One big thing that I’ve been praying for is that my stereotypes of people in the States wouldn’t distract from my conversations with them. I want to meet people from all different backgrounds with all different pasts. However, oftentimes my stereotypes steer me away from certain people because I don’t want to talk with them, but today, I had to make a change. Louis and his wife came to sit by me and I thought I had this “good ole boy” nailed. He sat down next to me and took off that big cowboy hat and introduced himself with his slow southern drawl, heavy accent, and rough handshake. Immediately my thoughts raced and at his age, I had a feeling I was mostly correct.
As our conversation began, I hate to admit it but I kind of brushed them off. I didn’t really want to talk with this older southern couple that I’m sure are set in their ways and would just give the old Bible belt encouragement and pat on the back. I heavily debated just making up a story to mess with them, but I decided against it (sometimes I have to apologize for my sense of humor…). I decided against my twisted humor and just told Louis and his wife all about what we were doing in the Philippines and why I chose this life and really just laid it all out there for them. I wasn’t quite expecting to hear what came next.
Louis asked me in his slowest, thickest accent yet, “Well, do you speak the language?” I just smiled as I thought about my attempts with Visayan and took the easy answer; “nope”. He told me how he felt like God had put it on his heart to learn Spanish so he could go and just be relational with the Hispanic population that works outside of his neighborhood. He also said that a few weeks after he started practicing that his company wanted to start creating some jobs in Mexico and would be doing video training within the next year. He is currently in the process of getting his bosses to reconsider and send real people to train them so they’ll feel less like a machine and more like family. Sure it will cost more, be in his mind, they’re worth it.
As I was talking to Louis, I totally forgot I was talking with a good ole country boy in his late 50s. Despite his current, comfy life, he wants to just reach out to those around him. Not just by giving away old clothes or donating to the Lottie Moon offering (both are great by the way), but by investing in lives of people around him. Then he asked me a very humbling question: “Do you think if I practice hard enough that they’ll even accept me? I just want to know them.” This is not a stereotypical southern boy.
I was so encouraged by this conversation and it got me even more excited to come home and just see what’s going on. I hear it’s hard to return to your hometown after being away because you see all the flaws instead of all the things to celebrate. This may just be a good trip home. I’m excited to see what more will come…
