Mission trip
I am going on a mission trip with my church's youth group this summer to the area around Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Has anyone done anything similar and found areas they were especially unprepared in? Are there cultural points I should be aware of? Vocabulary lists I should study? I found a handy book called Outreach Spanish which has been helpful, but I would like more, especially Christian-oriented.
Really I am just looking for advice. I think my spanish is to the point where I could hold a conversation with difficulty. Thanks!
4 Answers
Hey that's awesome! I'm going on a mission trip to Ireland this summer. It's good to know there's other evangelists out there
I went on a mission trip last summer... It was awesome; I can't wait to go again. God really has blessed my youth group's ministry. We went to Colorado, which is rather far from where I live! There were a ton of Spanish-speaking people in the area where I was. Try to get a Spanish-to-English pocket dictionary, and just try to absorb as much language as possible. Be prepared for anything, and never give up! Just let God shine through you and your friends, and He will strenghten you, ok?
A friend of mine from Mexico City is married to a woman from Tegucigalpa and she is just like anyone else. I have always called her "Doña Teresa" instead of "Tere" kind of like a joke, but also because she is in charge of the home they share.
She is Catholic as is the majority of people in Latin America, so I would respect this religious belief of the people where you are going and keep in mind that Catholics are Christians too.
The only language difference I have encountered is that in Honduras they say "Guineo" for "Plátano."
Awesome for you, cordoban314. I'm actually a cross-cultural coach which doesn't make me an expert, just more practiced.
My 2 cents of advice for cross-cultural preparedness is (1) be a learner not a judge. Things may be different but they're not "backwards, bad, dumb, etc." (2) Maintain a sense of humor ... especially about yourself. (3) Go now, and find out if there are Hondurans in your area and ask them (hopefully in Spanish) about their country, what they love about their culture, who their favorite football player is, etc. A good place to find Hondurans is in a Honduran restaurant (if one is in your area). (4) Go with the flow (time is relative in most Latin American countries and so is "finishing" the job) and (5) HAVE FUN!
There is also the 10 Commandments of Short Term Missions (by Paul Cull). You should read this and stick to it. I can send it to you if you don't already have it. Blessing my friend and may God not only bless others through you but bless you through others.
