Unique Perspectives 7.8.18- Payton Calvert
Something that makes Good Shepherd’s Fold so amazing is their jointly combined staff of Ugandan and Western employees. There are missionaries from the Western world who live and work at GSF permanently; there are also Ugandan workers, some who live on campus and some who come from surrounding areas. This is crucial to the success of the organization, in my opinion, because all cultures that are represented here bring new perspectives and positive concepts. There are some positions that a Westerner would not be best suited for because no matter how long they reside here, if they aren’t a Ugandan born citizen, they may lack the cultural capital that makes them relatable to those they need to work with. The same can be said of Ugandan employees because there are some concepts and resources that differ in Western countries that could be beneficial for the organization.
With the combination of employee cultures, the overall culture of Good Shepherd’s Fold is Ugandan, sprinkled with American traditions here and there. For instance, this past Wednesday was a normal day here in Uganda, but at 4:00pm all the American missionaries had a big July 4th cookout celebration! I have learned a significant amount about culture from everyone here, especially the Ugandan employees. Learning what is valued here and what the children I get to work with experience as their norm has been an eye-opening experience, one that is an ongoing process. Every day I seem to learn something new and how to interact appropriately with people here.
On Thursday evening, one of the other interns and I were able to share a bit of our own culture with some of the girls in residence here. We started a dance class with about 9 girls and will continue to hold them for the month of July. We hope to have a showcase at the end of the month to give them a chance to showcase what they have learned. This was absolutely a highlight of my week because I was able to spend sweet, quality time with these girls doing something I love. My goal in doing this is to show that I want to invest in them and for them to know that we care about them; I hope they receive this well and that God is glorified in this new endeavor!
