13
Cultural Awareness
As you serve alongside local partnerships both in the US and internationally, it’s
important that you are willing to learn, listen, and adapt to cultures and viewpoints
that may be different from what you’re used to. When you commit to supporting and
encouraging our partnerships, you are agreeing to come with a posture of humility, ready
to learn and do your best to serve in a way that honors the existing leadership in each
community. Here are a few expectations to consider:
IT’S NOT WRONG,
JUST DIFFERENT
It’s very likely that you’ll run into
cultural beliefs and patterns during
your trip that are very different from
what you’re used to in your day-today
life at home. Because of the way
our human brains are wired, it’s easy
to operate from the cultural bias
that the way you do things is the
“right” way. It’s important, however,
to be aware of this tendency and to
recognize that just because things
don’t operate the way you expect
them to, it doesn’t necessarily make
them wrong. Remember this: it’s not
wrong, it’s just different!
Whether it’s differences like the
concept of being “on time”, the food
presented at a meal, the way people
dress, or the difference in how a
church worships, stay patient and be
gracious; step into their culture and
engage with it! Many areas in which
we serve have cultures that are more
relaxed about schedules and timing
than the majority of our teams, so
be prepared for that and be ready to
stay flexible and patient. Even if you
don’t enjoy the food (or portion size)
you’re given, remain respectful and
always thank those who are preparing
the meals. When attending church,
try stepping out of your comfort zone
to engage in the service (even if it’s
in a language you don’t understand),
worship, and pray alongside the
congregation in your own language!
RESPECT BOUNDARIES
When you go out on the mission field,
you should be intentionally putting
yourself in a place of humility and
submitting yourself to the authority
of the local church where you’re
serving. This means that sometimes
you will need to put aside your own
preferences for the sake of respecting
the boundaries set by PPM and by
your partners. These “rules” are not
set to limit you, but to make sure that
you and your team are operating in
a way that’s honoring to the yearround
ministry of your partner. Here
are some examples, requested by our
partners, by which teams can honor
their communities:
Clothing: What is considered
appropriate dress varies from culture
to culture, and inappropriate clothing
can be a distraction, or even offensive,
to the people you’ll be serving. Don’t
allow your clothing to be a barrier
between you and the community
you’re serving. With that in mind,
shoulders should be covered and
shorts should be well past fingertip
length for all participants. Please look
your best for church, bring one-piece
swimsuits to swim, and wear closedtoed
shoes for safety at all work sites.
Donations: While on your trip, please
do not hand things out directly to the
public (including candy, small items,
sports equipment, etc.). It is important
that ALL donations go through your
partner church or ministry. Here’s
why: your partner church and the
pastor are typically the center of the
community and, as such, they have
a deeper understanding of the true
needs of the area. Donations given
through your partner church enable
the church and the pastor to be the
answer for their community and allow
them an outreach opportunity. These
donations provide chances to impact
the community not only on your trip,
but also after you leave.
ASK QUESTIONS & LEARN
Come into the trip expecting to learn
from your host pastor, community
members, and your PPM staff
throughout the week. You won’t be
able to get a full understanding of
your trip location in the span of a
one-week mission trip, but you’ll be
surprised by how much you can learn
if you engage with curiosity
and humility!
Also, do some research before the trip
starts! Make sure you look into the
history and culture of where you’re
headed prior to arriving. If you’re
serving in a location where English
is not the primary language spoken,
take some time to learn some key
words and phrases before the trip.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got
you covered! Check out our language
learning resources on pages 24-25.
If languages aren’t your thing, though,
remember that there are many ways
to communicate nonverbally. Playing
games and simply smiling are great
ways to communicate care
without words!