Closing Space: De-alienation in Missionary Orientation

Abstract

As an outsider in a community, a missionary's own conceptual framework of the world is typically very different from that of his or her hosts—insiders. Nothing much gets done until this conceptual space is closed, and closing that space rests primarily on the initiative of the outsider. Learning to close this space, an exercise in de-alienation, should become a central organizing principle in entry (on-field) orientation. A model for a 36-month program is presented and developed. However, volunteers vary widely in their potential for gap closing and their readiness to undergo the de-alienation process. Furthermore, some situations pose gaps that are wide and difficult to close. Sometimes volunteers are well-matched to situations and sometimes not. A model for matching volunteers and situations is presented and discussed.