Group Work

When I was younger, I hated group work. The dread of working with other people, compromising on decisions, waiting for them to finish their part... it was all pretty awful. I don't mind working with other people if I've already worked through it myself. For example, I can study for a test with a group if I've already studied on my own. But when the teacher tosses you together and tells you to accomplish something, usually with the idea that it would be easier to share the load, I wished I could have just done it all by myself.

Nicaragua is a very collaborative culture. People don't shut themselves in their room to study in the quiet; rather, they sit in the living room with the TV blaring and their family talking. Offices at the Nehemiah Center are shared, and people are free to walk in and out, talking to whomever they please. It's actually quite rude to walk into a shared office and not greet everyone present. This culture stereotypically thrives on collective efforts and group activities.

Needless to say, I've been adjusting. I'm thankful for my training at CanIL, the grad program that prepared my classmates and I for Bible translation and overseas ministry. We were constantly reminded that the world of missions is one of shared projects. No more lone wolves. People need to work together, share their findings, divide and conquer. Although I still wasn't thrilled with working in groups, by the time I went to grad school, I was willing to give it a good effort. I didn't even do everything by myself ahead of time.

Since coming to Nicaragua, I have become part of the Ezra team at the Nehemiah Center. We have group meetings once a month, and we often have shared projects. When planning for team visits, I often share the workload with others. Though I often feel like the process is slower and clunkier when working in a group, I think the benefits outweigh my impatience. We all agree, building consensus and teamwork. We solve problems together so not all of the burden falls on one person's shoulders. We divide the teaching time so not just one person has to prepare and talk during a session.

Lately, I have been especially thankful for the collaboration at the Nehemiah Center. In the past, I have been the only one in charge of certain things, and it is a lonely, stressful position. Right now, I have people helping me in almost all the major areas of my work, and I feel much more supported. Things do not all rest on my shoulders. I can ask other people what we should do, and I'm not the only one who needs to talk responsibility. Maybe group work isn't so bad. Maybe that's what the "body of Christ" and "family of God" that the Bible refers to is all about.