“If you don’t enjoy it here, go home!” That’s the advice Carlos (formerly Chuck) has for missionaries.
To be an effective missionary, we don’t just need to understand the culture. We need to embrace it and enjoy it. Jesus engaged the culture he lived in. He went to weddings, hung out with people, accepted them, and participated. He was not an outsider, but a part of the fabric of life there.
It’s easy to get judgmental about cultures that are not our own, but embracing the quirks that make a culture unique is essential. We don’t have to like everything, but people can tell if we’re engaged or not, if we’re a part of it or not—and that will make all the difference in our mission.