In one short page I compared the cultural sensitivity approaches of three missionary books: Lords of the Earth, Brutcho, Spring Wind.

1. COMPARISON CHART- RICHARDSON, OLSON,
DEPREE AND ME
bsy
Lisa Anderson-Umana
B.S., Penn State University, 1982
Master of Arts, Wheaton College Graduate School, 1993
INSIGHT PAPER #3
Submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
ES 8624 Cross-Cultural Conflict, Duane H. Elmer
for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Educational Studies
at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Deerfield, Illinois
December 2007

2. Points of scrutiny Lords of the Earth Bruchko The Spring Wind My Story
Their personal history and how Stan’s father was emotionally absent and Bruce’s take on his family life: Unknown. My mother led me to the Lord and discipled me. Father
conflict was handled in home verbally abusive, mother conspicuous by her “Someone was always fighting Gladis’ conflict strategy appears to was somewhat emotionally absent except if you did
(Elmer, 1993) non-intervention. He was small in stature. His in our house. Things seemed to have been care-fronting, and Gordon’s things to please him, like play sports and work hard.
low self-esteem resulted in overcompensating go better when we didn’t talk to strategy compromise but both appear to Conflict style in home was win/lose with the kids, but
with an overpowering nature, and the military each other. Bruce was have taken on their host culture’s between my parents they discussed issues as equals. Dad
accentuated it. He became rugged and a “nerdlike”, found refuge in his indirect methods of resolving conflict. was a black/white thinker. Mom was cast into role of
fearless fighter (win/lose strategy). books. He became an expert at Gladis’ ability to self-reflect and seek mediator.
avoiding conflict. out others perspectives gives her an
uncanny self and other-awareness.
Host culture’s orientation is closure, Australian, “cold-climate culture” (Lanier, North American, Swedish North American. Gladis’ posture North American, Swedish (Anderson) Irish (Shannon)
time, crisis, dichotomistic, task, 2000). He generally imposed his culture on Lutheran background. He toward her context was one of respect, background. In the beginning years while I strove to
achievement focus, expose the tribes people, although he did not obligate rebelled against his father’s and she consciously deferred many a understand the cultural differences ‘in situ”, I did not
vulnerability, individualism, linear them to help build the airstrip. But, once they black-white thinking and time to “the Chinese way of doing necessarily change my ways to accommodate. Given my
logic, direct language (Lingenfelter offered, he drove them with total task excelled at accommodating and things,” clearly evidencing a type of drive to produce I imposed my task orientation on those
and Mayers, 2003). How did they orientation. adapting extremely well, even in 150% persons (Lingenfelter and around me. Marrying a Honduran husband and having
respond to their host culture very adverse “stone-age” Mayers, 2003). children delightfully slowed me down, allowing me to
orientation? conditions. become more in touch with the culture and willing to
adapt to it.
Interpersonal skills, strong sense of This area is where Stan rates the poorest both Bobby, a tribesman, became the They as a couple demonstrated very My highest rating would be on the least statistically
self-identity, realistic pre-departure with his native missionaries as well as the best friend Bruce had ever had, high interpersonal relationship skills, significant factor: Technical competency. However,
expectations, technical competency: tribesmen. While one could not doubt his love as did his Latin finance until she openness and inviting to others, a given my pretty healthy home environment and Christian
How did each rate according to for his wife, he did not make concessions for tragically lost her life. flexible posture towards others, nurture, building and developing interpersonal
those factors? (Hawes and Kealey, her need for better living conditions. excellent listening relationships are very important to me.
1979)
Productivity as measured by results Stan the Man got things done! He built a Brutcho got things done but Gordon and Gladis built relationships. I pride myself on “getting things done, ” publishing
landing strip, he started a Bile translation in an through relationships. He They scored high on interpersonal extensively, building innovative recreational facilities all
obscure tribe. He had high technical worked through the witch relationships skills. many times at the expense of kind, caring relationships.
competency but dismal interpersonal doctors to cure pink eye.
relationship skills both with his peers and
tribesmen.
Motive for serving He seemed to have an ulterior motive to prove Escaping from a lonely Their quest to serve God took them on At 22-years of age, my initial motive was adventure and
himself useful to God. homelife, doing something a long windy road of discovering to give an outlet to the restlessness God had seemed to
significant for Christ and for exactly why God had them there. place within me. Then I went through a phase of
others. “producing for the Lord” and am currently joyfully
wandering along the path, well-accompanied but with a
keen sense of purpose and direction.
Insights gained through this exercise in comparison:
• Just like the backdrops and scenery in a theatre production are essential to the play, so a study and recognition of one’s background gives context and understanding to who a person is and how they interact with others.
• This season of PhD marks a new chapter in my willingness and intention to “incarnate Christ within the cultural construct” and become a 150% person (75% American + 75% Latin—Lingenfelter and Mayers, 2003).
• The love of my Latin friends has covered over a multitude of sins, like my cultural blunders and insensitivities, the imposition of my cultural norms in lieu of adapting to their culture. The sovereignty of God also points to the fact that
God will use a willing vessel, no matter how many holes it has in it.
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3. REFERENCES
DePree, Gladia. 1970. The Spring wind. New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row, Publishers,
Inc.
Elmer, Duane. 1993. Cross-culural conflict: Building relationships for effective ministry.
Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
Hawes, Daniel and Kealey, Frank. 1979. Canadians in development-an empirical study of
adaptation. Ottawa, Canada: Canadian International Development Agency.
Lanier, Sarah A. 2000. Foreign to familiar: A guide to understanding hot- and cold-
climate cultures. Hagerstown, Mich.: McDougal Publishing.
Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. and Mayers, Marvin K. 2003. Ministering cross-culturally:
An incarnational model for personal relationships. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker
Academic.
Olson, Bruce. 1978. Bruchko: The astonishing story of a 19-year-old youth’s capture by
stone age Indians—and his adventures in Christianizing the Motilone tribe.
Altamonte Springs, Fl.: Creation House.
Richardson, Don. 1979. Lords of the Earth. Glendale, CA: Gospel Light Publications.
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