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.

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