Anthony An Cong Nguyen, SVD

 

I took to heart the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” as I packed my bags for Botswana, Africa, a place that I knew virtually nothing about in terms of customs and culture. The missionary life is indeed risky, though it is full of excitement. In the past, I had never fathomed that one day I would come to Botswana to undergo my Cross-Cultural Training Experience. Thinking about the prospect of having to learn a new language, becoming like a child learning ABCs, having to live with total strangers, eating strange foods, and living in difficult conditions, is enough to make me feel discouraged. So it is mysterious to me as to what reason and motivation I had for deciding to come to this country to do my training.
 

Since stepping foot onto this land, I have spent most of my time in the task of learning the language of Setswana, which is by no means simple. The grammar and sentence structures are much more complex than either English or Vietnamese. After three months of studying, I am only able to speak a few simple sentences. I try to read a lot of books and news papers, but it is difficult for me to understand. When not studying, I often have the opportunity to accompany Sr. Paulina, a Holy Spirit Sister, when she visits the poor, administers the Eucharist to the sick, and delivers food to the or phans. In this country, there are many or phaned children whose parents died from the disease of the century, AIDS. Many children wander the streets, having no one to care for them. AIDS is still a grave problem for the people of this region, where over 50% of the population are infected with HIV. The number of deaths continue to rise. In many places, there is not enough land to bury the dead, so they must be cremated. Not until recently did the Botswanan government admit that HIV/AIDS is a real problem; previously, they had claimed that it was simply a fabricated concern.
 

Have you ever thought about catching worms for food? I assume not. There is a particular worm that is part of the staple diet of the people in this region. In December people go into the forests to pitch tents and catch these worms. They boil and then dry them in the sun so that they can be stored and eaten year round. When preparing this dish, the people soak the worm in water so that it becomes soft. They may slice it into small pieces and stir fry with onions and tomatoes. Some people eat it dry, while others fry it with peanuts. Other dishes are relatively easy to eat since they are similar to the food in the United States. Except for the worm and beef, all the food in this country is imported from South Africa. Each year, there are periods of rain from December until March, but when the rain stops, the water also seems to dry up. Most of the land is sand and stones. Because water is lacking, washing clothes and bathing must be severely limited. Those who do not know how to swim, like myself, can live here safely because there is never any fear of drowning.
 

For the local people, the concept of time is not terribly im portant. Mass often lasts two to three hours. The local people love to sing and dance, and God seems to have blessed them with a wonderful singing ability. I very much enjoy listening to them sing at Mass. The choir does not have a conductor, but the members still manage to sing harmoniously. Though the Mass is rather long, I never feel tired. Sometimes a wedding is scheduled for 9:00, but not until 11:00 does the couple show up! The pastor is a native man, so he is very understanding and happy to celebrate the ceremony. At first, I was somewhat frustrated with this pace, but eventually I became accustomed to it. Even though most of the people are poor and lack food, they still have a very positive outlook on life. They do not hurry and try to get in a lot of work as do Vietnamese, Americans, or Europeans.
 

Recently, I had the opportunity to share with Fr. Provincial of Botswana, who helped me to understand more about myself and the local way of life. This has helped me to be more mature and positive in my outlook, as well as be closer to the people here. In my first three months, I was often discouraged and frustrated with the daily routines of the people. Many times I felt hopeless, and I even criticized their way of life. I judged them to be lazy, irresponsible and ignorant. I even secretly dreamed that one day I would teach them how to labor, how to be responsible for their family and the children they bring into the world, how to be faithful to their spouses, and to not spend so much time drinking. However, I have come to understand that it is not for me to change a culture hundreds of years old; it is I who has to change. Indeed, I myself must be the first to change my way of life, way of reacting and thinking. If I do not make an effort to change, I will never be able to learn anything from these people.

Many times I have wondered about the motivation that caused me to come to Botswana. Why not Taiwan, Pa pua New Guinea, or Paraguay? What is there in Botswana for me to learn? Is it the poor and or phans who need my hel p? Or the people infected with HIV who need my care? What will I be able to do for them? After three months of living with the peo ple, I know that they do not need me. After many nights of thinking, I came to realize that I was the one who chose this place to come to learn and gain missionary experience; they did not invite me to come. I truly needed them and came to them because they were faithful teachers who would teach me how to live life with joy. They have taught me to be patient, to overlook and acce pt differences. They have taught me to discard my superior attitude. Indeed, wealth, advanced technology, and great intellect do not necessarily bring about ha p piness in everyday life. Each nation has its own culture and philosophy about life; but these are simply differences, and there is no particular culture or philosophy that is superior to the other.
 

In short, the first three months in the mission field have taught me that I cannot expect others to live and work according to my own standards. On the contrary, I must ask myself whether I have been willing to accept cultural differences. Even though I know that the primary purpose of the Cross-Cultural Training Program is to observe, listen, and learn rather than criticize and change, how can I ignore the AIDS epidemic that is taking away the lives of countless people, especially the innocent children of this country? I am only one person whose talent and ability is extremely limited. I can only pray that God will bring me closer to the people by giving me an o pen and com passionate heart, so that I can listen, share, learn, be humble, and respect the people I meet. I pray that I can give all of myself because I believe that Love is a language that everyone can understand. I pray that I am able to love, care for, and console the orphans and the people infected with HIV so they will have greater faith in life. And through me, they will be able to feel the great love of God deep in their hearts.