Kim reminds us that while not everything translates , the important things are worth explaining .
‘ Why did the chicken cross the road ?’
Back in those early days in Cambodia I was so proud that I had finally learnt enough language to tell a joke to my language nurturer . I asked him the question and he looked at me blankly and said , “ Because in Cambodia chickens are free to go wherever they like .” My joke was completely lost on him and I quickly realised it was never going to be funny . Humour does not always cross cultures as easily as we think it should !
Our lives took an unexpected turn this year when we found ourselves not in hot Cambodia , but suddenly back in cold Tasmania . We began our Home Assignment with just 24 hours of planning and in the midst of a pandemic . One day we decided to venture to Cradle Mountain for the kids to enjoy the snow and we were excited to video call our Khmer friends back in Cambodia . They were amazed to see images of us playing in the snow and asked us many questions . I tried to put myself in their shoes to help me communicate the idea of snow ... but it was difficult !
Sometimes sharing the Gospel in another culture can feel a bit like trying to describe snow to someone who has never experienced a temperature below 18 degrees .
Recently we learnt a Khmer parable that was very funny . ( Well it was funny to our Khmer friends .) The story goes that a rabbit was running away from some mischief he had caused when he saw a dead buffalo . Wanting to hide , he climbed into the bowels of the buffalo carcass . The rabbit was initially very happy . However , as the carcass heated up in the sun , the space he was in contracted and he cried out . A farmer heard his cry and threw the carcass into the river which rehydrated the carcass and the rabbit was able to escape and live another day .
Needless to say , we didn ’ t get the joke ! Why would you tell children such a disgusting story ! The meaning of the story was obvious to our teacher and he patiently explained that this parable teaches us that sin is like the buffalo carcass and initially seems like a good place to hide . But sin will always trap us and we need a saviour to rescue us because we cannot escape on our own .
When Jesus told stories , they were relatable to His listeners because they reflected the culture and environment of the time , while also pointing to the kingdom of God . He spoke to them in a language they were familiar with , bringing clarity to concepts that were new to them , even using humour at times ! His teaching is timeless and the message of the Gospel never changes , but the stories we tell about the kingdom of God need to make sense to the people listening . Snow will always be snow , but it might need to be explained before it will make sense .
ADVENTURES WITH THE BARNES
Episode № 6
Over the past few years we ’ ve loved journeying with Kim and Craig through this segment in Resonate . While this is their final instalment of Adventures with the Barnes , their story in Cambodia is far from over ! To keep connected with Kim and Craig , sign up to their newsletter . Contact : info @ globalinteraction . org . au
resonate · issue 36 · page 2