A STUDY OF CULTURAL
ELEMENTS IN THE SHELTER MINISTRY AMONG NEPALI MIGRANT WORKERS IN KOREA
Introduction
Though
Korea is known as a mono-cultural
country with one language and one people group, various cultures are being
introduced to Korea
and the Koreans by thousands of migrant workers coming in. The number of people
of different languages, cultures, and religions are rapidly increasing giving a
real challenge to the mono-cultural people. The challenge is clearly perceived
by the Korean churches as an opportunity for the cross cultural ministry here
in Korea ,
which was only a dream a few decades ago. Many Korean churches have started
reaching the migrant workers with the gospel. Korean churches not only tried to
preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to these diverse people groups, but they also
tried to identify their needs and help them accordingly which could be a bridge
to introduce the Gospel of Christ to them. One of the major activity that the
Korean churches doing for the migrant workers is to provide a shelter[1]
for these people in the time of need.
Nepalis
are one of those people groups who are benefited by the shelter provided by the
Korean Churches. It is assumed that around five to eight thousand Nepalis are
currently living in Korea ,
many of whom are illegal workers because they did not return their home country
when their visa expired. Mostly the illegal workers suffer from the loss of job
and other social problems due to their illegal stay and seek their refuge in
the shelters provided by mainly Churches. In the shelter, they are supplied
with food, and the Gospel. Many of these Nepalis hear the gospel of Jesus
Christ for the first time in the shelter. Many people receive the Lord as their
savior and get baptized but many people just ignore the gospel told to them.
Seemingly,
the shelter ministry is need based and effective because it is both the social
work and a ministry among these Nepali. However, by the study of Nepali
culture, the ministry among the Nepalis in Shelter can be made more effective
and fruitful. The main purpose of this paper is to identify the some cultural
elements in the Nepalis people group which can be helpful in understanding them
eventually opening a new and effective way to introduce the gospel to them.
To
reach the goal of this paper, the researcher firstly identifies the nature of
the shelter ministry and Nepali culture among these Nepalis, by visiting these
various Nepalis people in the shelter and the ministers who are serving these
Nepalis. Afterwards, the researcher evaluates the culture and the ministry
provided to them in the shelters in light of the biblical and missiological
perspective. The following section provides the theoretical background for the
research giving biblical and missiological foundation for the social work base
ministry.
The
Theoretical Foundation for
the
Shelter Ministry
Through
the shelter ministry ooo church is in the position of providing two types of
ministries to Nepalis. Firstly, meeting their physical and social needs and at
the same time secondly, they are to preach the gospel cross-culturally. This
section provides the theoretical basis for both ministries, which is utilized
to discuss and evaluate the shelter ministry among the Nepali Migrant workers
in Korea .
Certainly
the church has the mission of evangelizing the world. However the process of
evangelization and the methods to do it might disagree. This point one has a
need of having a proper understanding of the role of social actions in the
mission of evangelization. The understanding of the church and its place in the
world cast light to the understanding of the role of social actions in the
evangelization. Church is the body of Christ which deals with the world through
Word, sacrament and the sending forth of Christians. The church has the mandate
to proclaim the Gospel in content as well as the effect.[2]
According to Matthew 25:31-46, the church’s mandates also incorporate the
social actions for the people in need. Jesus himself, as the suffering servant,
met people need while preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God .[3]
However, goal of the social actions incorporated with the gospel is not the
actions itself but the meeting the ultimate need of human being with is the
Word of the Gospel. The Wheaton ’83
statement spells church’s mission of meeting the social need in following way,
Christ’ followers, therefore are called
in one way or another, not to conform to the values of the society but to
transform them (Rom.
12:1-2; Eph. 5:8-14). This calling flows from our confession that God loves the
world and that the earth belongs to Him.[4]
God’s work to the humanity has a
particular focus on the church though not confined only to it. Therefore the church
exists in the world for the Lord. Since, the Kingdom of God
is both the present and the eschatological, the church’s mission of meeting
peoples’ need should not be limited to its present and earthly significance. The
church’s mission of the meeting people’s need should result in the
transformation of the world in light of the future glory of the Lord.[5]
However,
to fulfill the mission of meeting need and leading people to the
transformation, there should be people with personal characteristics, training
and Christian maturity to work across cultures in the name of Christ. Following
sub-section introduces the basic elements for the cross-cultural ministry.
Cross Cultural Ministry of the Church
In the
cross cultural ministry two different cultures meet. The minister come with
his/her own world view, set of belief and order, while the person or group to
be minister is with their own world view, set of belief and order. It shows the
urgency toward the minster that he needs to know about the reality and prepare
according to it. In anthropological term, the minister or missionary should be
able to “build credibility in other society.”[6]
Heibert and Cynthia and David Strong give four tips about building
credibility in other society. They are as following
First, we need to understand both the
people we serve and ourselves. . . . Second, we must build credibility in terms
of what the people think, not in terms of what we think. . . . Third, we need
to focus on building people, rather than programs. . . . Lastly, we from the
west must critique our own modern worldview and learn from our non-western
churches the central place of relationships in Scripture.[7]
Ministers should give priority of
relationship than to the order in order to win them and bring them to the
ultimate relationship with God. Basically the cross cultural ministries should
be intended to transforms the world views of other societies toward the worldview
of the Bible. Paul G. Hiebert says that without aiming the cross cultural
ministries to the transformation of the world view it only brings a superficial
conversion resulting “Christo-paganism.”[8]
However, the cross-cultural ministers also act with their own worldview without
realizing that they are imposing their worldview to others. The fact is that the
Biblical worldview surpasses the all worldviews because it is based on God’s
unique revelation.[9] The
cross-cultural ministers and missionaries are supposed to be aware of the fact,
as a result increase in their understanding of other worldviews to make an
effective transformation to the society. If there is a gap in two parties,
Heibert proposes a bicultural solution to fill the gap which would create an
appropriate environment to share. According to Heibert ‘bicultural community’
reflects the incarnation of God.[10]
Besides
learning human worldview to understand them and build credibility among other
people group, the missionaries should not neglect the studies of systematic and
biblical theologies which provide them “the cognitive, affective and moral
nature of the gospel.”[11]
A
Descriptive Analysis of the Nepalis
in the
Shelter
As
for the part of the research, the researcher visits the shelter provided by ooo Church
of Korea .
However, only half of the rent fee of the shelter is provided by the church
rest of the expenses are covered by the Nepali brothers who come to the shelter
and participate in the worship service. Following section describes the Nepali shelter
provided by the ooo Church, responses from Nepalis presently living in the
shelter as well as who once lived in it, and the Korean ministers who
administers the shelter ministry.
Description of the Shelter
The shelter
is located on ooo Dong, where several small factories are also located.
However, some residential apartment complexes are also situated near by.
Several shops are in the neighborhood. By seeing many foreigners walking around
the street, one can know that the place is quite popular among the foreign
workers. The researcher also knows that there are some foreign food marts where
foreigner can buy their own food and telephone cards to call their home.
The shelter
is basically just a room approximately of eight pyeong, with one kitchen. The
rest room is not attached but out side which is commonly used by other resident
of the building. As one enters the room, one encounters with a distinct aroma
which is from the kitchen where different spices are located. The kitchen is
very narrow and is also used to take shower by the shelter dwellers. As one
goes further inside there is a medium size room, with a clothe hanger one side,
and a television and music set on the other. Below the television set, there
are many Nepali music tapes, CDs and VCDs. Floor is covered with many mattress
and several pillows are arranged accordingly. There is a small store section
inner side of the room which is packed with several baggages.
Activities in the Shelter
The
main activity in the shelter is to take refuge in it in the time of trouble and
necessity. Nepali people, not only from ooo area, but every where in Korea, are
welcomed to the shelter if they need a place to stay especially when they do
not have job or they are sick and so on. At the time when researchers visited
the Nepali shelter, there were five peoples staying in the shelter. One among
those five came first time to the shelter, a week earlier when he lost job from
a company. Other four of them they frequently visited the shelter in the time
of need. One of whom is living in the shelter for more than three months
continuously. Though presently they attend church, all of them were the followers
of Hinduism when they were in Nepal .
Another
important thing they do in the shelter is eating. They make their own food,
mainly rice, dal[12]
and curry. The researcher found out that the rice is provided by the church and
other foods are arranged by the shelter dwellers themselves. The shelter dwellers
take in turn to cook food, clean the room and wash the dishes. In the eating
matter, they do not miss their home much, because basically they eat in the
shelter same thing what they eat in their home.
Since
there are no permanent dwellers in the shelter there is no permanent ministry
going, instead the shelter dwellers are scheduled to attend the Bible study meeting
at every Saturday evening held in the Church. All the people who live in the
shelter and other brother and sisters in Christ who can easily commute to
church after their work in the company gather at a mission room in the church. In
the Bible study all of these people, new and continuous members are taught from
the Book of Romans, by their own native pastor. The Bible study is less like an
academic study of the Bible and more like the evangelism for the new comers.
In the
same meeting people sing the gospel songs in Nepali accompanied by a Madal[13]
and guitar. Though some songs were translated from English, most of them were
the Christians songs composed by Nepali Christians in Nepali tune. People are
happy and excited to learn the songs and sing them. Before the Bible study
meeting at the same place, people surf the internet on the computers provided
by the church. Nepalis read their own local news papers on the web and be acquainted
with the things happening in their country. People seem to calling their friend
on phone, meeting friends at the church. Therefore, there was more than one
reason for people to participate in the Bible study. However at the time of the
sharing the Word of God people are very attentive and eager to listen. Some
even raise their questions to the pastor, and sought to solve their puzzle.
After the singing, chatting, and the Bible study a few leaders are selected for
next day worship service, they chose the hymns, Psalms and choruses. They give
the list to the pastor for preparation of the program bulletin.
After
the Bible study, all of them go to a restaurant to have dinner. They initiate
the meal with the prayer and every one seems to enjoy the meal at the
restaurant. They talk and share their lives while eating together.
The
major spiritual activity for the shelter dwellers is the Sunday worship
service. The researcher found out that the first week of every month, they join
the Korean worship service and one of the Nepali brothers provided the
simultaneous translation of the sermon delivery and main speeches. Other three
week they were to do their own worship service in the small hall provided by
the church in the church building. Here not only the people live in the
shelter, but people working in the nearby companies also join. Three Korean
volunteer Deacons also join the worship service. From beginning to end everything
is conducted by the Nepali brothers and sisters in Nepali language. However,
Deacon ooo is called to pray for the offering, and another woman Khonsanim[14]
gives announcements, coming programs and church news in Korean and one of the
Nepali brother who is good at Korean translates it into Nepali. The program
bulletin is also made in Nepali and English. From the observation it is noticed
that Korean volunteers brings the programs and events according to the Korean
main service and Nepalis follow according to that.
Among
other activities for the shelter dwellers and the Nepalis are the medical check
up, monthly hair cut service and legal suggestion and help. If any of them are
not paid accordingly by their employer, a help is provided. Nepalis also
reported that the shelter is used to prepare some Nepali foods for the especial
occasions such as food festivals and picnic held in the church. When several
people live in the shelter for long time, they also do Wednesday prayer
service, inviting Korean Deacons and other friends nearby to pray and worship
God.
Response from the Nepali People
While
inquiring the responses from the Nepali people regarding Church’s providence of
the shelter and the various activities related to the shelter, Nepalis are
thankful to the church for the provision. They take it as the evidence of love
of Korean Christians and church toward the Nepalis. They respect the Korean
leaders and volunteers who join and help them in their ministries and personal
life.
However,
Some Nepalis are not happy to join the Christian worship service and the Bible
studies just because they live in the shelter provided by the church. They feel
like it their duty to follow the shelter schedule and regulations. They try to
avoid the service and the Bible study meeting as much as possible making
excuses such as going to look for job, meeting friends, sickness and so on. Some
are very enthusiastically participate in all kinds of meetings. They also take
initiatives to invite friends to the church, and the Bible study meetings, make
phone calls to the friends who do not live in the shelter, keep in touch with
them, and let them know the church upcoming events.
Some
Nepalis in the shelter acknowledge that the shelter became the first place for
them to hear the gospel and read the Bible. They come to know Christ in a
different way than that they used to think of Him. They used to think that
Christ is one of god based on Hindu belief. People learn to pray, read Bible
and praise and worship in the shelter. People are happy to come to shelter and
join it because they can learn, know and study the Bible in their own language,
with their own people. Because most of the things are conducted in their own
language by themselves they do not feel linguistic cultural difficulties.
Some
Nepali brothers also complained to their own Nepalis saying that not all of
them who attend the worship service are converted genuinely in his experience
because their behavior outside of the church premises do not witness a genuine
conversion. They also said that more Nepalis attend when they have their own separate
worship than they are combined with the Korean service. Nepali people seem to
like to hear the sermon preached by the Nepali pastor, because of his
expression of the truth in Nepali language using Nepali illustrations and
expressions.
Response from the Korean Ministers
Korean
Ministers who are in charge of the shelter ministry are happy to provide the
shelter for the Nepalis because it can be good means to invite Nepalis to the
Church where they can preach the gospel. Shelter ministry is a way to give the
bread and the Word together to the Nepalis.
They
hired a Nepali speaking minister to share the Gospel and minister the Word for
the Nepalis, because Koreans ministers believe that Nepali people can reach the
Nepalis in a better way. The Shelter ministry is to create an environment where
the seed of the Gospel can be sowed. Most of the ministries are conducted in
the Nepali, and Koreans do not like to involve directly but like to give
advices and directions for the ministry from outside. However, the Nepali
shelter programs are not independent of themselves. Since the shelter ministry
is part of the Korean church, the shelter ministry should follow the Korean
church calendar accordingly.
There
was some sadness reflected from the Korean side that some Nepalis come to the
shelter when they need but do not return to the church or attend the worship
service other times. There is no regular attendance of the church. Some time
they come once or twice a month. Korean leaders also expressed their concern
that Nepalis always aspect more from the church and than to contribute to it. Korean
leaders also expressed their feeling of observing Nepalis giving more
importance to their work, business and money than to God.
Cultural Exegesis of Nepalis in Shelter
By
the study of Nepalis in the shelter, the researcher has come to following
conclusion regarding their culture, which is made the subject of the critical
contextualization in the following section.
First
of all, Nepalis are not hesitant to go the church, sing hymns and attend prayer
meetings. As long as they are free and available generally they do not really
mind attending the worship service. Researcher finds such Nepalis acceptance
attitude as being the inherited Hindu phenomenon of worshiping millions of gods.
Attending church, prayer meeting, listening sermons do not hinder their Hindu
belief. They are open to the Gospel and many might have accepted Jesus Christ
as their savior but the life pattern does not reveal any change towards Christian
value. It means that when they accepted Jesus as their God, they are still
holding their belief on their Hindu gods too.
Second
observation is that though they easily accept Jesus as their savior, they are
not serious to attending worship service. They are not regular, only when they
are in the shelter they come to the church because they are scheduled to go
there. The researcher observes this behavior being similar to that of Nepali
nominal Hindus who believe in god but do not see a necessary to visit temple,
worship and pray. It is not that their belief in God affects in their life
rather their work makes a difference for them. It is associated to their
understanding of religion as a matter of spiritual things and it has very
little to do with the physical matter. People have to do their own part for
their life.
Thirdly,
Nepalis seem to enjoy the worship service in Nepali but not in Korean. They
enjoy the fellowship within their own group. The researcher also found out that
they are not only interested to attend the worship service in Nepali, but they
try to avoid the combine worship service with Korean. The researcher sees it as
their categorization of insiders and outsiders. They love their own language,
sing their own songs in their own tune and with their own instruments. Though
Korean service is of much higher quality in many things such as bigger choir,
professional musicians, well-organized service than that of Nepali, they reject
it because it is not theirs.
Lastly,
the researcher observes inferiority in Nepalis who live in the shelter. They
live in Korea
away from their homeland, and here they are migrant workers. Many of them are
mistreated by their employers. Many of them are in the shelter because they
stay illegally[15] in Korea .
They have developed an otherness attitude toward the Korean which keeps them
far from the Korean culture. As much as possible they eat their own food in the
shelter, they sing their own songs, keep close to their own people. The Korean
church is also not theirs, but they are here that’s why they go there. The
researcher observes that they are not committed to church and worship service, because
they see it as Korean’s church under Korean management. It is known that the
Nepali fellowship never conduct their own Lord’s supper, baptism, but have to
participate in the Korean church for its performance.
Discussion
and Evaluation of the Ministry
for
the Nepalis in the Shelter
As
it is mentioned in the previous section, the shelter ministry can clearly be
divided into two parts first meeting peoples need and witnessing to the Nepalis
living or coming to the shelter. Through the observation it is found that the
humanitarian/social needs of Nepali people are partially met by the church in
many ways. In the name of the Lord, the church provided the space, food,
medicines and other services to the Nepalis. While meeting their social need,
how the church is fulfilling their ultimate goal to witness the kingdom of God is to be evaluated. Nepalis are not
only recipient of the services provided by the church, but they also
participate in providing the service to others such as paying partially to the
rent of the shelter and contributing to by foods.
In the
perspective of cross-cultural ministry, the Korean ministers are more concerned
for the giving the programs to Nepalis than of building relationship with them
which is a means to bring transformation to their society. Korean leaders are
not present in their shelter to be with them, neither they are with them when
they are having the Saturday Bible study. They are with Nepalis only at the
time of worship service on Sunday, therefore lacking a genuine communication and
fellowship with them. Korean leaders serving Nepalis are not trying to learn
the language. They seem not trying to understand Nepali people rather they
aspect Nepalis to understand them.
By
providing a native Nepali speaking pastor, Korean seems to think enough for
meeting the spiritual need of Nepalis in the shelter. The positive point of
this is that Nepalis hear the Gospel from a Nepali person in their own language
and concept. The Negative point of this provision is that by just letting the
events done by Nepalis it increases the gap between the Koreans leaders and the
Nepalis. Therefore to the Nepalis, Korean leaders are just the provider of the
social need, not the witness of the Gospel. Moreover, the Nepali minister is
just the preacher of the gospel; everything is done by the Korean leaders.
Therefore there is no corporate coordination between the social services
provided and the witnessing the Gospel.
The Korean Church ’s
requirement for the Nepalis to attend monthly worship service with the Korean
congregation can be a good demonstration of Korean worship for Nepalis, but it
fails to bring a worldview transformation because particularly the ministry was
designed to reach the Koreans and keeping Korean worldview in mind. By
providing the Nepali translation of the sermon does not fulfill the
requirements to have a transformational ministry. There is a great need of
understanding of Nepali worldviews. While observing the ministry of Korean
church to the Nepalis in the shelter in light of Paul G. Heibert’s view, it
only brings a superficial conversion among the Nepalis. There is no bicultural
bridge between the Korean worldview and the Nepali worldview. They stand as
they are individually, pretend that they understand fully each other, but might
be lacking in many ways. Based on these findings following suggestions are made
for the effective shelter ministry.
Critical
Contextualization
On
the basis of the description and the cultural exegesis of the shelter ministry
the concept of God, value and nature of the worship service, believers’ status
before God, and the sovereignty of God on all aspect of human life should be
taught critically and contextually to the Nepalis.
Firstly,
the biblical case for One God and trinity should be taught to the Nepalis
carefully. The teachings of the Bible should not be just rejection of pantheism
and polytheism, rather the teachings should be preached in an incarnational
model building a bridge between the golf between the monotheism and the polytheism.
This does not provoke their defensive position rather make them to think their
own belief as well as the Christian teaching of Trinity and the biblical
monotheism.
The
subject of worship service should be taught properly. In Korean context, the
senior pastor performs the Lord’s Supper and baptizes. The question should be
asked whether it is the same case with Nepalis. Do Nepalis understand the
Korean pastors as their leader as Koreans do? However, Biblically, there is no
case for only the senior pastor should give Lord’s Supper and Baptism.
Therefore, the Church should not imply the case with Nepalis, if it does so; it
only forces Nepalis to follow their rule which may be a Korean custom rather
than the pure teaching of the Bible.
Lastly,
God is sovereign over all aspect of human life, it should be taught correctly
to Nepali people. Without commanding them just to believe in God, Nepalis
people should be taught to trust for the outcome of their work and effort. By
this they are not just asked to believe but they are to trust God for their
work. Therefore they pray for the result of God and they will have both
spiritual and physical needs as reasons to attend church. Relationship between
God and people is not a God and people but it is like father-son intimate
relationship.
Suggestions
for the Shelter Ministry
The
first suggestion for the shelter ministry and leaders who work among Nepalis is
that about the developing a coordination between the witness and the social
works. Presently they are going to a same direction but in a parallel way without
any inner connection between them. While providing the social services Nepalis
should notice it as the token of love which are they being preached in the
Bible study and the worship service.
The
second suggestion is for the Korean leaders about building a deeper
relationship with Nepalis. At present, Korean leaders are presenting themselves
to Nepalis with various programs only in the time of worship service. If they
spend more time with Nepalis understanding them, the social services which they
are providing to Nepalis would be more meaningful and effective.
The
third suggestion is regarding making a bicultural bridge in the shelter
community which would reflect the incarnation of Jesus among the human being.
If Korean leaders share the life with Nepalis to preach the gospel to them it
would certainly bring a good impact upon people resulting in the transformation
of their own culture.
If
above suggestion implied to the shelter ministry for Nepalis in Korea ,
the Korean churches will be able to collect the fruits of their ministry
effectively.
Works
Cited
Bhattacharya,
Natun, and Tom Eckblad. “Towards a Biblical Worldview.” International
Journal of Frontier Mission
14 (April-June 1997): 87-90.
Heibert,
Paul G., Cynthia Strong, and David Strong, “Order Creativity and the Mission Task.” In Anthropological reflections on the
Missiological Issues, Paul G. Heibert. Grand Rapid, Michigan : Baker Books, 1994.
Hiebert,
Paul G. “Conversion and World view Transformation.” International Journal of
Frontier Mission
14 (April-June 1997): 83-86.
Hiebert,
Paul G. “Missional Theology.” Missiology: An International Review 34
(April 2006): 231.
Richardson,
William J. Social Action vs. Evangelism: An essay on the Contemporary Crisis.
Pasadena , California :
William Carey Library, 1977.
The
Wheaton ’83
Statement. “Transformation: The Church in Response to Human Need.” In The
Church in Response to Human Need, ed. by Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden,
254-265. Grand Rapids , Michigan : William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1987.
[1]Shelter
is a place where especially migrant workers live when they do not have job and
other problems. Through out this paper the term shelter will be used for the
purpose.
[2]William
J. Richardson, Social Action vs. Evangelism: An essay on the Contemporary
Crisis (Pasadena, California: William Carey Library, 1977), 36.
[3]Ibid.
[4]The
Wheaton ’83
Statement, “Transformation: The Church in Response to Human Need,” in The
Church in Response to Human Need, ed. by Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987), 256.
[5]Ibid.,
264.
[6]Paul
Heibert, Cynthia Strong, and David Strong, “Order Creativity and the Mission
Task,” in Anthropological reflections on the Missiological Issues, Paul Heibert
(Grand Rapid, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 145.
[7]Ibid.,
145-46.
[8]Paul
G. Hiebert, “Conversion and World view Transformation,” International
Journal of Frontier Mission 14 (April-June 1997): 84.
[9]Natun
Bhattacharya and Tom Eckblad, “Towards a Biblical Worldview” International
Journal of Frontier Mission
14 (April-June 1997): 89-90.
[10]Hiebert,
Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 158.
[11]Paul
G. Hiebert, “Missional Theology,” Missiology: An International Review 34
(April 2006): 231.
[12]Dal
is a kind of bean soup, a typical Nepali-Indian dish.
[13]Madal
is a tradition Nepali drum made by wood and leather, and played by hand.
[14]She
is in charge of Nepalis in the Church.
[15]They are illegal in Korea because they stay in Korea without a
visa, not because they are involved in illegal activities.