Observations on Culture

by Leslie

This picture was taken...

after this picture!

I’ve been pondering on the idea that, as humans, we are conditioned by our culture to believe that there is a “right” way and a “wrong” way to do things. Being immersed in a new culture, I am learning to let go of my attachment to the correct way of doing things. Maybe OUR American way of doing things is not always the best. I mean, what would an Italian think of our methods of doing LIFE? I think an Italian Mama would struggle with a few things in America. For example, she would have to get used to the idea that she needs to send a sack lunch to school with her kids every day. Here, the kids get out of school at 1 PM (1300 in Italia!) so they can get home for lunch.

So, here are some things to think about - you can try these at home if you would like a little slice of Italian life!!

Eat your salad last

Drink your coffee really fast and out of a tiny little cup

Don’t put milk in your coffee any time after lunch

Cook your pasta for less time

Put your pizza toppings on separate parts of the pizza, not all over

Don’t put ice in any drink

Drink lemoncello after dinner to help with digestion

Never use a dryer – hang everything up outside

Hang your intimates outside for everyone to see

Rest every day from 1 (1300) – 4 (1600)

Don’t try to shop on Sundays (everything is closed)

Take the month of August off

Pay for your grocery bags and bag your own groceries

Rent your grocery cart at the store entrance and return it when you are done

Wear a plastic bag on your hand when you get your produce – weigh and price it

Don’t try to buy a fan in the fall/winter or a grill for your fireplace in the summer

Go to military time

To turn a light on, push the light switch down

Push a button on the wall to flush the toilet

Always wear a scarf outside starting September 1st… no matter how warm it is

Pick your 3 or 4 favorite sweaters and only wear those for the next three months

Push a door to go into a store, pull to exit

Don’t wear flip flops except to the beach

Speedos all around for men’s swimwear

Pay for your coffee after you have it

Always say hello when you enter a store

Don’t use your disposal

Make all your food from scratch

Spend more time with your family – stroll the streets on Sunday afternoons

Buy a fresh loaf of bread every day

Invite people in if they stop by – ALWAYS offer food and drink

If it gets below 30 degrees, wear your snow suit out in the world

Don’t expect people to be on time (hmm, this one might not be too hard to imagine)

Kiss people on both cheeks when you greet them or say goodbye

Ok, so you get my point? Im not saying that any of these things are morally bad or good… they are just different from how we do them Some of them I like, others I don’t. But I am learning to accept the changes and am even starting to embrace them.

Jesus said in Matthew 22:37 – 40,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In His words, there is no gray area; no room for cultural differences. I am choosing to focus on these things while Jesus conforms me into His likeness. I am well aware that He is using our time in Italy to show me my own weaknesses… and to help me love others better.

Wondering what “rules” from Italy that I will bring back to the USA… stay tuned. And be ready to give me kisses on my cheeks when we return!!

Mark's Addendum:

Just to be Superty Duperty Clear: All this talk of cultural differences might lead some to think that we need to change the message of the Gospel to insert into this culture. Not happening!

Consider this:

Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

So we "...contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude 3b

So, while we enter this culture - and even embrace it to have a platform from which to minister - we carry the message of the Gospel of grace alone, through faith alone through Christ alone.

In the end, we are here for One reason - and here it is:

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Cor. 2:2

Leslie Reporting Back to her Women's Bible Study Group

by Leslie

Les with Staff in Bologna (read her 260 words below for deets)

Hi My Praying Sisters,

Thank you so much for praying for me yesterday. We had an amazing meeting!!

It was under 30 degrees here yesterday with the wind chill and I took my usual two busses to the train station. What a So. Cal. WIMP I am!! We arrived in Bologna, where it was even colder and walked about 15 minutes to a really cute little restaurant where we met with two couples and a single woman who live and do ministry in Bologna. One couple is on Campus Crusade for Christ staff, and the other are with a church planting ministry called TEAM. The second couple (linda and andy) have lived in Bologna for 23 years!! They were not aware of our film (even though they had used The Jesus Film in the past, they didnt know about Maddalena) and were SO excited about it. They want to join our effort for the March 8th distribution and said they have contact with 30 evangelical bodies in their area and think that they can help get 3,000 copies out. They are also interested in using the film with their work with rescuing prostitutes off the streets and Linda also had the idea of using it in a women's prison there. I guess they know one of the guards. We came away very encouraged and are excited to see what God will do!!

Thankful that today I get to be home!! Fire in the fire place, tea kettle going, George Winston on my itunes....

Love you all and miss you!!!
Leslie

As you can see the weather has changed in Fiesole - Very CHRISTmasy

Our True Home

by Leslie

this is where I spoke to the Italian salesman in Italianish, (or was it Engliano?)

Well, our time in Italy is almost ½ over… In some ways it seems like we have been here forever, and in others as if we have just arrived. I am still struggling to speak and understand the language, but thankfully God is giving me grace upon grace as I wander through the confusing maze of this culture. In the process, I am learning to fix my eyes on my eternal home.

Just this morning I got to have another new experience. Trying to get over jetlag, I had just gotten up and was making coffee when the doorbell rang. There was a young man standing at my gate with a badge and a notebook which might have meant a delivery of our long-awaited mail from the USA. Although I was still in my pajamas (at 11 AM!!) I answered the door. He immediately began talking to me in rapid-fire Italian… to which I gave my usual response:

“Per favore, piano, piano… Non parlo bene Italiano.” So, he spoke more slowly – alas, I STILL didn’t get what he was trying to say. (SO frustrating for me!!) Then he said the magic words, “I speak English.” Ahhhh, thank you!! In slow, measured words he tried to explain his reason for being at my door.

(Here, I have to tell you that my compassion for non-english speakers has increased a thousand fold. I have first hand experience with how it feels to try to communicate in a language not my own!)

I listened with amusement as he picked through his sales pitch using his limited English vocabulary, throwing in some Italian words when he couldn’t come up with the English – I do this every day in trying to communicate the simplest things in Italian. He explained to me that I was being charged too much for my utilities and that I only needed to sign some form and the company would lower my payment. I was wondering why they don’t just lower my payment, but reminded myself that this is Italy and they do everything differently.

Thinking through his pitch, I started to wonder if in fact what he wanted me to do was switch companies. But when I tried to ask him this he kept assuring me that it was not like that… and that I should just sign. Hmmmm. These are the times when I feel like a child because I cannot discern what is REALLY being asked of me and I start to feel taken advantage of. Thankfully, we have an amazing landlady who almost always answers her cell phone, so I called Marzia. She spoke to the man and then told me that it wasn’t a good deal. Grateful for her advice, I sent the Enel man on his way.

This is just a snapshot of the kinds of things that go on every day… the strange balance between feeling completely inept, and knowing that these trials are making me SO much more dependent on God. He is giving me a very clear understanding of what it means to be “Not of this world.” I am a stranger here – and He is reminding me that I am also a stranger in this world because heaven is my true home. I am thankful for how He daily gives me reminders of this truth.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." 1 Pet. 2:9-12

In Our True Home we will worship with people:

"...from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Rev. 7:9b-10

and

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Rev. 5:12