Epic Conditions

Should the Risk of Danger Keep You From Doing Missions?

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 16:01:59 -0600

Last month we had a group of three families attend our pre-departure training called Orient. They are heading to a particularly “difficult” country in Africa with a total of eight children amongst them. Having not been there myself, I cannot speak personally about the difficulty of the environment, but I have lived for almost four years in a poverty-ridden, communist country. The decision to move there was not simple nor easy. We spent many hours praying, discussing the pros and cons with friends, and searching our hearts before we committed to live there. Once we settled in, we experienced a degree of danger living there, but it wasn’t a crisis in our face every day. It seemed more like an unremitting drone that caused chronic, low-level stress.
We have known other families who persevered through physical violence, life-threatening illnesses, and harassment. No matter what the situation, each family has to settle in their hearts what they will do when faced with risk and suffering.
So when I came across this video of John Piper addressing this question, I thought I would share it.

By John Piper. © Desiring God.
Website: www.desiringGod.org

Even Wal-Mart Needs Cross-Cultural Training

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:33:10 -0600

Wal-Mart’s International Lessons

It’s rare that a $100 billion business can be marginalized, but such is the case with the international arm of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT). As a stand-alone company, it would rank among the top five global retailers. Inside the $401 billion retail giant, though, the business has traditionally received short shrift. Its Bentonville (Ark.) headquarters is underwhelming—a drab, largely windowless, one-story structure named after Bill Mitchell, a former Walmart executive whom nobody seems to remember.
Since venturing into Mexico in 1991, Walmart International has grown haphazardly. During the 1990s the retailer exported its big-box, low-price model. While that strategy worked in North America, the results were so bad in Germany and Korea that Walmart withdrew from those countries in 2006. In response, Michael T. Duke, the former international chief and current CEO, gave local managers more autonomy while instituting more stringent financial goals for each region.
The results are mixed: International sales rose 11.5% in the second quarter (before the impact of exchange rate fluctuations), while U.S. sales barely budged. But over the past few years, operating profit margins have declined on the international side, which now has 3,805 stores operating under 53 distinct banners in 15 markets. As international chief C. Douglas McMillon says, Walmart is “progressing from being a domestic company with an international division to being a global company.”
Read more > Wal-mart

Sometimes Mistranslation Can Be a Good Thing

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:25:20 -0600

Translation Error Results in Russian Gift of Tigers

Russia has agreed to donate three Siberian tigers to Korea, the Environment Ministry announced Monday. Siberian tigers, also known as Manchurian or Korean tigers, once widely inhabited the Korean Peninsula but the species is now on the verge of extinction with only a small number living in the wild in the Russian Far East. Korea currently has 51 of the tigers living in captivity which came from the United States and North Korea. Of them, 24 are in the Seoul Zoo.   Russia's tiger donation came about partly through an interpreter's mistake. While visiting Korea in June, a Russian delegation led by Vladimir Kirillov, the head of Russia's Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service, went to the National Institute of Biological Resources with Vice Environment Minister Lee Byung-wook to see a display of mounted animals, including a Siberian tiger.   During the tour, a Korean official said, "Korea is very interested in Siberian tigers." But the interpreter mistranslated the comment, and asked about Russia's willingness to donate the animals. In response, Kirillov asked if Korea could raise donated tigers in the wild.   "The government didn't give much thought to the remarks at the time, but it seems Kirillov proposed the donation while briefing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on his visit to Korea," a ministry official said. The Environment Ministry made an official request to Russia for the donation of the tigers in a bilateral environmental cooperation meeting in Moscow on Oct. 30.   A ministry official said Russia agreed to donate the tigers to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. "In the end, a mistranslation helped us receive a valuable gift from Russia," he added.
englishnews@chosun.com / Nov. 10, 2009 08:52 KST

Support TRAIN the easy way!

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:29:29 -0600

Here's a new easy way to raise money for TRAIN International. Just start using Yahoo! powered GoodSearch.com as your search engine and they'll donate about a penny to TRAIN every time you do a search!
In addition, do all of your shopping through their online shopping mall, GoodShop.com, where you can shop at more than 900 top online retailers and a percentage of your purchases will go to help support training for cross-cultural workers going around the world. You pay the same price as you normally would, but a donation goes to TRAIN!
Here's the web site — http://www.goodsearch.com. Just enter TRAIN International into the “Who do you search for?” space.
You can also read about GoodSearch in the NY Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News and the Wall Street Journal.

Getting Oriented

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:27:50 -0600

In October, six adults and six kids participated in our three week pre-field training called “Orient,” which aims to equip missionary candidates with skills to help them navigate transitions, stress, relationships and culture in whatever new surroundings God calls them to. The first week, trainers from TRAIN International and Discovery Ministries led these participants on a wilderness adventure to reinforce team building and practice healthy conflict resolution. The participants, both adults and the school-aged kids, then spent two weeks focusing on spiritual formation, personal identity, personal and cultural values, expectations, transition, culture shock, stress management, and principles for leaving well.

We truly feel privileged to be a part of their journey to the nations.

The above photo shows some of the participants navigating the “Transition Bridge.”
Below, Orient trainees hike during the wilderness adventure portion of the training.

Raising Trafficking Awareness

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:15:07 -0600

From last year’s movie, Taken, to Emma Thompson’s recent interviews on Good Morning America and The View, even Hollywood is joining the campaign to bring the reality and evilness of human trafficking into the light. At TRAIN International, we are wondering how we can equip those who want to work cross-culturally to combat human trafficking.

Check out these resources and organizations dealing with human trafficking:

Don’t miss Baht
This video, put out by CIY, shed light on the issue of human trafficking and tells the story of one girl’s experience in sex slavery and how she was rescued.

Good News from IJM
International Justice Mission (IJM) tells the story of a man in India who became enslaved along with his family after borrowing $10 from his employer. A joint operation between International Justice Mission and local authorities freed the family after fifteen years of forced labor.

Rapha House
Rapha House exists to love, rescue and heal children who have been rescued out of slavery and sexual exploitation. Rapha House began in 2003 to permeate cultures with love that heals and leads to restoration. They do this by providing safehomes and aftercare programs for young girls who have been rescued out of slavery and exploitative situations. All Rapha House homes are currently located in Southeast Asia, with the goal of expanding globally.
Slavery still exists in every culture. Rapha House is constantly partnering with advocates in an effort to build communities that extend unconditional love, physical rescue and transformational healing.
Down the street from our home office in Joplin, Missouri, Rapha House has set up an educational gallery where people can come and learn more about Rapha House, slavery around the world, and what can be done to bring slavery to an end. At the gallery, visitors have the opportunity to purchase some of the handmade items the girls have created as a part of their vocational training, as well as participate on a prayer walk where they can meditate and intercede on behalf of people around the world still trapped in slavery.

StopTraffickFashion
Stop Traffick Fashion is a boutique about restoration and change. (It also happens that our niece, Emily, started Stop Traffick Fashion as a response to a trip to Southeast Asia. She wanted to make a difference and help young girls trapped in the sex slave industry.) Each purchase from Stop Traffick Fashion directly helps the survivors and organizations rescuing and providing rehabilitation to survivors. Men, women, and children who have been rescued from their captors make nearly all of the accessories sold by Stop Traffick Fashion which provides income for them as they strive for a free and healthy life. In addition to the direct impact, a portion of all sales revenue will be donated back to partner organizations who rescue victims and provide rehabilitation and training. By shopping at Stop Traffick Fashion you’ll have a direct impact on the lives of exploited people around the world. This global problem is overwhelming, but we can work together to take small steps toward big change.
Check out Emily’s blog for articles on trafficking and what you can do to help end it.

Practical Advice for Longevity

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:48:51 -0600

There are many factors which can contribute to a person’s longevity (or lack of it) in a cross-cultural environment. Studies repeatedly show that pre-field training significantly increases the likelihood that cross-cultural workers will stay longer and stay effective. Yet, no one formula can guarantee success. A lot depends on the person, how they apply their training, how they approach the new culture, how they interact with others, and how they take care of themselves.
Recently I came across an article written by a man who has served overseas for over 20 years. He is often asked by young missionary candidates, “How do you stay a long time?” Pondering the answer to this question prompted him to start a list which contains some valuable advice which can contribute to a healthy and effective life in cross-cultural ministry:
A rich personal devotional life. This is the primary spiritual resource. You need to have lots of tools and variety to keep your prayer life fresh. 2. Ministry flows out of who you are as a person and family. Ministry is not in opposition to family. 3. Do not take yourself too seriously. Relax and enjoy. God is big and you are small. We all tend towards a messiah complex. Embrace grace and minister to those God brings to you. 4. There is no substitute for quantity of time in raising children. When you have emotionally healthy and spiritually strong children who are able to leave you home and make their way in the world, it makes it much easier to continue your work in another place. 5. The number one indicator for a successful cross-cultural worker is getting along with people, both local and your team. 6. Remember that stuff happens wherever you are, you cannot blame your new culture for everything. There are life cycle issues. 7. Language. You cannot overestimate the importance of learning the local language and culture. 8. Keep a culture journal, suspend judgment, use local informants to help explain things, find local mentors in ministry and culture. 9. Take a day off. 10. Learn to say no, work in your gifts and strengths, play to the crowd of one and not your home constituency.  Read the rest of the article here.   For a such a short list, there’s a lot to be mined in there.

My Mother Tongue

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:54:05 -0600

Recently I reread a passage out of Bill Bryson’s Mother Tongue:
“In normal conversation we speak at a rate of about 300 syllables a minute. To do this we force air up through the larynx --- or supralaryngeal vocal tract, to be technical about it --- and, by variously pursing our lips and flapping our tongue around in our mouth rather in the manner of a freshly landed fish, we shape each passing puff of air into a series of loosely differentiated plosives, fricatives, gutturals, and other minor atmospheric disturbances. These emerge as a more or less continuous blur of sound. People don't talk like this, theytalklikethis. Syllables, words, sentences run together like a watercolor left in the rain. To understand what anyone is saying to us we must separate these noises into words and the words into sentences so that we might in our turn issue a stream of mixed sounds in response. If what we say is suitably apt and amusing, the listener will show his delight by emitting a series of uncontrolled high-pitched noises, accompanied by sharp intakes of breath of the sort normally associated with a seizure or heart failure. And by these means we converse. Talking, when you think about it, is a very strange business indeed.”
Which reminded me of the tremendous task it is to learn any other language besides our own mother tongue. When we lived in Southeast Asia, we started the long process of learning a tonal language. Challenging, to put it mildly. Using a combination of language tutors, language helpers, and language routes, we stumbled and struggled to arrive at a place where we sounded at least intelligible, if not intelligent. Sometimes I would be frustratingly intimidated by the two year olds who could speak better than I could in those early days of language learning. After a couple of years, I found I could get around fairly well, barter in the market place and carry on casual conversation. While I never became fluent, I have a greater appreciation for the language learning process and the struggles that come with it.
If you are anticipating learning another language in your near future, check out our training called “Acquire.” Also, check out www.omniglot.com for a helpful listing of resources you can use to learn another language. If your language happens to be on the list of Rosetta Stone’s available titles, I would also recommend investing in this great tool.

Response to YouTube Video on Muslim Demographics

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:12:07 -0500

YouTube is an amazing phenomenon. Information in compelling video format can spread at viral rates. One recent video disseminating information regarding Muslim demographics has been viewed over 11 million times. It implies that Western culture (and presumably, Christianity?) is doomed due to immigration of Muslims into western countries and the birthrate of Muslims compared to the birthrate of non-Muslims.

Citing birthrates and quoting undocumented sources, the video forewarns:

• “In just 39 years, France will be an Islamic Republic.”
• “Currently in Belgium 25 percent of the population … [is] Muslim.”
• “40 percent of the entire Russian Army will be Islamic in just a few short years.”
• “In 1970, there were 100,000 Muslims in America. In 2008 there were over 9 million.”

The content, if taken at face value, might make a western non-Muslim fearful, or at least uneasy. My first reaction was certainly one of concern. Then I started checking around for more information on this video. In a recent blog by Justin Long, several leading mission researchers responded to the information presented in the video. One in particular, Bert Hickman (Research Associate, Center for the Global Study of Christianity, WCD) had this to say:

Much of the information presented in the video is inaccurate. For example, the video claims that, according to The Brussels Journal, 25% of the population of Belgium is Muslim. Yet the Journal says on its website (www.brusselsjournal.com/node/3891) that this figure applies only to Brussels. Indymedia.be notes that Brussels is 25.5% Muslim (http://www.indymedia.be/en/node/29363), with the country as a whole only 6.0% Muslim.
Some of the claims are highly implausible. Viewers are warned “some studies show that at Islam’s current rate of growth, in 5-7 years it will be the dominant religion of the world.” Assuming that conversion rates hold steady, however, data from the World Christian Database indicate that for the number of Muslims to exceed the number of Christians in five years, more than 1 out of every 3 Muslims women ages 15-49 would have to give birth annually. If “childbearing years” are limited to ages 15-34, the number rises to more than 1 in 2.
Even without verifying the accuracy of the statements in the video, however, viewers have numerous reasons to question it. First, sources for many of the claims are missing, incomplete, or inaccurate. In addition to the one mentioned above about Islam becoming the dominant religion in 5-7 years, claims that “in 30 years there will be 50 million Muslims living in America” and “currently there are 52 million Muslims living in Europe [doubling to 104 million in 20 years]” are unsourced. Even where sources are given, they lack page numbers (for books) or article names, dates, and issue and page numbers (for other publications). The one website given in the video (www.flickr.com/photos/al-fassam/107142512) leads not to data but a picture of the Kaaba in Mecca.
Second, the source of the video is anonymous. The person who posted it to YouTube is identified only as “friendofmuslim”, who (according to the YouTube profile) is 31 years old and lives in Lebanon.
Third, the video is entirely self-serving, even ignoring the admonition to have more children. The call to evangelize is based neither on compassion for Muslims (who, those most likely to actually do the evangelizing believe, would spend eternity in hell otherwise) nor on obedience to Jesus Christ (who commanded his followers to make disciples of every nation). Instead, the video tries to use fear of the loss of Western culture and society as its motivator. Any one of these three factors should be enough to cause viewers to question it.
read the whole post by Justin Long here