A cross-cultural God in my cross-cultural life.

I love speaking Creole. (Usually.) I love the way it sounds – elegant like French, but also unique and exotic. I love knowing that by speaking a foreign language I can follow Christ's call for my life.  I love that Haitians don't expect the foreigner to speak their language, and so when I do, they feel loved and appreciated.

But I have to admit, usually by the end of the day, my tongue is tied, my words don't come out right, and I'm just plain tired.  I get frustrated when I can't express myself the way I want to.  I want to build deep relationships, but I just can't put together a sentence with the same care and precision that I can in English.

I go to Haitian church almost every Sunday.  Church here is mostly Creole, but partially French.  The songs from my Creole/French hymnal are beautiful.  The worship is genuine.  The praise is real.

I really love going to Haitian church.

But today, instead, I went to American church at a ministry called Children of the Promise (COTP).  Every Sunday morning at 10, all of the missionaries who work at COTP come together for a time of worship, teaching, and (at least today) communion.

Going to church this morning was like a breath of fresh air.  It was such a blessing to worship in my own language.  To hear a sermon and not have to translate it in my head.  To sing songs I have known for years.  To linger after service and chat with my fellow missionaries…in English.

It’s a hard line to walk between engaging in the Haitian culture as thoroughly as possible, and preserving my own culture (and sanity) as I live in a community of Americans and Canadians.  I haven’t figured out exactly how to walk this line yet.  But until then, I will continue to be thankful for what I have.

When I go to English church, to be thankful for the chance to worship in my heart-language.

When I go to Haitian church, to be thankful for the chance to immerse myself in the beautiful worship of this amazing country.

When I dive into ministry, to be thankful for my Creole training and the chance to use it to glorify God.

When I come home, to be thankful for a community of missionaries who understand each other in a way that is unique to our ex-pat life.

And most of all, to be thankful always for a God who crosses cultural boundaries, language barriers, and differing lifestyles.  I serve a God who sees my skin color, my language, my culture and says they are beautiful.  And He sees Haitians’ skin color, language, and culture and says they are beautiful.  And He sees these two cultures as different – and that’s beautiful.  And He sees them as united in Him – and that’s beautiful too.

What a God we serve!