Scarboro Missions magazine, October 2003

Developed by Tony Muhitch of St. Elizabeth High School in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, for use within the Toronto Catholic school system. However, this Guide can be adapted for other Christian users and adult educators.

Introduction

What motivates people to leave their home country and journey to another land and culture? Is it a spiritual quest? A desire to help those less fortunate? A sense of adventure? What qualities must you have to embark on such a journey? What preparations must you make? What might you expect?

This Study Guide explores these questions as it follows the experience of those who are living this journey. May it help to awaken a desire to cross cultures and build bridges between peoples in the global community.

For users who have a paper copy of the magazine, the page numbers refer to those in the magazine. For the web version, click on the article title below to view the article.

“We are called”    html version |  pdf version

Read this article with students and underline the basic fundamentals of a vocation to overseas service as described in the first column. Continue reading about the writer.s experience in the rest of the article.

“Walking into the unknown”    html version |  pdf version

  1. Ask students to study the article and to list the requirements and preparations for overseas service.
  2. Students report on what they have learned.
  3. Review answers with students.

“That’s the spirit”    html version |  pdf version

  1. Read with students. Ask students to read again.
  2. After reading “That’s the spirit”, have students report on two of the following articles that focus on various overseas locations. Alternatively assign two articles to each student.
    1. “A journey of faith”: Guyana    html version |  pdf version
    2. “To live is to love”: Thailand    html version |  pdf version
    3. “Waiting for Jesus”: MALAWI    html version |  pdf version
    4. “All is well with the world”: MALAWI    html version |  pdf version
    5. “Carnival”: ECUADOR    html version |  pdf version
    6. “I will remember you”: ECUADOR    html version |  pdf version
    7. “Journey to Tibet”: TIBET    html version |  pdf version
    8. “Peach blossoms in China”: CHINA    html version |  pdf version
  3. Students can either make short notes or highlight points within their articles. They will report orally, so they will need to prepare clearly. Use an oral report rubric.

“A rich interfaith experience”    html version |  pdf version

  1. Read together this article on a Buddhist funeral ceremony. Highlight or underline the steps, symbols and rituals involved in Buddhist burial.
  2. Discuss similarities and differences to Christian burial.
  3. Discuss personal reactions to the intimate and sensitive aspects of the Buddhist rituals.