Contexting

Telling Other People's Stories

Looking for a good way to begin missional engagement of a people group or population segment? Try making a documentary film. 

Storytelling is a powerful communication tool. It can allow you speak truth to the audience. A story can serve as illustration, admonition, encouragement, lesson, history. Film is a great storytelling medium- it uses audio and video, it is increasingly accessible and inexpensive, and best of all, it is extremely portable and infinitely editable. Documentary films are unique in that they allow you to tell other people's stories in their own words. Through interviews, real-time footage, reenactments, or stream-of-conscious ramblings, you provide a platform for people who otherwise may not have a voice.

Churches are starting to look for ways to establish a presence in their own communities or in communities they're ministering to overseas. This is a great way to do that. If you're just getting started, here's a great how-to guide that breaks down the process of producing a documentary film.

First, you'll need a story to tell. Talk to people and find one worth telling. Without this, it doesn't matter what equipment you have. Casual conversation with random strangers in the neighborhood is good place to sart. Whether you're in San Diego or Stockholm, play up the whole "I'm a tourist trying to learn about your city" angle and ask lots of questions. As common themes, concerns, events, or histories emerge through your interviews, you can begin to shape that into a story that will translate to the screen. You may want to take note of who the good storytellers are. Or, you could just ask people who the good storytellers are.

Now, sit down and write a script. Not the words to be said- that's the job of your subject(s). Instead, consolidate all that you've heard into one coherent, essential message. What would be the best way to tell each part of your story?

Consider the best style for your film. Will you have a lot of head-and-shoulders shots of interview subjects? Will you be narrating or using voiceover? Plan out your shots; scout out good locations for filming. The ideal is something with an interesting background but minimal distractions. This is especially important when it comes to sound. After you've shot the "meat" of the film (the interview, the action footage), you can go back and record ambient noises, voiceovers and narration, and shoot establishing shots and cutaways.  

In terms of equipment, you'll need:

• A digital video camera (cheap if you use now-old-school mini-DV tapes). HD is better, but file sizes will be big. I use a standard definition Canon flash-memory camera. They have HD versions as well.
  
• A microphone. If your camera suppports it, spring for a decent mic that you can plug into your camera. Otherwise, use a separate audio recorder. I use Griffin's iTalk stereo ipod mic attachment with my old ipod, and set it up close to the subject.
  
• A computer for editing your video. I'm partial to iMovie (actually the now-replaced iMovie HD, if you've got it).
  

As you advance, these things might be helpful:

• A tripod.
• A boom mic (you can make a boom out of a painter's telescoping pole).
• Steadycam attachment (buy a cheap one, or make your own).
• Lights (something that will illuminate your subjects without distracting them or washing them out).

I know of several churches that have sent teams overseas to shoot documentary films. The process helps them get to know people in personal, natural, and non-threatening ways. The end result is a great tool to help raise awareness and mobilize volunteers. The film itself can be a gift to the subject and her culture. Try entering the film in film festivals or competitions. Show the work in a local gallery, bar, or cafe. Send it to the local television station. Find ways to share the story.

Good luck. Let me know if you've out together a documentary film. I'd love to hear about your experience.

The Missional Home

A generation ago, families maintained a room in their homes for entertaining guests. The "formal" living room," was less lived-in, and therefore supposed to be more comfortable for outsiders. In many ways it was a stage- a well-decorated set for the performance of welcoming guests without exposing them to the more personal aspects of the family's life.

These days, few homes have a formal living room. Maybe it was the TV that brought its demise, or the the need for more daily usable space. You don't need a formal space to entertain friends, but the intimate experience of having people in your home is an excellent setting for sharing life and building relationships. Consider these ideas for making your home more comfortable for guests:

 Living Room

• Make people the focal point, not the TV. Hide it in an entertainment cabinet or mount it a little higher on the wall than normal. This will keep your plasma monstrosity out of the way until you need it. Configure the chairs and sofas to face one another, not the TV.
• Fill the room with conversation pieces, rid it of distractions. Fill the shelves with books you'd like to talk about (think fiction and photo-books over systematic theology). Hang interesting art and family photos. Play (softly, in the background) music that's meaningful to you. Remove anything that's weird or that doesn't have a story. Keep your crotch-sniffing dog out of the room, and clean out the cushions of your couch!
• If there's not enough seating, you should sit on the floor. It frees up a seat for your guests, and shows them that it's okay to sit on the floor.
• Try lighting the room with small lamps rather than ceiling or track- lighting. This helps the space feel smaller, warmer, and more comfortable.
• Your house has a smell that you're so used to you can't smell it. Be sure it's a good one.

Backyard

• An outdoor living room can be a great place to entertain guests. Arrange some weather-resistant furniture in a large circle, string up some white Christmas lights, and you're set to hang out with friends in the back yard. Tiki torches and fans in the summer and and a fire pit or chimenea in the colder months can be great for setting the mood and keeping guests comfortable.
• Outdoor dining can be great, too. Find an old dining table on Craigslist, and use candle light to make your barbecues a little more elegant.

Bathrooms

• When guests arrive, even if they've been in your house a time or two, be sure to do a "tour" of the house. The tour will let them know what parts of the house are private and will insure that they know where the bathroom is. 
• Be sure guests can use a well-stocked (soap, toilet paper, towels, etc.) restroom that offers a bit of privacy.

Kitchen

• If you will be eating together, reserve some of the (light!) kitchen prep work for a guest. This will allow you to talk while you're making dinner, and gives them something to do besides watch you chop vegetables.
• Offer guests something to drink. Repeat the offer often, and don't assume- sweet/unsweetened tea, milk and sugar in the coffee, ice or no ice- be sure to ask. 
• Unless dinner is ready when your guests arrive, provide light snacks that go with whatever you'll be having. 
• Offer coffee and/or tea after the meal. If you're not a coffee/tea aficionado, practice making them before you entertain.

Tip: Before guests arrive, remind yourself of their situation. Try to remember what they do for work, where they're from, the names of their pets, and how many brothers and sisters they have. These things help communicate that you know and care about them.

Pray for the friends you invite. Pray that you'd have encouraging words to say to them, and that they would feel welcome, understood, and accepted in your home. Pray for opportunities to talk about things that really matter.

How To Learn a Language

 Language learning can be one of life's greatest (and most challenging!) experiences. The process forces you to to think about communication of the concepts behind the words we use. The result is a broader, more sympathetic understanding of other people (not to mention other language learners!)

They say that the best time to learn a language is when you're very young. But what if you're, well, not so very young anymore? Is there still hope of carrying on an intelligent conversation with your Persian doctor in his heart language (Farsi)?

Yes!

• Select a language. Some will tell you to determine that will be the most useful. But don't be afraid to  pick the language for its history or simply for its beauty. Remember- language is the key that unlocks a culture. Maybe you've always wanted to walk on the Great Wall (Chinese), run with the bulls (Castilian Spanish), or go on safari (Swahili?). Don't forget that many languages are falling into disuse. Sometimes, learning an endangered language can be a way to show solidarity with a minority people group.

•  Get a book. Head down to your local library and pick up an introductory language-learning book. Select the book that you find most compelling. If you're a visual learner, go for one with lots of pictures. If you like to have lots of historical context, get something more philological. You're not going to learn a language from a book, but it will help you familiarize yourself with the alphabet, grammatical structure, and basic sounds.

• Make a friend. Sure the Rosetta Stone system fluency in a matter of weeks, but there's really no better way (and no better reason!) to learn a language than to make a friend. But you don't have to visit a foreign country to learn its language. There are hundreds of people who natively speak the language you want to learn and are willing to help you learn it. All they want in exchange is for you to help them learn English by having conversations with them. You can meet them online through sites like: MyLanguageExchange.com, SharedTalk.com, xLingo, or ConversationExchange.com. These sites act as free matchmakers for language students. Your new language partner may live abroad or even in your same town. If you can't meet in person, you can interact with your partner online via Skype or any other audio/video chat program.

• Take a trip. In order to get the fullness of the language learning experience, you have to put it into practice in a place where you have no other means of communication. If your language exchange goes well, you may want to visit your partner wherever he/she lives. Or you may want to take that trip you've always dreamed about.

How To Be A Good Neighbor

If you've outgrown Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, there probably aren't a lot of people encouraging you to be a good neighbor. In the god ol' days, (so I'm told) people made pies for their neighbors and sat out on their front porches and talked. These days, people don't even say hello.

In order to convince you to be a good neighbor, I could point out that chatting regularly with the creepy single guy next door can be better security than all the closed-circuit security cameras you could install (the military strategy in Iraq is to befriend locals in order to gather information and build goodwill).

I could use the "just in case" argument- what if you need an emergency babysitter, a six-foot ladder, or a cup of sugar? If your smoke-detector goes off, wouldn't it be nice to have a friendly neighbor come check on you (you know, rather than calling the police because of the noise?)

Instead, I'll encourage you with this: your neighbors are watching you. Yes, even the ones who only look at you through the window blinds when you go out to pick up the newspaper in nothing but your robe and cowboy boots. They know more about you that you might think, and they make up stuff to fill in what they don't know. Why not demonstrate who you are (who you are in Christ) by being a good neighbor?

Here are some ideas:

• Give gifts. No, don't spend a lot of money. Don't expect anything in return- not even that they would talk to you. Give something nice and useful and leave a notes saying, "Thanks for being a good neighbor." Even if they're not, in fact, a good neighbor.

• Mow your neighbor's lawn. You're out mowing yours anyway, right? Pull their weeds, water their grass, sweep their drive. Put their garbage cans away after trash pick-up. Don't tell them you're doing it, either.

• Share food. This one's a bit tricky. It doesn't help if it looks like you're dumping your leftovers on them. Next time you're at the Farmer's Market and see ripe tomatoes, buy an extra pound and take them across the street. Explain that they looked really good, so you bought some for your neighbor, too.

• Talk. You'd be surprised how talkative your neighbors can be- especially when you're talking about something they care about. Ask about their family (try to remember their names!), their pets, or the classic car that's parked in their driveway. Talk about neighborhood events, ask for advice. Tell your story. Offer your help if your neighbor should ever need anything.

For more great ideas on how to be a good neighbor, including block parties and building fences, check out this eHow list or this article from your local Kudzu.

How To Talk About Art

It's not that you don't like art. You just have no idea what to say about it. This can be especially troubling when speaking with an artist, and doubly so when talking with an artist about his art.

No worries: here's how to talk about anything from the painting that hangs over the fireplace to the graffiti scrawled across the fence.

1. First things first: Describe how the work initially makes you feel. Don't worry, we're not talking about some deep, poetic expression of emotion, just say how the piece initially struck you. If the work surprises you (as in, "Wow, I didn't expect to find an elaborately decorated life-size plastic horse in the middle of the mall!"), then call it "surprising." If you're underwhelmed by the arrangement of cinder blocks in a contemporary art museum, call it "underwhelming," or "unassuming" (the latter being less offensive to the artist.)

2. Talk about the specifics. It might seem like you're stating the obvious, but mentioning the materials, subject matter, or medium shows you're paying attention. Seriously. If a song is played with some sort of instrument, simply name the instrument (if you're not sure, categorize: woodwinds, strings, percussion, brass, etc). If a painting is on canvas, say, "On canvas." If it's a picture of a mountain stream, say, "Mountain stream."

Note: this is usually better without attaching any adjectives that would ascribe positive or negative value. For example: "Plastic toy soldiers melted into a the shape of a bowl." rather than "Two-hundred and thirty bucks for a useless bowl made out of cheap toy soldiers."

3. Ask a question. If the artist is present, ask her/him. If not, ask the question anyway. "I wonder where this waterfall is?" "I wonder what inspired this flower arrangement?" "Has he done any other notable work?" "How did she do this?" The question shows that you're no art expert, but that you recognize that there is some technique involved (yes, even in stuff that you're sure a three-year-old could do).

4. Describe how you feel after observing the piece for a moment or two (the longer you look/listen/watch/savor, the more you look like you know what you're doing). Attach that description to this phrase: "It leaves you feeling...."

Appropriate emotions would include:

• "baffled," "questioning"
• "shocked, "disturbed"
• "calm," "relaxed"
• "inspired," "hopeful"

That's it. Really. It might sound simple, but this conversation is just right for you- it shows that you're a sensitive girl/guy who's into art, but it avoids all of the technical stuff that you really don't know anything about anyway. It says, It invites further dialog, but protects you from those sorts of questions you'll be embarrassed to not be able to answer.

If you rarely find yourself in conversation with creative types, you should go out of your way to find some. The creative process is a spiritual one. You'd be surprised how much you can teach/learn from art.