culture shock

Every once and awhile I am struck again with culture shock. I have not traveled 1000 miles away but I have been sucked into the christian world and when I come too I have culture shock. This may seem odd as I work in the inner city and one would think that I am cultured enough. The temptation to live in a bubble is so attractive to me and be naive to this world is so comfortable.

I will share with you a couple of instances in this past week that have caused me much shock...

The first was last Wednesday evening. I was at Outback doing my one shift a week and a guy about my age made a horribly crass sexual joke to his girlfriend (both employees). He then proceeded to follow it by a hand motion he laughed and walked away as if it was nothing. She did too in a sense. The male wants to be a manager he has gone through some training for it. Throughout the course of the night he sat around and watched others working as if he was too good to do a particular job. Both of us managers who were on duty wrote comments in the book. But I was caught off guard that this is the world I live in were crude and crass joking is simply okay, where laziness is a part of life and entitlement is a given (I don't have to do x or y because I am above that).

The following day Thursday last week there was a shooting about 3 blocks from where I work and about a 1/2 mile form my house. Not only was there this murder at 6:45pm on a Thursday in late Oct. But there were about 6 or 7 other reports prior to the murder of gun shots both on the north and south side of Racine and a fire. There was so much activity we had to call in surrounding communities to help with police enforcement, even the state patrol. The fact that the shooting was so early in the evening on a Thursday night means that the fighting is not over and causes red flags. Most crimes like this happen later and on the weekends and summer is a hot time because it is warmer. This shooting has affected the community we work with because we all got comfortable because things were starting to get better and now we must be on guard again. We do not even know the ramifications of this murder yet. We are doing wRap Kidz this week because of teachers convention and people don't feel safe so kids may not be allowed to come.

Then yesterday I was watching Oprah, as I do once and awhile, she had amazing moms on the show the contrast between the women was jaw dropping. They were women form all over the world, one was from Alaska were the milk she buys is $7.49 a gallon because it has to be flown in daily. The cost of living is so high because of there location. Another women in Norway gets a year off for maturity leave and can be spilt between husband and wife, free health care for the child for the first 7 years, and 10 days each (husband and wife) paid to use if there child is sick a year. And spanking is illegal. Norway is rated the best place to live to raise a family. Then we moved to Africa on woman had 10 children and worked as a transporter she carried things for people she carried 2 item the day they followed her and she made 65 cents. And she carried 100 pounds of beans a couple miles and a mattress piece about 2 miles. She fed 10 children on her makings for the day. She has also managed to put her 4 oldest children through primary school about 25 cents a day! The contrast is more than I can comprehend.

I feel like there was another story or incident that had grabbed my attention over the last week but I can not think of it. It is not that I think these issues don't exist or am naive to what is going on. When there are so many different circumstances happening in such a short time, my heart began to feel so heavy. I just want to fly away some days...take me know Lord. But I know that He has sent us into this world to be a light in the darkness and a voice for the injustice for His glory alone.

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:14-23