Hungry

I was recently asked to describe what it feels like to be an ethnic minority on staff with a majority Caucasian organization in the United States. Here is my attempt to paint the picture.

The image of a banquet comes to mind. The heavenly kind referred to in scriptures when we will all see the face of our Savior, in full fellowship with the Father and the Spirit as one giant family of God. The problem with the image in my head right now is that the table seems to be unbalanced and segregated. (I recognize how heavy that word is, but stick with me.)

When I look at the staff across the nation (within my organization as well as Christians outside) who are taking the delightful and fulfilling news of Jesus Christ to people in various communities, I see an overwhelming number of Caucasians in comparison to ethnic minorities. Now if I worked for a secular organization, I could argue that this needs to change so that we are an equal employment company. However, I don't work for a company for profit. I work for a company who's existence is based upon the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This means, we exist to take the Gospel to any and every person we come into contact with. Yet, as I glance over the Christians who are doing this on staff and often even off staff, through sending or going, a vast amount of people I see are Caucasian.

At this banquet, it almost seems as though there are MANY of the majority culture having their fill of the wholeness of the Gospel on one side of the table. So many, that the table even tips in there direction. On the other side, are the few ethnic minorities who've had a rare chance to receive the same meal. There are so few of them however, that their side of the table lifts, causing them to slide into the masses on the other side of the table.

I feel like one of those sliders, recognizing that in order to get a full meal of the Gospel (at least, in my personal experience), I had to step into the majority culture world. I can relate to most people, so this isn't as much of a problem for me except that as I'm there, all I can seem to think of are the ethnic minorities not yet at this table. To be direct, the White people are calling their friends and family easily (they've been trained by their own, sent by their own to go get their own), while the rest are striving to climb this table to stay true to their ethnic culture, while still staying at the table to hopefully grab some resources, even scraps, for their own.

When I stepped into this organization, I thought "wow! They have it! They understand this whole thing in a way I never did. Who's telling my friends and family?"

If you haven't noticed, I've not yet addressed the segregated part. Well, I don't think that those on the heavy side of the table mean to share with their own alone, but until they are willing to cross to our side of the table, that appears to be how things will always be. Within my organization, on occasion, they will send one or two over to help us reach our own but in all honesty, why bother?

People are HUNGRY for the Gospel! Why can't we all partake together at the same table, sitting anywhere we'd like, engaging with new friends... no, our new FAMILY in Christ? Then why don't we all together in that new likeness, go together to share with those not yet at the table? Caucasian, African-American, Latino, Asian, Caribbean, Indian, etc.

In my years on staff, I've disciple women from over 11 different nations and still kept my Puerto Rican culture. Mainly because my job is NOT my life and I can experience my culture in and outside of my job, at the dinner table with my family or the park with friends. At work, I'm meant to be a Christian first. Not a Puerto Rican woman.