Guatemalan Tamales
Most people consider Wichita, Kansas to be the global center of the world right? I might be misguided but the truth is I don’t have to go very far to see the impact of a global interconnected society.
My wife and I had a sweet Guatemalan man do some work on our house. He came to America a few years ago and started his own painting company. After working for 3 years, he had finally saved enough money to fly his dad over to come live him with. He likes to say he is living the American dream. A couple months ago he invited us to a party when he received his US citizenship and we were introduced to an entire Guatemalan community living in Wichita.
Just a few weeks ago, I struck up conversation with my cashier at Starbucks. Her family lives in Mexico, she works 30+ hours a week and is a fulltime student at Wichita State University. She’s been pushing hard for 3+ years, but graduation is in sight. She has a dream to get an accounting job and start her career. I connected her with a local CFO friend and there’s a decent chance he will hire her once she graduates.
I’ve been working with Arise Africa in Jinja, Uganda now for almost 9 years. It always amazes me when I pick up the phone and call my friends in Uganda, or when my friends start instant chatting me on Facebook. My Ugandan friends live in the bush yet have instant connection anywhere in the world.
I really enjoyed Anthony Elliott’s book Contemporary Social Theory. I had a hard time getting through this book in one week because I was really intrigued by it. Elliott’s intro chapter describing the life of “global citizen” Natalie compared to the estimated millions, maybe billion “bare living” people scrapping to get by[1] really paints a picture of the difficulty one has in defining social theory.
There’s no doubt I live as a “global citizen” compared to most and this has impacted my theology and has been a privilege I take for granted. How can the local church acknowledge that this is taking place and find value in connecting global relationships to learn and process our faith in societies we have maybe never experienced?
Elliott asks a great question towards the end of his book. Elliott asks, “It is easy to grasp the economic forces of globalization, but harder to understand the globalization of culture and personal life. Discuss.[2]” They way we discuss this question impacts how we view God’s relationship with the world. My personal life has directly been impacted by globalization because I now can receive an email from an Ugandan friend dealing with malaria or I can now drive a few miles from my house and eat Guatemalan tamales. The only way for me to stay in my white suburbanite bubble is through ignorance. This impacts the way I choose to live, the way I view God, and way I share who God is. It is increasingly complex but this is the society we live in.
As a preacher/teacher I’m often reminded of my need to contextualize the scripture but Elliotts book reminded me that I need to contextualize scripture not just in my own community, but in a global society. The local church needs to deeply understand the implications of the Gospel on a global society. It’s a complex process but it is now easier then ever to do.
[1] Anthony Elliott, Contemporary Social Theory: an Introduction (Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge, 2009), 3-4.
[2] Ibid., 340
About the Author
Nick Martineau
Nick is a pastor at Hope Community Church in Andover, KS, founder of ILoveOrphans.com, and part of the LGP5 cohort.14 responses to “Guatemalan Tamales”
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As the globe shrinks, we really can see the potential of a global Gospel can’t we? We see that the human condition is the same regardless of where we may wander, people have the same core needs and the Gospel answers those needs in any context.
Thanks!
Jon
I think this is why the prosperity gospel is so damaging. The Gospel truth should be just as powerful here in the USA as in a 3rd world country. I’m hopeful as a Global society grows the bad theology will be exposed.
I just read a quote today from Flannery O’Connor who said “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd.” When you mentioned Wichita as the center, I thought about the “odd” statement, but as you continued to circle in all the various groups of people you know, I’m reminded of the globalization of our world. In fact, my spiritual director asked me a question awhile back when I was bemoaning how my teaching wasn’t necessary connected to my dissertation in Leadership and Global Perspective. “Mary, what is your population that you teach?” “Hmmm, nearly all Latinos who are not necessarily documented.” Pretty global, isn’t it?
Great Flannery O’Connor quote. She is one of my favs. I’m ok being called odd by her.
I think we all have more global touches then we probably even realize.
Nick,
You know I take for granted getting on FaceBook and chatting with friends in Asia. I think nothing of the fact that Dr. Garner skyped me from New Zealand (which I think we should all visit). It was only a little over a month ago and I was with a bunch of new friends in South Africa, literally the other side of the world. It’s crazy that we’re doing a the majority of our graduate study while scattered across thousands of miles. I wonder does global communications make us global citizens? What does being a ‘global citizen’ mean for us gospel ministers? Does it mean global concern? Certainly we should care about more then our own backyard, our own four walls. I dream of a church of global citizens with global love, global care. “For God so loved the world” I’m just afraid I don’t love like He does.
Dave, great observations. I am finding myself more and more concerned with issues of humanity and less with issues of Americanness… Is that wrong? Does that make me unpatriotic? I honestly don’t know any more.
This recent election cycle, if it had occurred 10 years ago, would have found me dancing in the streets because of victories and “gains” on my side of the aisle but this time, for some reason, not so much. Now, when I mention how the Emperor (president) is taking us down a path to radical socialism I have to also add the caveat that I actually agree with some of his foreign policies, I kind of quietly share some of his globalist perspectives… Yikes!
The Kingdom of God is not bound or defined by national boundaries.
J
Great questions. I think global connections do qualify us as global citizens. We have the resources and opportunities to connect all over the world.
I don’t do a very good job of this but as ministers we should bring those global connections to our local church and communities to create more of a global awareness. I wish I knew how to do that better.
Well said Nick, The “global citizen” thing is crazy. I love that about our LGP5 crew. I think we are all pretty unsuspecting not only global citizens, but just maybe also, global leaders. Man did they title this class well:)!
Can I be a global citizen and global leader if I admit to eating a meal at McDonald’s while in Cape Town?
“The only way for me to stay in my white suburbanite bubble is through ignorance.”
And yet many people still do it! Many people design for themselves a life in which the outside, unwanted world is always kept at bay. This so permeates the church that when someone wanted to address the needs around them, the church appoints someone to run a separate ministry that never really incorporates others into the body of the church.
So true Brian. I grew up at a white suburban church. The community around the church changed and instead of trying to connect with different races and people of different economic backgrounds the church has struggled and continues to shrink.
Incorporating this into the body is the challenge.
Nick,
Your action to connect that student working at Starbucks with your CFO friend is a great example of contextualizing Scripture. I really believe that outreach is that simple…it is about getting to know people in the world in which they live. You said “The only way for me to stay in my white suburbanite bubble is through ignorance. This impacts the way I choose to live, the way I view God, and way I share who God is.” When we learn to engage with people of any background, our experience in life is enriched. To do this, we often have to leave the comfort of our white suburban bubble, and to venture into territory that can be frightening for some.
Thanks Dawnel…isn’t it amazing “to venture into territory that can be frightening for some.”? The only reason people are frightened is because they might be connecting with people that are different than them. The very thing that enriches their life they fear.
Hey Nick,
It is so fun and rewarding that we are in a globalized world. We are actually in one of the greatest times in the world. I love to chat with a couple of people from Uganda and Nigeria. Its is joy to be in this program as well because it has global implications for ministry. This program is far reaching and it is helping us to extend from within our “bubble” to other people from different social backgrounds!