1. Cultural differences: The Biggie! Cultivate a habit of listening and observing. Differences in culture are not necessarily good or bad, oftentimes they are just different. Differences will cause stress. Culture shock: feelings of fear, shock, frustration you feel as a result of being thrust into a different culture. What you see, hear, and smell in your surroundings will be different than what you become accustomed to living in the United States. Potential stresses you may face:

· Time Oriented vs. Event Oriented: Generally, in African culture people are more concerned with the event rather the time when it begins or ends. If your host is event oriented, prepare to feel stress when a meeting scheduled for 7 begins at 8. They value all the people who want to be there at an event more than they value starting on time.

· Task vs. Person Orientation: Maintaining good relationships is much more important than achieving a specific goal to someone who is person oriented.

· Crisis vs. Non-Crisis Orientation: Decisions are made on the basis of urgency or need. Oftentimes the question is not asked, What needs to be done to avoid such problems in the future?” but “How can this fire be put out today?”

· Status vs. Achievement Focus: Age is venerated. Place in family (such as older brother), position in leadership, certain family names accrue certain rights and privileges whether or not the person does anything to deserve it.

· Concealment of Vulnerability vs. Willingness to Expose Vulnerability: To an African, “saving face” or avoiding any statement or situation which casts a bad light on oneself is very important.

· Dichotomistic vs. Holistic thinking: Someone who thinks holistically does not compartmentalize events. He sees all sickness not only as a physical problem but as a spiritual problem. (i.e. Finding who witched the baby and caused it to die)

2. Islamic Arab Culture Islam provides an all-embracing view and expression of life. Life is lived under the rule and order of God as given in the quran and through the prophet Muhammad’s teachings and life. There are instructions for personal life, family life, social life, economic life, and political life. In summary, the following are general characteristics of Muslim thinking and acting:

· Islam is the one true religion. It is inconceivable that anyone would want to be anything but a Muslim.

· When non-Muslims learn about Islam and realize that it is the one true way, they will convert.

· The quran QurŸan and associated laws and customs found in the Shariÿa, the Sunnah, and the Hadith are the final arbiter in any dispute, argument, and legal question.

· Male members of the family have the right and the obligation to maintain the family honor.

· All good things, including education, jobs, marriage, housing, and recreation, come through the family. The individual is an intricate part of the family.

· The preferred marriage partner for any male is the daughter of his paternal uncle.

· A woman fulfills part of her duties as a wife by bearing male offspring.

· One should be careful in a greeting not to inquire about another’s wife but about the family.

· One should not offer food or drink with the left hand. It is for cleansing oneself.

· The woman’s place is in the home.

· To tell a guest no is impolite. One will do one’s best to oblige a guest.

· One must offer a guest food and/or drink.

· If someone admires something one owns, then one should offer it.

· It is a son’s duty to take care of his parents in their aging years.

· The future is in God’s hands. It would be presumptuous for one to predict the future or even to assume there will be a future.

· Knowledge is power. One reluctantly and judiciously shares it.

· Charms and amulets are used across the Islamic world, although they are condemned by the purists. They are expressions of popular Islam. They may be composed of bone, shells, beads, silver and gold. Their forms may be lockets or beads or other symbols. They may be worn around the neck or arms or stitched on clothing or carried on the auto dashboard or placed in an obvious place on a stand or table in the home. Prominent on the charms are inscriptions from the Quran as well as figures of individuals.

· Personal Life: Muslims must perform an ablution before each of the five daily prayers. Definite regulations govern these ablutions. Prayer must be offered with a pure heart and mind, with clean body and clothes, with pure intentions and on pure ground. 2 Islam, then, requires specificity of form and function in purity and cleanliness. There must be a concentration of time and energy many times daily in these matters. Diet is important in keeping a pure heart, a sound mind, a healthy body, and a soul bound for eternity. The general principle of Islam is that all foods which are pure and good for humanity are allowed for eating in moderate amounts; all foods considered impure and bad are prohibited. Clothing and Adornment: The principles of decency, modesty, and chastity govern Islamic dress. Arrogance and false pride must not be stimulated nor should morality be called into question or weakened. One’s character must be upheld in clothing and in adorning one’s body. Personal Relations and Honor: Arab Muslims value personal relations. An Arab will do almost anything for someone he likes. Honor, too, is held highly. If an individual becomes dishonored through ridicule, criticism, or any other offensive act or word, not only he but his family may become dishonored. Status and Public Appearance: For the Arab, status comes with the territory, with birth, with religion, with the family, and with one’s inheritance. “Face” is important to the Arab. Status rests upon the face presented to the public and upon appearances from personal dress to personal dignity. An affluent Arab would not sweep his driveway or wash his car, for that would be the job of someone else. He might think less of an affluent foreigner who was living in his country and did those menial tasks. Decision Making and Responsibility: Consensus is preferred in making decisions because if something goes wrong, the blame is shared and diffused among others. Thus, the possibility of dishonor is lessened.

3. Family Life: Marriage and the family are central in Islamic life and community. Both the quran and the prophet say that when a Muslim marries, he has already perfected half his religion. Marriage is intended and expected to be permanent. Trial marriages or term marriages are forbidden. Husband-Wife Relationship: Marriage creates new roles for the man and woman. A man is to treat his wife with kindness, honor, and patience, and to keep her honorably or free her from the marriage honorably. Women have rights as well as duties, but men have a degree over them. Men are trustees, guardians, and protectors of women because God has made some to excel over others and because men expend of their means. Divorce: Islam purposes that marriage be a happy and lasting companionship in harmony and peace. However, if marriage does not serve its purpose, it may be terminated by divorce with the rights of husband and wife preserved. Islam permits a man to have more than one wife under certain conditions. It is a conditional permission and not a matter of necessity. A man may be permitted to have up to four wives. Traditional Family Lifestyles: The Arab Muslim family is usually large, strong, and closely knit. It is the basic unit of society. It is usually a patriarchal family with the father as head and the mother as the home nurturer, although more women are working outside the home. One’s family is the source of reputation and honor, and most social activities revolve around the family unit. Perhaps the tie between mothers and sons is the most important relationship within the family. Children are loved and often indulged with special attention. Discipline is strict. Excessive praise for another’s children is considered bad luck (the evil eye) for the family. The extended family is important, and close familial relationships are expected with both paternal and maternal relatives. Parents often play an important role in the choice of a vocation and in securing a mate for their children. Children are expected to care for parents in their aging years. Generally, there is a separation of males and females, especially in the public arena.

Thank you veteran missionary, Ron Hill!