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Dancing with Elephants & Mice |
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How westerners and two-third's world Christians perceive each other when working together in mission. .
Lessons I am Learning in Dancing With Elephants
By Lisa Espineli Chinn
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Lessons I am Learning in Dancing with Mice
By Terri Hughes |
1. The dance floor is God’s. The elephants do not own it. I do not own it. We are on the dance floor because God called us to be there. The elephants and I are both equal members of God’s family.
2. Elephants have strengths; so do I. They can go places I can’t. I can go places they can’t. I see things they don’t see. They see things I do not see. We both have our sins and flaws, but when we forgive each other amazing things happen.
3. We work best when we acknowledge and appreciate each other’s value, uniqueness and contribution.
4. Even if it is sometimes hard to stand up to elephants, I have learned that I have to – for their sake, my sake, the dance floor’s sake and God’s sake.
5. I feel most honored and affirmed when the elephants are willing to lie down so we can see eye-to-eye (even if it means my being on tiptoes).
6. As we dance into the 21st Century, we both have to be open to learning new steps together.
7. Elephants also have feelings like mine. They need to be loved, affirmed, encouraged, and comforted.
8. I should not quietly rejoice when they fumble and fall. If I think I have some insight on why they fell, I should be willing to share it.
9. I should not take advantage of the elephant’s size and access to resources.
10. I should encourage others to learn to dance with elephants. Elephants have taught me bold and innovative steps. Together we have covered more areas on the dance floor.
Lisa Chinn has been “dancing with elephants” for 35 years in the Philippines and in the U.S. She has served as Vice-President for re-entry services with International Ministries Fellowship and now serves as Director of International Student Ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She shared these lessons at the 1999 FSTML Conference. |
1. Mice have been dancing on their dance floor for a long time. I need to watch them dance and follow their steps.
2. Mice usually let me lead the dance because I’m the guest and I’m so big. When I let mice lead me in dancing, I learn new dances I never danced before.
3. Mice accept me on their dance floor even with my clumsiness.
4. Mice are smart and know when to get off the dance floor. I need to follow them off the dance floor.
5. Mice have feelings just as I do. They need to feel respected, appreciated and affirmed in their giftedness and abilities in dancing.
6. I’m learning not to take advantage of the smallness of mice, or feel superior to them because of my size and resources. I’m learning to trust them to use the resources I’ve brought in the way they see fit.
7. I’m learning to encourage all other elephants visiting mice to learn to be gentle-footed around mice, to be aware of them as dancing partners and to realize how easy it is to crush them.
8. When I’m visiting mice, I’m learning to sit back and watch a Mouse Show instead of just coming to put on an Elephant Show. And then we enjoy doing a show together.
9. Mice eat less than elephants but they can run faster. Mice do much with little resources. I’m learning how to live with little even though I’m big.
10. When I lie down so that I can see a mouse eye-to-eye, then we have a magical moment on the dance floor. I leave as a light-footed elephant ready to dance with all kinds of animals.
Terri Hughes, guest editor of this Mobilizer, is a Short Term Missions Trainer with SEND International. She has been involved in leading and facilitating short-term missions for 13 years. |
See also: When Elephants Dance: Thoughts on Short-Term Mission by Miriam Adeney
From the Fall 2000 issue of “Mobilizer,” a publication of ACMC.
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