The increasing globalization of society has paradoxically led to a fragmentation of cultural homogeneity. In the past, cultural competence meant that you knew enough about a country or society to avoid offending the people with whom you interacted. You can no longer assume that the social context of any geographic region, even your own home, is culturally unified. This is an even greater problem when working with short-term teams that include members without cross-cultural experience. In this session we will discuss the challenges of team building with culturally diverse team members. Our discussion of Trans-Cultural Intelligence (T-CQ), an innovative approach to building effective multi-cultural teams, will benefit both short-term and long-term missionaries. The session focuses on simple effective ways to develop shared motivation, information and trust and the importance of these characteristics when strategizing in the context of culture diversity.
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven shaped every aspect of Jesus’ ministry - - his healing, prayers, teaching and even his identity . As we follow him in health care missions, the Kingdom should also define our goals, methodologies, and ways of relating with those we serve and with our co-workers. It should fuel our hope and our perseverance.
Worldview is the lens through which we see and understand the world around us. As such it colors everything we do and say. Without an adequate understanding of the target audience's worldview, our response, medical or theological, will likely be less effective than it could be. In missiological terms, our response to medical and spiritual needs will not be contextual. Understanding their worldview and how it differs from my worldview is a fundamental first step in cross-cultural ministry.
Everyone who has been on a medical mission has some embarrassing and/or hilarious stories of cultural or language blunders. Sometimes the events are just funny. Sometimes they can seriously compromise relationships and the intended impact of the whole mission, including our Christian witness. This session offers perspective, spiritual grounding and practical tools for building healthy relationships, avoiding, or at least recovering from many of the common mistakes in cross-cultural missions.
How do you “Do No Harm” when you are often practicing beyond your training? How do you treat everyone “fairly” in a context of unlimited need and limited resources of time, equipment, supplies and staffing? Using real life examples, we will examine the practical application of the ethical principles of non-malfeasance, benevolence, autonomy and justice in the difficult situations faced by many medical missionaries.
