It is very challenging to do cross cultural missionary work. There are lots of new things to learn and get used to. Only recently someone just shared how his daughter had to learn three languages to serve on the mission field so that she can deal with the authorities and the target group she works with. As Malaysians we enjoy our food a lot and would go to great distances to taste something good! But I wonder if we are as adventurous when it comes to some of the strange things that missionaries have to eat.
Here is a list of some of these strange things that one missionary gathered from his friends:
1) Grilled dog (Honduras)
2) Raw monkey brains (Indonesia)
3) Goat head (Haiti)
4) Cockroaches (Thailand)
5) Termite larvae in goat's milk (Central America)
6) Field rat (Philippines)
7) Stewed wildcat (Honduras)
8) Grasshoppers (Mexico)
9) Boiled ant larvae (Thailand)
10) Mice-on-a-stick (Malawi)
11) Giant black snail (Nigeria) - tasted like an old tyre!
The list can be longer! Like the apostle Peter, the Lord may have to show us that there are some things that we may call unclean that He has made clean before us! Of course it was in the context of taking the gospel to the home of the Gentile Cornelius. For the gospel, Peter entered the house of a Gentile for the first time. Something a good Jew would never do so as not to become impure. Peter preached the gospel and the whole household was saved! What would you eat for Jesus? Are you be prepared to go anywhere and do anything for the gospel? Start by giving your life fully to Him where you are. Allow Him to show you the way and overcome some of your fears and even dislikes for the gospel!
Ps Ben
