Sept. 3-5: Reading – Hargraves, CultureShock! London and Tan, CultureShock! Great Britain<\/p>\n
We visited London for the first time in 1997 when my wife and I were on our way to Equatorial Guinea Africa as missionaries. We only really stay in London for a few hours and din got a good sense of the British culture or country for that matter.
\nVisiting England is like going to back to the motherland. By that, I mean the homeland of the North Americans. We went to visit for the second time back in 2005 on my way back to the US from Cameroon. That time we did stay for a couple of days and sightseeing, especially great city of London.
\nReading the books bring back memories of my shore experience in London, but overall it reminded me of the home of the WEC International Mission headquarters. That is a big deal for me as WEC is the mission that we served God within Africa for eight years.
\nFor those wondering about the connection, “Charles Thomas Studd, often known as C. T. Studd, was a British missionary, a contributor to The Fundamentals, and a cricketer. In 1888, he married Priscilla Stewart, and had four daughters, and two sons (who died in infancy). As a British Protestant Christian missionary to China, he was part of the Cambridge Seven and later was responsible for setting up the Heart of Africa Mission which became the Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade (now WEC International). As a cricketer, he played for England in the 1882 match won by Australia, which was the origins of The Ashes”. https:\/\/wec-uk.org.
\nFurthermore, into a reading couple of subject caught my attention, and I wanted to elaborate on those too. One is in regard’s to the change in immigration and religion in the UK and how these social changes have impacted the culture. As a formal Latin missionary from the US, we see Europe and especially the UK as the mother of all missions to the American continent. Well, Spain and Catholicism to Latin America as well, but that’s for another topic.
\nHargraves & Tan both are very inclusive and cultural sensitivity as well as acutely aware of the many cultures represented in the UK and how they are contributing to the new England. Despite the many challenges that this may serve, England seems to have a different approach to immigration. There is a long history going back to the 16th century in which England has hosted political asylum seekers which ironically also came from the US that were in disagreement with the revolution.
\nEngland and the US are experiencing a big challenge that is obligating them to take mayor measures. The overwhelming traffic of illegal emigration into England is instigating radical and extremist to rise in defense of something that they feel has been taking away from them.
\nBoth US and UK share very similar issues with immigration, especially when their global political ambitions have provoked the reason for such.
\nI was intrigued by what Hargraves said that “London is less ‘ghettoized’ than many other world cities. Thanks to the availability of low-cost housing provided by housing trusts, housing associations, and local governments, immigrants can and do live in every London borough. Hargraves, Orin. CultureShock! London. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. Kindle Edition”. 831. As is the case in the US, this reality continues to be very different, and with a visible line of social and cultural differences.
\nIn conclusion, with my report on Culture Shock, first of all, I am excited that I will get to visit the land of John Wesley. I am a fan of Wesley as I am a Free Methodist ordain pastor, and Wesley is also as an idol to the Methodist. Unfortunately, the Wesleyan legacy seems to be featuring away over the years from the equation and left alone in the history books. New movements and expressions of faith are emerging in the US an are unaware of the many pioneers from Englan to our Christian faith in America.
\nI am intrigued by how historical and routed missionary movement that came out of England has wholly changed but also how the church is in a state of feebleness. Tam. 685.
\nThe church in the US seems to be in similar situations. Many churches are closing down; many others have to be reinventing trying to be “relevant” and losing their focus in the process. Despite that, I want to recognize the God is at work in the mix of the non-Caucasian immigrants, mainly from Latin America migrating to the US. Caring their Christian traditions in their journey to the “promised land,” bring along their pentecostal indigenous church movement who are planting many churches, as well the new generations of Latinos American who are planting multicultural churches with parishioners from many nationalities background. So there is hope, and I pray that England takes advantage of the nation’s that are coming to their home and see that they are reached with the gospel. I hope and pray that they are sending missionaries not only to the world but to their own Jerusalem Judea in Samaria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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