My first article published in a professional journal!

This article comes as fruit of a class I took from Jim Plueddemann on Education and Culture. He challenged the entire class to try and get our final paper published and thanks to his exhortation I submitted my article to the Common Ground Journal: Perspectives on the Church in the 21st Century.

As part of Christian Camping International/ Latin America, I have belonged to a number of multicultural teams but until this class, I never gave much thought to any of the cultural dynamics that might be at play as we worked together. This class with Jim opened my eyes to see how we may be misjudging some areas of conflict as "immaturity" or "difficult personalities" when in reality there was a strong cultural component. This article describes a bit of my journey as it explains the name of that cultural component (high and low power distance cultures or vertical / horizontal cultures) and provides some understanding as to how to maintain team harmony. I invite you to read the article below (or follow this link: http://www.commongroundjournal.org/volnum/v08n01.pdf to read it)

The abstract of the article reads:
Threats to multicultural team harmony may come from a variety of sources such as immaturity, lack of shared vision, or from a compelling task to unify everyone; but one aspect that tends to slip under the radar screen is difference in power distance. This article shows how characteristics of both high and low power distance in cultures influences team members’ concepts of what team harmony is and how it is created. The creation of a third culture, a counter-cultural temporary Christian community, can offer a multicultural team a way to suspend cultural expectations and work together.

Differences in power distances may make harmony on a multicultural team more challenging lisa anderson-umana

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I'd love to hear your thoughts-click on observations to share!

Do not linger

This is what I sensed the Lord advised me regarding lingering over what people had written to me for my 50^th birthday. The more I ponder exactly what my influence has been in someone’s life, the more I expose myself to the danger of pride. So, for me, do not linger is good advice. As long as I would read with an eye toward what God had accomplished and how I was merely an instrument in His hands, God would get the glory.

What a subtle temptation since outwardly it looks the same but inwardly God knows my heart and He warns me of danger ahead if I try to figure out how I did this or that, or if I should try to do more of this and less of that… all those ponderings assume that I am the key player. Wrong assumption. I am merely a tool in the Master’s hand, to be used or not used as He sees fit.

This lesson is like a revolving door, it keeps coming back to me given that the nature of missionary work is all about influence. Even my job title, Director of Leadership Development (Christian Camping International, Latin America), lends itself to strategizing about how to influence others who will in turn influence others…on and on the chain of influence goes. I am convinced that I am a link in that chain, but need to remind myself over and over that Someone else is in charge of creating the chain and making the connections. I am to remain faithful to walk in the Spirit and be responsive to His promptings.

What has the Lord been prompting you to do recently? Any good advice you want to pass along to me? (click on the comments below to share)

Embrace the pain

What odd advice.

One would prefer to avoid the pain not embrace it.

Yet with regards to the loss of my parents I have to remember this sage advice: Embrace the memories that coming to Pittsburgh brings. Embrace the bitter sweetness of familiar streets, neighborhoods, shopping plazas, restaurants and churches.

It’s here in Pittsburgh with every visit home that I experience afresh the pain of the loss of my mother and father. Since in Honduras I live far from anyone who knew me before I was a college graduate, there’s no one to tell me stories of my parents and siblings (Brian and Kim) or share anecdotes of my childhood or youth. So while it’s a source of delight to hear those stories, there’s also a twinge of pain at the reminder of their passing. Thus the advice: Embrace both the joy and the pain.

My children’s ears perk up when someone says… Hey Lisa, remember when we…They don’t know anyone in Latin America that knew me as a child. In the same manner, my ears perk up when someone comes up to me at church and says: I remember when your mother taught at Women to Women at Memorial Park Church… Or your father had such a great sense of humor, we sang in the choir together…

Yesterday as I was driving by Pine Creek Plaza, I pulled in front of the Great Wall, one of my father’s favorite Chinese restaurants. My mind was flooded with memories of long, lingering meals and talking in Spanish to the waiters and busboys from El Salvador who worked there (he couldn't get over the irony of Salvadoreans working at a Chinese restaurant!). The kids just climbed onto my lap and we cried together-after which I did order take out!

It’s just that we live in such a different world than the one I was raised in. It’s good for my soul to re-visit my grief with every visit home to Pittsburgh, to pass by Memorial Park cemetery and put a flag on my dad’s grave for Independence Day, to rejoice when some woman tells me how God used my mother to bring her closer to the Lord and God’s Word, to eagerly reminisce with my parents' friends about the memories and hear them say: Your mother would be so proud of you, of your children… you look just like her… your father would have said this or that…

I have tried to embrace the pain these past three months, to lean in to it for just like it hurts to be reminded that my kids no longer have their grandparents to enjoy, I also relish the fact that God gave me a rich legacy in my parents and an abundant heritage in Pittsburgh of very supportive churches.

Valerie, Victor and I return to Honduras Sept. 1.

A walk down memory lane

That’s what today was for me and some eighty folks who were able to attend my 50th birthday celebration held in Fellowship Hall of Memorial Park Church, Pittsburgh, PA.

Ann Thompson and Susie McCabe prepared a delightful program with refreshments provided by the renowned hospitality committee led by Shirley Sedlacek. Pastor Kevin Gourley brought us together reminding us of saints who have served in Memorial Park years gone by (Keith Brown, Dick Todd, Jay Passavant, Bobbie and George Anderson…) and then we began our walk with testimonies by friends who knew me when I was a little child and progressively through the decades. My mother’s name was mentioned frequently as was my father’s, which served to remind us all of the bountiful legacy I have inherited. My pastor from my junior high years until this day, Jay Passavant was present to add his perspective as were friends from my days in Youth Group (Betsy Meister Gourley). Chuck and Henri Doren brought a fresh perspective as they shared about the mutually beneficial investment short term missions teams have made in their partnership with me from 1999 until now. Charlie Beck clarified how I spell WORK TEAMS in capital letters, with an emphasis on WORK! My very own niece, Shannon Rose, shared as did Valerie and Victor and finally Alfredo which you will note in the video clip.

As I sat and looked at the faces of so many loved ones, tears filled my eyes and I thanked the Lord profusely for the privilege of being loved so unconditionally while present as well as far away. I observed how people lingered long after the formal program ended, just enjoying visiting dear brothers and sisters whose paths they haven’t crossed in a long time. There are few things I enjoy as much as watching people relate deeply and relating deeply to others myself. I watched my children be embraced by folks who spoke of having held them as babies and played with them on some long ago missions trip. They heard people speak endearingly of their Nana Anderson whom they long to meet in heaven. Valerie was amazed when one woman said: Your Nana Bobbie Anderson would have cried with joy had she seen you on stage speaking of your mom and singing her Happy birthday in Spanish, at which point, another woman chimed in: But dear Valerie, she is beaming with joy as she watches from the cloud of witnesses. Amen and amen.

This is the part of my world that my children and husband only taste and see when they are in Pittsburgh. These funny stories, warm embraces (Valerie observed that Americans hug when they greet versus Latins who kiss on the cheek), and reminiscing fill out what Alfredo calls those “30 years” he never knew me (we met when I was 30). I am known in Latin America from 22 years on so people in Pittsburgh have a historical perspective of my roots, my family and my growing up years which I savor each trip north. I have relished the opportunity to thoughtfully read through the cards and notes that were sent, appreciating the parenthesis people made in their lives to give expression to their love and affection for me.

My heart is filled to overflowing or as Victor would say: My love buckets are full. Indeed, mine are full for the next 50 years!

I invite you to enjoy this brief walk down memory lane by clicking on this link which will take you to a short video clip of the day’s events.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVZ5Moxu_2A

Chivalry is not dead..... a la Victor style

This is material for Family Circle!

Mom: Victor, are you being a gentleman to the girls in your class?

Victor: I don't need to.

Mom: Why's that son?

Victor: Because the doors are always open.

Long pause. LOL.

Mom: Yes dear, but there are other ways to be a gentleman than just opening doors. Being kind, sharing....

Church wedding of fellow CCI team member-Bessy Macotto

It was an honor to participate in the wedding of our dear friend and fellow CCI team member Bessy Macotto. We have had the pleasure to get to know her husband, Argentinan Tito Cofre. We all participated in their wedding ceremony, with Valerie carrying the Word of God and Victor the wedding rings.

The fact that Bessy found such a man of God who loves, cherishes and accepts her (and vice versa) is truly a gift from God. As you know, I met Alfredo as an older single, after I had started to wonder if the Lord was going to give me that gift so I can identify with Bessy's wonderful story and we have all shared their joy. They returned to Argentina last week and will serve together in CCI/Latin America until Bessy completes her three year term of service in South America and then they will return to Honduras to seek the Lord's guidance as to the next steps.

It has been a pleasure to meet Tito and appreciate his patience and strength and depth as a man of God. We share these photos to celebrate God's gift together with those who know and appreciate her as our dear friend and fellow missionary.
If you want to see more pics: click on this link:

Boda Religiosa Bessy y Tito

Camp Counselor Training (126 hours)

Starting in Feb. and ending this month of May, I have collaborated with CCI AL/Honduras in teaching 20 church leaders how to serve as counselors. One aspect of this particular group is that they all have camps planned within the next several months to put their newly formed skills into practice. There's nothing quite so practical as good theory and that's precisely what we like to see in those that take our CCI Latin America training courses.

As you see these pastors, youth group leaders, Sunday school teachers, Directors of Christian schools, join me in praying for God to:

• Remove any obstacles that would hinder them from implementing what they've learned, like "we've never done it this way before", or "if the kids look like they're having too much fun, it can't be spiritual".
• Give them a spirit of humility to approach others with new ideas and approaches to ministry.
• Strengthen them for the long haul, since this is not a sprint but a marathon and in order to make changes, it takes faith, prayer and strategic thinking and planning.