by Chet and Jodi Cataldo

A 'Kodak' moment from Lithuania Image by: GBGM Source: Mission Personnel

Chet and Jodi Cataldo, recently marked their second anniversary as missionaries of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church to Lithuania. Supporting Churches have been privileged to share highlights of their ministry through the series of inspiring messages they write and call "Kodak Moments." An excerpt of their anniversary letter follows:

Today is our two-year anniversary in Lithuania. The last two years have brought many changes into our lives, the obvious ones being that we are living in another country and trying to learn and function in a different language. Both are stretching and difficult. There are days when we feel like we are communicating effectively in Lithuanian. However, there are also days when we think we are speaking clearly, using our best Lithuanian, and people don't seem to understand what we are saying. There are also days when we don't have a clue as to what is being said to us.

We understand that what we are experiencing is normal for living in a different country. However, we also know that what we do here is heavily weighted in the direction of words and communication. Trying to serve God in local churches for more than 20 years, we also know that there have been times when native English speakers have not understood what we were saying albeit spoken in our best English.

In the midst of culture shock and language disorientation, we have seen God in many ways. The writing of these "Kodak Moments" is our attempt to share with you, a few of the times that God has "gotten through" to us. The truth of the matter is that it is because of and in the midst of our struggles to learn a new culture and language that we have seen God a little more clearly. Living in a new and different culture has upset our "safety nets" and forced us to move closer to God and depend upon the strength and wisdom that only He can provide.

Our eyes have been opened to new and different aspects of God's creation and love. Because we are not surrounded by what we think we know and understand, we must look with new eyes at what we encounter. Looking with new eyes means that we must not define what we encounter with understandings gained from the culture from which we came. Looking with new eyes means that we must seek to see and to understand what we encounter the way God sees and understands it. It is when we look with new eyes that we see God.

Looking with new eyes means that we recognize that the culture from which we came is a human culture, not a divine one; there are good and bad aspects in it. Having the wisdom, strength and willingness to recognize and to let go of those elements in our culture which are not good, is a difficult journey. It is, however, a journey that we must not only start but continue.

This journey is not just for us living in Lithuania, but for all of God's people. We, who belong to God, have all come from one culture: the culture of a fallen, sinful race and have been transferred to a new culture, the culture of God's dear Son. Living in this new culture, the culture of God's Son and carrying within, our old culture, we must learn to see with new eyes. For it is only when we see with new eyes that we see God.

	See Also... Topic: Christian love |  GBGM programs |  Missionaries |  Geographic Region: Lithuania |  Source: Missionary stories
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Date posted: Mar 18, 2002