Cultural differences: masks in HK
Cultural Differences,  Culture

Cultural Differences Beyond the Front Door

April 25, 2019 / 32 Comments

Beyond the Front Door-—what’s on the other side? Is it dangerous, frightening, exciting, overwhelming? Is everyone everywhere the same? Will we find cultural differences? What might happen if we explore beyond our front doors? As I ventured beyond my front door in 2003, I heard God’s call to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong: Introduction to Cultural Differences

I hadn’t been in Hong Kong long when I realized the cultural differences between East and West were massive. For one thing, seven million people live in Hong Kong, most in large apartment buildings instead of single-family homes. Larger apartment complexes house 30,000 people, with 600 square feet as the average flat size. (Gratefully our church-owned flat was larger.) Also, since it’s common for both parents to work outside the home, most families have a live-in domestic helper to cook, clean the house, and take care of the children. Furthermore, riding the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) at rush hour means you are shoulder-to-shoulder with 100 of your closest friends. 

SARS Epidemic

We arrived in Hong Kong the day authorities named the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) index patient. CNN cameras and reporters were broadcasting from the hotel where the index patient had stayed and near where we were staying. People were dying, even medical staff in the hospitals. No one understood how the disease spread; many tried to protect themselves by wearing masks.

Although most people in Hong Kong depend on public transportation, during the epidemic they avoided buses and the MTR. With fear saturating the atmosphere, the always out-and-about Hong Kong people hid in their homes. Schools closed; businesses suffered. Cleanliness was a major concern. So, helpers sterilized the flats at least once a day. Staff in malls, stores, markets, hospitals, and apartment buildings wiped elevator buttons and handrails with bleach every hour.

Likewise, the church my husband Harry pastored installed sinks outside so attendees could wash their hands before and after church. Maintenance staff cleaned the pews and hymnbooks before every worship service. In addition, rumors circulated that the government might close the port, leading to food shortages. I waited in a checkout line over one hour in a small grocery store as domestic helpers loaded their carts with every grain of rice in the store. The panic was palpable.

A Different Normal

Yes, the world I found beyond my front door changed my definition of normal. Because of the anxiety fostered by the epidemic, church members worried Harry and I might flee, returning to the safety and security of Texas. But we never considered leaving because we knew God had called us to Hong Kong, and our lives were in his hands. None of what we faced was a surprise, and he had a plan to use it for his glory and our good.

Living in Hong Kong opened my eyes to cultural differences and to another cultural worldview, one I never realized existed. And the more I studied Chinese culture, the more similarities between it and biblical culture I discovered. Both were worlds of shame and honor unlike my world of guilt and innocence. As I grew in my knowledge of Chinese culture, words and stories in the Bible grew in their meanings. Consequently, my experience in Hong Kong transformed my understanding of God’s Word.

My goal in this blog is to share how cultural awareness can reveal biblical truths hidden in plain sight. I hope you’ll join me on the journey.

If you find this content meaningful, please share it.

Retired pastor’s wife, Bible teacher, & writer. Communicating biblical truth with cultural awareness.

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32 Comments

  • Kin Li

    May 16, 2019 at 8:17 PM Reply

    Ancestors live with the families or they live in the back of the mountain facing a beautiful sea view. As I go hiking a lot.., I found that all the small villages have the same picture especially in an island.

  • Jane Nash

    May 10, 2019 at 12:03 AM Reply

    Nancy, another very insightful blog. I think in my weakness, I might have been tempted to return home thinking I had not really heard God’s calling. Your strength amazes me. I cannot wait to read more!

    • Nancy Lucenay

      May 10, 2019 at 9:12 AM Reply

      Thanks, Jane. I’m sure you would have done just as we did if you knew God had called you. There’s no better place to be than the center of his will.

  • Phyllis McCarthy

    April 28, 2019 at 8:54 PM Reply

    Thank you for sharing your gifts some more! I’ve enjoyed this entry and am looking forward to more.

  • Nancy White

    April 26, 2019 at 2:27 PM Reply

    Thank you dear Nancy for sharing your valuable pearls of Christian wisdom in all cultures..and assuring us that our trials can be proofs of God’s care where ever we are in this world. Will look forward to future posts.

  • PJ Schwarz

    April 26, 2019 at 11:42 AM Reply

    Fantastic! So interesting to learn about another culture. Unbelievable that you arrived during the SARS outbreak with so many people sick and dying—-having faith to stay and not flee.

  • Sue Gregg

    April 26, 2019 at 10:39 AM Reply

    Yea, Nancy! What great news…..I am so excited about your new blog! Thank you so much for sharing your story & experiences with the world and the people in it. I am SO looking forward to this! 👏

  • Alice

    April 26, 2019 at 9:47 AM Reply

    I have always believed that you can not begin to understand people unless you open your mind to their culture. It is a window of awareness and understanding, such as the influence of the caste system in India and the Koran in the Near East. I am so looking forward to your blog and giving me a window and door through your eyes on the Far East.

  • Judy Anderson

    April 26, 2019 at 9:00 AM Reply

    Thank you so much for sharing this segment of your life with us. I look forward to following your journey.

  • Jo Young

    April 26, 2019 at 7:16 AM Reply

    Thank you so much, Nancy. As always, your stories are eyeopening and inspiring! Can’t wait to read more.

  • helentsj

    April 26, 2019 at 1:56 AM Reply

    I had no idea you arrived during the SARS outbreak. How scary to witness that collective fear of the unknown! Thanks for sharing your experience, Nancy! I look forward to learning from you once again.

    • Nancy Lucenay

      April 26, 2019 at 6:40 AM Reply

      Thank you for your note, Helen. It’s always good to hear from you. Yes, we arrived in Hong Kong at a most interesting time. For such a time as this…

  • Jane Nash

    April 26, 2019 at 1:02 AM Reply

    Nancy, I loved this first blog. Wow! You are a brave lady. Those circumstances you arrived in must have been difficult.
    I cannot wait to read more!

    Jane Nash

    • Nancy Lucenay

      April 26, 2019 at 6:41 AM Reply

      Thanks so much for your comments, Jane. As you know, God always empowers us to do what he calls us to do.

  • Lynda Lee Case

    April 25, 2019 at 10:25 PM Reply

    Thank you Nancy for doing this blog. We all need to learn more about what is outside our front door. Look forward to your next blog entry.
    Lynda

Thanks for reading! I would love to hear your questions, thoughts, or suggestions.