Missions trips are undeniably a great time for pictures. I mean, honestly, I'll probably never have another chance to take pictures of Angkor Wat, Cambodia like I did in 2008 with the SEA Team--or of Haitian mountains like I did in the summer of 2007. But when taking pictures on the mission field, I need to think about how my photo fixation comes across to the people around me. When taking pictures of giggling little kids happily playing games, there's not too much danger of offense, but when I go to a private residence or even a market, furiously snapping photos can be--frankly--rude. I mean, think about why the picture is "worth taking." If I'm thinking, "Wow, that guy is dressed in rags! I should get a picture," then, chances are, "that guy" is going to take offense at my gawking if he sees me. The same idea applies to taking pictures of things that are "just weird." I need to bear in mind that, while this is all new and novel to me as a foreigner, every individual I photograph is a real person with a real life, who I am either honoring or degrading. On my Photos page, there is a market shot. I took it from the hip, not looking in the direction I was shooting. That's my explanation for the crooked angle on the shot :) When I went to the market with Aaron, he and I were the only mzungus (white guys) there. It was right and fitting that he and I should be the spectacle--not that we should make a spectacle of the people into whose world and sphere of life we had penetrated.
Yesterday evening, Aaron and I discussed how to properly talk about nationals on the mission field. Certainly it is possible for a missionary to be so critical of the people among whom he works that he loses his heart for them and, ultimately, his ministry with them as well. On the other hand, how can you live a holy life in the midst of any culture and not, on a regular basis, challenge it on many points? One of Aaron's responses was that a missionary's kids are the surest indication of his attitude toward the national people. The old adage says, "What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess," and a missionary's attitude toward "the people" will almost always be magnified in his kids' attitudes. An adult can easily paste a happy smile on his face for Sunday services while verbally dismembering church members all week long. Kids...are not so good at that. Here's a live example from today: One of the neighborhood kids stole a knife from the Shipes the last time he came over to play. Aaron told him that part of his punishment was that he couldn't come into the yard to play today. The kids knew about it because (1) the knife belonged to one of them, (2) the little boy stood at the end of the driveway watching the other kids play all day, and (3) it was being discussed by us adults. Throughout the whole ordeal, however, Aaron and Nicole never said things like "That boy--honestly, these locals are a thieving bunch." That is the kind of attitude that embitters kids. Sin has to be pointed out. A missionary who never addresses the sins peculiar to his field with his family is no different than an American pastor who doesn't address modesty, materialism, or swearing with his kids. At the same time, identifying sin as sin is not the same as developing a negative attitude toward nationals that views them as "projects" instead of people.
Today I got up a little late again (I still don't go to sleep until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.--hard time switch). Aaron and I went to the market and had a good time looking for fruit and shoes. The shoes are all Goodwill donations that come in huge bins or bags. They're unmatched, so first you find a shoe you like, then you try to find its partner. Actually, we didn't find anything, but we still had a great time. We talked to several people (well...Aaron did while I listened), including a Catholic clergyman who was shocked out of his gourd that Aaron had six kids plus another on the way. He commented several times how unusual that was for our (U.S.) culture. Amusing. Here in TZ, two kids is considered ideal, and daughters are best because they bring a bride-price to the family once they get older.
The rest of the day was spent playing games: basketball, soccer, and everlasting dodge-ball, which was quite a hit with the Tanzanian kids. I actually got so intent on trying to dodge the ball at one point that I ran full-bore into a tree. I'll have you know I didn't get tagged.
Thanks for the prayers. I especially need them now as the days of preaching approach (Sun-Wed next week).
S.D.G.
~ Nick
Yesterday evening, Aaron and I discussed how to properly talk about nationals on the mission field. Certainly it is possible for a missionary to be so critical of the people among whom he works that he loses his heart for them and, ultimately, his ministry with them as well. On the other hand, how can you live a holy life in the midst of any culture and not, on a regular basis, challenge it on many points? One of Aaron's responses was that a missionary's kids are the surest indication of his attitude toward the national people. The old adage says, "What you do in moderation, your children will do in excess," and a missionary's attitude toward "the people" will almost always be magnified in his kids' attitudes. An adult can easily paste a happy smile on his face for Sunday services while verbally dismembering church members all week long. Kids...are not so good at that. Here's a live example from today: One of the neighborhood kids stole a knife from the Shipes the last time he came over to play. Aaron told him that part of his punishment was that he couldn't come into the yard to play today. The kids knew about it because (1) the knife belonged to one of them, (2) the little boy stood at the end of the driveway watching the other kids play all day, and (3) it was being discussed by us adults. Throughout the whole ordeal, however, Aaron and Nicole never said things like "That boy--honestly, these locals are a thieving bunch." That is the kind of attitude that embitters kids. Sin has to be pointed out. A missionary who never addresses the sins peculiar to his field with his family is no different than an American pastor who doesn't address modesty, materialism, or swearing with his kids. At the same time, identifying sin as sin is not the same as developing a negative attitude toward nationals that views them as "projects" instead of people.
Today I got up a little late again (I still don't go to sleep until 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.--hard time switch). Aaron and I went to the market and had a good time looking for fruit and shoes. The shoes are all Goodwill donations that come in huge bins or bags. They're unmatched, so first you find a shoe you like, then you try to find its partner. Actually, we didn't find anything, but we still had a great time. We talked to several people (well...Aaron did while I listened), including a Catholic clergyman who was shocked out of his gourd that Aaron had six kids plus another on the way. He commented several times how unusual that was for our (U.S.) culture. Amusing. Here in TZ, two kids is considered ideal, and daughters are best because they bring a bride-price to the family once they get older.
The rest of the day was spent playing games: basketball, soccer, and everlasting dodge-ball, which was quite a hit with the Tanzanian kids. I actually got so intent on trying to dodge the ball at one point that I ran full-bore into a tree. I'll have you know I didn't get tagged.
Thanks for the prayers. I especially need them now as the days of preaching approach (Sun-Wed next week).
S.D.G.
~ Nick
No comments:
Post a Comment