Promoting Diverse Cultures: There are certain things thatmissionaries to other...

Promoting Diverse Cultures: There are certain things thatmissionaries to other...: There are certain things that missionaries to other cultures should know. These tips are essential for they will help them prepare themsel...

There are certain things that missionaries to other cultures should know. These tips are essential for they will help them prepare themselves for the most beneficial experience as they proclaim the Word of God in fa away places. The list which follows are also meant for those Americans who are adopting children from other cultures.

1. Make sure to do your research. Learn about the background of these people. Know about husbands, wives, friends and their neighbors. Find out more about their origin. Obtain insights about their customs, culture, and language.
2. Be sure to visit your people of interest. Meet them at their festivals, bazaars, fairs, and in community groups.
3. Be certain to engage them in conversation. Remember that communication is essential. Be sensitive to verbal and nonverbal interactions.
4. At all times it's necessary to treat persons from other cultures with respect. Never denigrate another culture. It's for you to learn more about it.
5. By learning about their educational system and meeting with support groups, it's important to pay attention to similarities and differences between cultures.
6. Because you'll be professing the Christian faith, be sensitive to cultural and religious differences. It's for you to remain open-minded about differences in religious faiths e.g., Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism.
7. It's best to avoid all condescending and derogatory remarks about a culture. Focus on your mission and emphasize what's important about that culture. It's for you to take the high road.
8. Be accepting of the ways that these people view themselves and don't make judgments based on your own cultural background.
9. It's best to respect the ceremonies and rights of passage of their culture. See the strengths in each ceremony and not be hung up on weaknesses.
10. Be cognizant of their foods and dress. See how these contribute to the mainstream of that culture. Know about the Italian pasta and the Mexican sombrero.
11. By images of native peoples portrayed in the mass media, try to learn more about these cultures. In so doing, be vigilant and be able to separate sensationalism, from what a culture's true attributes are.
12. Be a traveler. Make trips to these countries when opportunities arise, to learn first hand what a culture is like. It's always best to experience a culture in its own setting and environment.

It's good that the Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (Hart-Cellar Act) abolished the system of national origin quotas which had been in place in the United States since the Immigration Act of 1924. Such an act of non-differentiation will go a long way towards the promotion of equity of basic human standards and help foster multicultural living in the United States.

One in Christ

Missionaries and parents must always bear in mind that we're one in Christ. In the United States and abroad, it's important to bring this good news to all people. Inevitably, recognition of these rights can only come to fruition if a country proclaims this truth.

It's Bhumibol Adulyadej (b. 1927) the King of Thailand known as Rama 1X, the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty who observed, “A good person can make another person good; it means that goodness will elicit goodness in the society; other persons will also be good.”

Such goodness will transcend cultures. It will sees Christians reaching out to help their fellowman where ever they may be. But it often goes further than this. Take this quote from Ken Robinson (b. 1950) an English author, speaker and international adviser on educational arts to government and non-profit organizations, “The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it's to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they're valued.” This is what we should do in other cultures, with leaders, and their people. It'll promote development, justice and peace for all. There's still a great deal that we can learn from other cultures even if America sees itself as a diverse society.