04/04/2016 08:00 AM
An Undeniable Truth
Our world is broken.
Even a young child understands this when he is bullied, or when she faces injustice on the playground. Even though she doesn’t yet know what that big word – injustice – means.
Something is not right.
One expression of this brokenness is the absence or breakdown in understanding, especially across cultural, ethnic and racial lines. The “otherization” of those who are not like us. It can seem “safer” if we stick with people who act, believe, look, speak and think “just like us.”
But this is not the best for our world.
We are bringing YourGlobalFamily to life because our world needs platforms to encourage deeper cross-cultural, cross-ethnic and cross-racial understanding. Ones that challenge us to be truly intercultural in our mindset and behavior. Ones offering creative approaches for building bridges instead of walls. This belief is at the heart of our venture.
We believe the diversity of the human experience is a creative expression of the God who breathes all life into existence.
Humans often abuse the gift of life we’ve been given, no question.
Yet there remains so much to celebrate in the human experience. When people of different cultures come together, interact and communicate, the intercultural outcome often creates a new, bold and hope-filled dynamic.
What Experience has Taught Us
In our lives, interacting and building relationships with thousands of internationals at home in the U.S. and abroad, we have found so much to celebrate.
We’ve taught and learned from Chinese university students, discussed world affairs with Turkish friends, enjoyed warm Pakistani hospitality, fellowshipped with Christian believers in remote areas of the Philippines and Indonesia, celebrated deep, long-lasting friendships with scores of Japanese, supped with Italian relatives, and powerfully connected with friends from South Sudan, Poland, Nigeria, Colombia, Lebanon, Taiwan, Russia, Germany, Brazil, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, India, Korea and beyond.
We are struck again and again by a common heart of mutual love, hope and respect through these relationships.
Through these interactions and friendships, we contribute to the peace dividend in this world. Our relationships with a few friends from Nepal, for example, give us a window into, and a heart for, that small, mountainous land and its people.
We stop seeing them as “the Other” and recognize they are, indeed, a part of ourselves.
When they hurt – as in the devastating April 2015 earthquake – we hurt, even though we are separated by 7700 miles (or 12,350 km) and a full day of travel.
But even more, the simple fact is, you cannot hold a gun to the head of someone you sincerely love. Or learn to.
This is a startling truth. One to rest on for a moment.
A Frightening Season
As I write this, we are in a season where fear seems to dominate the American psyche and some stir it up, manipulating it for personal ambition. Racial tensions abound worldwide. Cultures clash because of new, heartbreaking geopolitical realities. Anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, anti-other sentiment is on the rise.
Our world doesn't need neo-isolationism. Building walls is not the solution! It was not a lasting solution in China (though The Great Wall is now a fabulous tourist sight), nor in Berlin. Building bridges of mutual understanding and love is the only way we, as a species, will be able to survive in today's hyper-connected world.
This is a corporate choice, yes. But it is a personal choice each one of us must make. Will we contribute to build a more generous, compassionate world of mutual respect, understanding and love? Or will we become part of our own demise?'
Again, we strike at the heart of our venture.
So, What is our Choice?
Can we be peacemakers, agents of change for good, relational ambassadors across cultures and also have fun doing it?
And, can we live lives of international adventure – whether at home or abroad – and contribute to the global good at the same time?
YES, and YES! We believe these two are not mutually exclusive and, in fact, when you are enjoying what you’re doing, you’re most likely to contribute good stuff. Indeed, this all adds up to making our world a better place.
What can Result?
We have experienced the “divine magic” of this love through the intercultural connections in our lives. We believe more people need to experience this. This drive, again, is at the heart of our venture. As people experience this more and more on a larger scale, the potential for big change is huge.
Change in the heart. (Where it starts.)
Change in the home.
And change in communities.
Change in our world.
Change for the good.
YourGlobalFamily aims to provide inspiration, direction, equipping, opportunities, tools and training to become more of what we were made to be in the realm of relationships across cultures. And we are specifically focusing on families, because this is where the deepest change begins.
Our world is hurting and needs this.
We believe each thread in this global tapestry is unique. But together? We are a masterpiece, the highest creative expression of the Master Designer!
This is our heart. This is our WHY.
In what ways do you resonate with this why? Please share with us in the comments below!