to let Me lead.
You’re not in the driver’s seat – I am.
Self-sacrifice is the way – My way – to finding yourself, your true self.”
Luke 9 (The Message)