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"The seminar was invaluable to us in so many ways that I can not list them all. But let me at least hit some highlights. First, your advise to "analyze and adjust" became our motto. During each day of teaching and in the evening when we were planning and debriefing we would have our "AA" meetings, leading us to improvise teaching stragegies and re-think our lesson plans.
Next, we found that when we asked the open-ended questions about conflict and reconciliation within the Asian culture, we entered into amazing conversations about western and Asian culturally shaped responses to conflict. Your advise and teaching about setting aside our biases and beliefs on how conflict should be resolved was very important.
We learned, for example, that a Bangladeshi way of addressing conflict is with a chicken: get a chicken and invite the one in conflict over for dinner and conversation, but not address the conflict itself. The conflict, however, would be addressed through gossip with others thus continuing the conflict and introducing divisiveness into the community. So, using the cultural approach to conflict with the chicken, we could talk about adding the way of reconciliation that is the Jesus way.
Also, your advise and expamples in using case studies were integral to our teaching. We found that the attendees provided incredible case studies from their own lives and ministries that provided fertile ground for discussion. In every case, we found ourselves enriched and blessed by witnessing God's work.
Finally, you reminded us that everything begins with prayer, and we found continual inspiration and encouragement in John 17."
--- A past attendee
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