What Missionaries Can Learn from a Player

This article was first published in French at TPSG.

During our ten years in Senegal, my husband Dan and I aspired to integrate as much as possible into our host culture. Despite all of our cross-cultural communication and adaptation training, it didn’t take long for us to realize what a challenge this would be. One day, Dan inquired of our language teacher, "Have you ever known an American who was truly assimilated into Senegalese culture?" Moutarou quickly answered, "Yes, but only one or two. One was a guy from the U.S. who lived with me and came here without knowing a word of French or Wolof. Within five months, he was fluent in both. He was known as a player and had so many local girlfriends and lied to all of them about how much he loved them - all in Wolof!" 

We heard this testimonial almost exactly five months after arriving on the field. And while our language skills had progressed nicely, neither of us would have claimed we could say anything of consequence in Wolof. Our first response to this player's behaviour (besides envy at his speed in language acquisition) was disgust at the thought of a Westerner behaving in such a way, taking advantage of women by his charm and craftiness. 

But we quickly realized that this guy put many of us missionaries to shame! If speaking a local language is imperative to wooing young women's hearts for immoral purposes, how much more so is it necessary to win the hearts of men and women to the love of God in His Son? The key to his success came from his involvement in the lives of nationals. He lived with them, ate with them, studied with them, partied with them. 

And so is the case for the most successful missionaries. So, as you intercede for cross-cultural workers, please pray that they would learn languages like a player, meaning not alone behind a desk or computer screen, but over tea or a meal, while building relationships with nationals.  Their longevity on the field depends on it.