Last weekend, a Christian orphanage in an Islamic nation was
raided and the foreign staff was ordered to leave the country. Plenty of other great organizations have experienced similar heart-breaking setbacks, as have we. These kinds of obstacles, changes, and challenges are not uncommon when trying to do good in certain parts of the world.
It reminds me of something I've said often in the last several years: Access Is Our Greatest Asset. When trying to operate in cross-cultural settings and provide hope and help to our neighbors from different people groups, nations, tribes, and languages, without the access to be in relationship to them, all the money and well-designed programs and flashy marketing materials in the world mean nothing.
There are no guarantees, and if you engage in cross-cultural activity, leisure, business, or charity, there are risks involved. But by following these six principles, we can hope to guard our greatest asset: access!
- Cultivate Cultural Intelligence. David Livermore has written about this in his book, Serving With Eyes Wide Open. We have focused on IQ, the intelligence quotient. Recently, we have turned our attention to EQ, the emotional quotient. The time is now to focus on CQ, the cultural quotient.
- Develop and Empower Indigenous Leadership. Mission is not a one-way street - and shouldn't be! Mission is exchange. The best way to manage this delicate balance is to have indigenous women and men in leadership.
- Be Innocent and Wise. Jesus gave his disciples this advise when he sent them out. When building foundations and completing projects, we need to remember that it is not by power and might that these things are accomplished, but by God's Spirit.
- Be Holistic. By addressing the heart, soul, mind, and strength in those we connect with and in helping them to connect with our Triune God, we prevent lopsided efforts that topple easily.
- Use Best Practices. There is no lack of zeal in the non-profit and international mission worlds. But without knowledge and expertise, this zeal can implode and undermine good intentions. When possible, draw from an interdisciplinary team of economic, theological, pastoral, educational, medical, sociological, legal, financial, technological, and management experts to develop and operate cross-cultural mission ventures.
- Patience is a Virtue. We've got to be in this thing for the long-run. Life is a marathon - and life together in mission all the more. Remember that perseverance and endurance over level paths will help us complete the mission.
Remember, access is our greatest asset.
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