Boxing Day (Trinidad)

     If one looks on the average calendar here in the U.S., they will probably find that December 26 is known as Boxing Day (Canada). In my experience, most people’s knowledge of this holiday stops here. I myself, had no idea what this is about, assuming that it has something to do with the sport. However, in this last assigned issue of The Other Sheep, I learned what Boxing Day is really about.

     After going through her standard description of Christmas in the missions field, Ruth Saxon, who served in Trinidad, mentioned that that country also recognizes the holiday. Apparently, on boxing day, one is supposed to “box up” his or her Christmas leftovers, and proceed to give this food to the needy. Why do we not do that in the United States? This is an amazing idea!

     I think that this is certainly a case where we in the U.S. can learn how to “do” Christianity better from observing the practices of those to whom we are evangelizing. Christmas is all about God choosing to live in solidarity with His creation and showing us how to live as His people, from His Kingdom. I can think of no better way to commemorate this than to serve others and try to restore creation to that perfection it once had.

     One of the main critiques of missions has been its ties to colonialism. Missionaries have been perceived as trying to spread American ideals more than the Gospel. Furthermore, this version of the Gospel has been called a highly Americanized version, not always allowing Christianity to become incculturated and to carry the story of the people who convert to it. However, it is important that we allow cultural customs to have a voice in how Christianity is practiced, both for the people we are evangelizing to, but also that we might learn from them, and grow together with them in our understanding of the Lord.

     And so ends my reports on The Other Sheep. It has been a very interesting read. I think of all the things I learned while reading this publication, one of the main lessons has been to not be too quick to judge others and condemn them for their shortcomings (or what are at least currently viewed as short comings). 

     Throughout the publication, there have been many articles that I thoroughly enjoyed, why others left me wondering how such a story could ever be written, much less published, without severe backlash and public outcry. The answer is, of course, that such things were not viewed as wrong in that day. I am sure that when this generation’s exploits are examined in the future, they will wonder similar things about us. Everyone makes mistakes, and it is far easier to identify those mistakes when looking back on them. Instead of judging, we should learn from the past so as to not repeat those same mistakes and to help us identify where we may be going wrong ourselves.