Building Community: Barn-raising

January 20, 2020

Living cross-culturally isn’t always easy. There are many things I don’t understand.  Just when I think I understand someone or something, something happens and I realize how little I understand.  It can be frustrating at times.  On the other hand it is exhilarating when you make a meaningful connection.  It is a process that requires a lot of patience,  flexibility, and understanding.  

One question I continue to have is: “What is meaningful community look like here in Congo?”  What do deep, meaningful relationships look like here? I am not talking about outward friendliness or niceties, I am referring to the Biblical concept of koinonia-of mutual dependence and trust.  I am realizing that koinonia requires people to be vulnerable and to ask for help and advice.  This is a rare thing here.  So how does this deeper level of community develop?  

One definition of community I found said that it “is the condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common.”  I find this to be true, but lacking in the idea of interdependence.  Community is not always natural and needs to be worked on.  Sometimes it is hard to find agreement and common ground.  Sometimes it is hard to work through differences, ethnic or otherwise.  Building community takes time and intentionality, sweat and tears.  It is true that activities which hold mutual benefit have the ability to build community.  

This past weekend I was blessed to participate in a community building activity.  The Women of CME mudded a barn!   I have never been part of something exactly like this before and it felt like a privilege to take part.  We are preparing to farm about 8 acres together, with the purpose of supporting the malnutrition program and women’s ministry activities.  It was a great opportunity for me to learn

something new and be together with some amazing women, all around something we believe in.  I was struck by many things.  There were over 20 people who participated and everyone was important.  I drove, made multiple trips to the water hole for water to make mud, I mudded a few sections of walls, and I watched the process.  Others cooked, erected door frames, mixed mud, shoveled mud, etc.  What would be heavy work for one or two people is light work for a team.  Even beans and rice tastes amazing after having worked hard together!.  We hope that there will be many more opportunities for these kinds of koinonia activities.  We hope that farming will be an activity that builds trust and deepens relationships between the women.  We hope that we will grow closer to the heart of God.  We hope that we will have opportunities to share our lives and faith with the neighbors and field hands in this area.  We pray that this can be an example for CME to follow.  There should be an almost unnatural unity in the Church because we have Christ in common.  


With many blessings,
Lindsey