WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES - World Evangelical Alliance

200 WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES
As a single person, he has kept focussed on his relationship with Christ,
and has developed a framework of accountability with leaders on the field and
with churches and his sending mission agency. TM B had to renew his working
visa year by year but now has a residence visa.
Tentmaker C, an American postgraduate student in South Asia
Personal Preparation: Tentmaker C (TM C) finished his college degree in
Science in a small university town in the US Midwest. There he met and was
led to a deeper walk with the Lord by a representative of a Christian group.
They held regular prayer meetings focusing on various countries with unreached
peoples. TM C also was encouraged to attend various mission conferences in
other parts of the country. In one such mission conference, he was touched by
the testimony of a veteran tentmaker who shared about his experiences and
the facts about a country in South Asia.
He was encouraged to go and do his own extensive research on the
opportunities to go and establish residence in the country. This research coupled
with advice from some Christian groups who had been to the country led him
to consider the possibility of a graduate and postgraduate program in Energy
Economics which was offered in one of the country’s top universities located in
one of its major cities. He submitted his application and was accepted.
Networking: TM C came from a very supportive church. Since his college
days, most of his Christian training was in a small group. This group committed
themselves to praying and encouraging each other to establish vision for the
mission field. This group also had links with a mission organisation through its
leader.
TM C was encouraged to attend specific orientation programmes for
countries which needed lay workers. One programme was led by a veteran
missionary and a tentmaker who had extensive experiences in a country in the
South Asia region. They gave an orientation incorporating key cross-cultural
issues such as: cross-cultural adjustment and adaptation, history and geography,
culture and religions, politics and socio-economic behavioural patterns,
language and contextualisation of witness, security considerations. Subprogrammes
were on spiritual, emotional and physical development. The
orientation prepared workers to persevere for long-term assignments in a
foreign environment. Subsequently, the above mentioned veteran missionary
and tentmaker would visit him on occasions for follow-up and nurture. They
would also help stimulate prayer and support for him and his family.