When Missions Meets Culture

Before coming to the Philippines, I tried to do as much research as possible. I read about the country, the people, the culture, and just about anything else I could think of. I talked to people who had been here before and asked them what I should expect. By the time I boarded the plane, I felt like I was pretty well prepared.

What I've learned, though, is that there is a huge difference between reading about something and actually experiencing it for yourself.

My first few days in the Philippines have been great, and I've really enjoyed my time here. But there have already been several moments where I thought, "Well, that's not quite what I pictured."

One of those moments happened at the market. I knew before coming that most grocery shopping would be done at local markets. That wasn't a surprise. What surprised me was the meat section.

Now, some of y'all reading this might think I'm about to say that I wasn't prepared to see whole fish or freshly cleaned fish sitting out. Honestly, that part didn't bother me at all. What caught me off guard was seeing the meat simply laid out on the counter.

I've been to places before where large cuts of meat and whole fish were displayed out in the open. Usually, though, they're sitting on ice or inside a refrigerated case. Here, the meat is just sitting right there on the counter.

At that point, I know what some of y'all are probably thinking... "Hot weather plus raw meat sounds like a terrible combination." Honestly, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.

The biggest thing I noticed was the flies. There were quite a few of them trying to land on the meat. Thankfully, the vendors have a simple but effective solution. They use sticks with strips of plastic attached to the end and gently wave them back and forth over the meat.

It's kind of like watching someone casually conduct an orchestra whose only members are flies.

Before I ever bought anything, I found myself standing there just watching everything happen. Reading about a market is one thing. Standing in the middle of one, hearing the conversations, seeing the vendors work, and watching people buy their food for the day is something completely different.

Then came the actual buying process.

One thing I learned pretty quickly is that haggling matters. Another thing I learned is that if you happen to have a Filipino with you, and they do all the talking, your chances of getting a better deal seem to improve dramatically.

So let's imagine a completely hypothetical situation that definitely happened.

Let's say you're looking to buy some pork.

You walk over to where the pork vendors are and look through the different cuts until you find one you like. After a little negotiating, the seller places the entire chunk of pork on a large wooden block. You point to exactly where you want it cut so you can get the amount you need for whatever meal you're planning to cook.

A few chops later, you've got your piece of pork. The seller weighs it, figures up the price based on what was negotiated, and you hand over your money. Then the pork gets dropped into a small plastic bag.

And that's it. No foam tray. No plastic wrap. No refrigerated display case.

Just a piece of pork in a little plastic bag making the trip home with you until it's time to cook dinner.

As strange as it felt at first, experiences like that are exactly why I love learning about and experiencing new cultures. God has made this world incredibly diverse, and one of the perks of being on mission and following where He leads is getting to experience that diversity for myself. The market wasn't better or 

worse than what I'm used to back home. It was simply different.

That's something I've been reminded of several times already during my short time in the Philippines. No matter how much you read or how much people tell you beforehand, some things just have to be experienced for yourself.

And if my first few days are any indication, I'm sure there will be plenty more stories to tell before this trip is over.

Acts 17:26-27 says... "From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and boundaries of where they live. He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." 

As always, thank you for your prayers.

• Please continue praying for us as we adjust to life and ministry here in the Philippines.
• Pray that we would be quick to learn, humble in our interactions, and faithful in our witness.
• Also pray for the Bible studies we hope to start in the coming weeks, that God would bring the right people into our paths and use His Word to transform lives.

- Kylie PH Summer Camiguin and Butuan Teams, Media Intern