Road to Rwanda----Cultural Map

 

Our before school  trip to a beautiful island.

During session on this trip we revisted a cultural map.  When we look at different cultures how do they fit along the continumm of categories such as communication, leadership, decision making, time, etc.? This is of vital importance if we want to build a strong team.  

But the Lord has also been talking to me about how important it is for our students to understand these complexities.  VVA is an American Christian school.  Our vision statement says: 

“Developing obedient disciples of Jesus who transform Rwanda and the world through academic excellence, growth in the character of Christ, and service to others.”

We feel the mandate to train these students so that they can relate to and understand the international community in a Christian manner.  In essence we are asking these students to be "third culture kids", a term we often use for missionary children. This is not always (or even usually) comfortable. Last spring I began to describe what these cultural continuum areas are to the older students.  They thanked me profusely, saying they better understood why sometimes their parents were upset with them for the way they would relate to them or attack a problem.  Please pray that we can help our students grapple with these complex issues.  School starts Wednesday, August 21.