Observations

Those of us who left America to live in the big global world often get frustrated, annoyed, and moan about our home country.  Just reading the news there is plenty to complain about.  Some of our complaints are founded, others not.  Maybe we like to convince ourselves that our choices to live far away are good ones.  Maybe we like to remind ourselves of the reasons we chose this life style. Maybe we want to think that we know something the people living in America don't know.  All of which is in our heads because truth be told, we don't know anything more than the next guy.  I think we just like to complain, just like everyone back home, who complain about the things they don't like.  And living abroad gives you a different view of the world, including your own culture and own home and own people.  So here are a few observations from an American whose been away for awhile...

America has the friendliest people in the world!  
It's true.  In the midst of going to two stores today, I've had conversations with three strangers who just struck up a friendly hello and enjoyed whatever followed.  The store clerk, the neighbor, the pastor, the person in the grocery line.  They're all ready to be friendly and helpful.  Ask anyone a question and they'll answer with the kindest voice.  Most of the time.  Americans, you win the friendliest people award!

Christian culture is a business.
I watched a commercial on TV yesterday advertising a local church.  Selling your church - seems a little different than Jesus' style from what I read.  American Christianity is an interesting culture.  The more I'm away from the American part of Christianity, the more aware I am that Christian culture is not always God's culture.  Not that all of American Christianity is bad.  But I think sometimes people think that American Christianity is The Way or their church is The Right One.  Just a reminder: Jesus was a homeless Middle Eastern guy, not a middle class American.

Americans are fat for a reason.
Spending 5 hours in the Dallas airport, we saw every terminal and every food option available.  There were no restaurants with genuinly healthy choices.  Almost everything is unhealthy!  Some actually taste good, like Auntie Annie's  pretzels.  Some just don't, like Chili's, where we ate dinner and could hardly get it down.  America IS a fast food nation.  And people are large.  And no wonder, where can I find sushi or Thai or Indian or a steak that does not come in XXL?  I guess I need to get to Portland! :)

One stop shopping is really nice.
Going to one store to get everything you could possibly want is actually really nice.  I know people talk bad about Walmart, but let's face it.  They've done some great business for themselves.  It's convenient.  They have every product you could want or need or use.  And they're cheap.  Or pick Target.  Or Kmart.  Or Fred Meyer.  Or whatever store is near you.  America, I admit that I like your mega stores.

America - I love you and hate you and miss you and can't wait to leave you.  You're my home town.  My family.  Many friends.  And a great place to shop for shoes.  It's good to see you again.

I haven't been to church in 2 years.

After one too many sermons about "do not commit adultery" and "don't beat your wife", I quit attending Kenyan church. I lasted 10 months. I think that's pretty good considering sermons are a minimum of two hours long, and that does not include the announcements and singing and all the other things that Christians have been taught a church service must entail. I will admit that I miss church. I don't miss the building and the 3-point sermons and the Sunday morning announcements. I certainly don't miss watching people do what they think they're "supposed" to do to be Christian. But I do miss people. I miss worshipping together. I miss being a part of a "family" and helping each other along this journey.

In Kenya I've learned a lot about the church. Some good, some bad. Nairobi is the missionary mecca for Africa. And most of Kenya is Christian, carrying out the duties that missionaries told them are Christian. You can't turn on a Kenyan TV channel on Sunday morning and not hear some Kenyan preacher yelling at the congregation. And I mean yelling. What happened to teaching, I wonder. No, we've got to preach! And shout the fear of God into people! That's Christianity? I don't really remember reading about Jesus shouting a lot.

So the whole church thing has been turned over in my head a lot over the last few years in Kenya. Because I always had real church families in America, PEOPLE who were the church rather than the church BUILDING, I've never really had these things to sort out before. I look at my years in Kenya and see how there have been remnants of the church in my life here, despite not attending church in a building. People have come alongside me during the hard bits of my journey. I've had good theological conversations that make me really think about what I believe. People have become "family". It just doesn't look like the church down the road that I hear blaring music at midnight on a Friday night. It doesn't look like a church I once attended. It looks like people walking in the journey with me. That's what I always want church to be.

That's what I hope church will be like in Hungary. And I will admit I hope we find a church that meets in some building where I can meet more people who become "family", have good theological conversations, and worship with a band. (Yep, I miss the guitar in church.) But I've learned that church really is about people and journeys and not all the other stuff that Christian culture adds to the mix.

I haven't been to church in 2 years, and maybe that's been a good thing. Maybe that's been part of my journey and God teaching me a few new things.