Humility Exceeding Gratitude

 
    In light of recent events, I found it interesting and ironic that in the FIRST CHAPTER of my sophomore level Public Speech class there was a section on ethnocentrism. (Ethnocentrism - the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture) The text book exhorted its readers to check themselves for attitudes of enthocentlrism, and to make it of extreme importance not to let ethnocentrism come out in their public speeches.

    We talk to every student that comes on a trip with our ministry about this very thing. We can be grateful for our country, even proud of it, without believing it to be superior to other countries. In our debrief time with students we do an exercise with them where they have to list and discuss some traits and values about their country and culture from which Guatemala could learn, and then they have to list and discuss traits and values about Guatemala and its culture from which their home country could learn. After just two weeks spent serving Guatemalans, ministering beside our Guatemalan staff, and living with Guatemala families in host homes, pointing out strengths and positives about this beautiful country and its people is NEVER a problem. Our students leave with an awareness that there are basic values seen here in Guatemala that they want to take back to their home, and weave into the rest of their lives. They come to serve, but they realize they receive even more than they give just about 100% of the time.
 
      In high school, I got a job where I worked closely with African American children, day care workers, community leaders, and pastors. Before then, I had known one African American family and that's it. But for three years in high school, by the grace of God, I got to spend hours at a time talking on a deep level with African Americans. I grew to see, that as a culture group, they were more resilient, more intentional, and more brave than anyone I'd ever known in my own culture group. I was inspired over and over and over. I was motivated to embrace some of their traits into my life as best as I could. I have deep respect for African American people.

  In middle school, I took three trips to Mexico. I also got to be around many Latinos through the same job I mentioned above. I fell in love with their inner strength, their loyalty to family, and the way they live fully in the moment. I wanted to speak their language, understand their culture, and live my life in a way that looked similar to their's. I was secretly proud that I was often mistaken as a Mexican. :)

     Since we came to Christian Academy of Guatemala, Camden, Hope, and I have had the opportunity to get to know many Koreans. My boss is Korean, 1/3 of my class is Korean, and both of my big kids have several Korean friends. I am giddy at the opportunity we have to get to know a new culture group. I have been deeply impressed by their politeness, their kind smiles, and their strong sense of community. Recently our school had their yearly mandatory meeting. Guatemalan, North, American, and Korean moms and dads gathered in the chapel, mostly finding seats with their own culture group. I looked across the aisle to see two rows of Korean women and wondered to myself where all of the dads were. I asked later, and was told that it was like that every year. Most of the Korean dads sign their voting proxies over to their wives, and the wives show up together. I think about myself and how here in Guatemala I am so nervous about many things. Blake has to pay the bills, make phone calls in Spanish, and drive me to new places (at least) the first time. And I probably would have pouted for 12 hours if Blake had signed his proxy over to me and not come with me to the meeting. As I think about those two rows of lovely Korean women sitting there together "getting business done", I am totally and completely inspired. I'm inspired to do things on my own more often, to be stronger and more independent, and to, at least every once in awhile, let Blake sign over his proxy.
 
     I often thank God that I am from the USA. I feel humbled and comforted that at any time I can buy a ticket, get on a place, and be welcomed back to my home land. But you know what I'm not? I'm not proud. Because I did absolutely nothing to deserve being born in the USA. It just happened that way. I still have prejudices. I still see racism in my heart that sickens me. I still have so far to go to truly rid myself of ethnocentrism. But I won't stop working on it. I will still strive for humility that  exceeds my gratitude. For me humility means being aware that there are things I can learn, things our culture group can learn, and things our country can learn from every other culture group and every other county on this continent. Let's take the advice of my sophomore level speech book and check ourselves for ethnocentrism and for the love of Trump, keep it out of our public speeches.