Reality Check #1

How many of you have traveled to another country and ended up eating your first meal at McDonalds, Taco Bell or (in Asia) Kenny Rogers Roasters?

It is a weird feeling isn't it. You prepare yourself to connect with a new culture and language just to find that they have many of the same brands that you consume each day.

But don't be lulled into complacancy. Just because a Taco Bell is on one corner doesn't mean that the next corner doesn't have a Buddist Temple.

In our global world our challenge is to see past the global consumer brands and see people. Those people mostly have not grown up with Western brands. They have their own foods, ideas, customs and cultures.

By seeing past those surface things you have the opportunity to get to know what makes another culture really tick. That is what is important. As you do that you will be able to share your story and your faith.