Just a few quick thoughts. I'm reading my professor's dissertation for my class in Advanced issues in Missions. He's going over a position in the International Mission Board (Southern Baptist) called a Strategy Coordinator, which used to be known as a non-residential missionary. Basically the Strategy Coordinator 'targets' a people group (doesn't that sound all official now!) and researches the absolute best way to reach that people group with the Gospel. The SC takes into account all resources, other ministries already in effect, most responsive areas or effective strategies in sharing the gospel with said people group, and then helps put the plan into action. Usually the SC partners with other mission agencies or organizations and has missionaries on the field working "under" him or her.
This summer I heard of some interesting situations involving Romanians and Gypsies in Spain and England. I did some research online and then came across a promotional video on the IMB website (www.imb.org) that told of the unique opportunity for sharing the Gospel with people from closed countries in London, England. For my Contemporary Youth Missions class I'm reading a book called "World at your door" which discusses the many unique opportunities to be a 'foreign missionary" right here in America. The 10/40 window often sends its top 30% in students abroad - namely America - for studying in College or High School Exchange programs. These countries are usually closed to the Gospel or foreign missionaries. The book outlines the unique opportunity so many Christians are passing up in sharing the Gospel with these foreign students who are far away from home, lonely, and open to a loving Christian family and their Message of Hope.
I work with a lady from India. She is about my mom's age, and likes to tell me off at work. I am hoping to do an internship in India, and my coworker has strictly forbidden me to go to India until she goes home so that she can 'take care' of me while I'm overseas.
The woman is amazing: she takes Hebrew, speaks 4 languages already, is a home maker, works 20 hours a week, and entertains the numerous guests her husband brings home or who pop in on her unexpectedly. I've often wanted to visit her but don't want to add to her already overwhelming schedule. Once I asked her if she wanted help cleaning or cooking at home and she looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "I can take care of my own home!" She sniffed. Woops.
Last week she was really tired after work and was walking slowly to the grill to make her dinner.
"Do you want me to make that for you?" I asked. She blinked and slowly handed me her bowl.
"This is the first time you've cooked for me." She commented. I usually pop into work between classes/work to get food, and she often makes my sandwhich (she calls it 'Rachel's Pesto Panini" because I usually order a Chicken Panini with extra pesto.)
So today I hopped into work again with my friend and low and behold, there was my indian friend working. We started teasing each other. Her new thing is joking about how I must really be an old woman, because all I eat is "Rabbit food" (salad/fruit stuffs) and ''such bland food" (I never put five tablespoons of red pepper on my mashed potatoes like she and the other Asian students do) that obviously my stomach is weak like an old lady.
So I started ranting about how Pesto was a VERY flavor-ful addition which meant I was NOT old. She sighed and said yes, us poor Americans don't know what we are missing in food. Luke, our shift-manager had apparently been over to her house the other day and she sighed about how she didn't know how to cook for such weak-stomached people.
"Well I'll tell you what, ma'am. Next semester I and some friends are probably going to get an apartment. So we'll just invite you over to MY house and I'll cook for you, and you can see how good American food can be if its done RIGHT."
She looked at me and blinked. "Yes, that might be good. I have only been told once that I will be invited to an American house, but they haven't had us over yet."
This woman has been in the States for several years! And is rarely invited over. She said she can't wait to go back to India, because America is the most lonely place in the world.
This afternoon I am meeting with my church planting team and some missionaries from overseas. There is a people group that we are going to try and start a church with, however we arne't too sure how to get into the community yet. Apparently when we went to their ethnic resturaunt last Sunday we went during Ramadan, which is why we were the only customers!! Woops. It was a really cute, hole-in-the-wall resturaunt with a grocery store that may be my new favorite place regaurdless if we get this church plant off the ground.
Anyhoo. Am hoping to get into the Gypsy community here as well, but THAT will be a whole 'nother ball game.
Speaking of ball games, I went to our school soccer game the other day. After watching Romania play Italy for the World Cup last year, I was pretty well disguisted. I can't blame it on American's playing soccer, because there was a hispanic guy and a guy from Ghana on our team, and lets just say our team was slaughtered.
*sigh* And I can't play 'cause the sports are guy-only. Pooh.
I would try to change that, but I am taking three 400 level classes this semester, and time is rather crunched.
Speaking of which, I need to get back to studying my professor's dissertation.
Ciao,
Princess Ouch.
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