Processing together

It is so nice to be all together (though they are currently sitting ouside with Pa Wamah and a structural enginner or something discussing building a home!). I have my American born friend, Greta, here with whom I can process observations about Liberia and situations, and my Liberian-American friend and cultural guide, Eddie, to share his own reflections. I know it is strange for him - when we met as a full team, he refers to himself as part of the Covenant International (American non-profit) team and yet he is Liberian.
Tuesday evening, Eddie suggested we debrief our Monday night meeting. Eddie shared that when I was talking in the meeting and I asked very directly "what is the heart or core of CMA?" he thought, "here we go. We will see how they respond." I think Eddie's initial reaction was about the American being very upfront and saying what is on her mind and that is not how it goes in Liberia/Africa. And here I was thinking I took the long way around to say what I wanted to say to not be too pointed! See where this gets challenging? It makes me

smile and it challenges me.
But Eddie also said, any other approach would have surely led to the group agreeing with whatever we say. If I said what do you want? And they said "we want to build out on the highway *30 minutes) away and I said, "oh won't you miss the people in Rehab?" they would automatically default to staying in Rehab. Upon further discussion, I am again remindedof the care we must take with our words in this cross-cultural situation. No matter how much we reiterate that we want to hear their real thoughts and hearts' desires, there might always be what I can only describe as a power dynamic. And I don't know how to undo that. Maybe it can't be?
We decided that either Eddie and I, or if we can't do it before they leave, just I would, would connect with each CMA leader to reiterate that we are covenanting - we are promising to not go away no matter what is said at our common table. This is an age old "problem" and one we want to be sure to be as diligent in addressing and handling with care as we can be. These are questions that are being asked in the humanitarian/development world. How do we decolonize aid? Some of it of course is cultural differnces but that too must be navigated.
And these are bigger questions than Covenant International can answer but we are striving to do the best we can with what we understand. These are all just rambling thoughts and the layers upon layers of "issues" in addressing poverty, helping, and all the things related are an ongoing challenge to explain, let alone sort out.