Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to describe the culture shock experiences of TSM
missionaries in Kenya as they adjust to work among the Muslim people. The findings
of this research are to be used to improve on the missionary training by TSM through
the Center for Missions Training (CMT). This is because missionary training should
be relevant to needs in the field. A relevant training will enable missionaries to be
more effective in reaching the Muslim people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Twenty TSM missionaries were interviewed and the findings were used to
make recommendations for training and missionary care concerns. From the findings
of this research, it is concluded that TSM missionaries suffer culture shock, which
hinders their adjustments and effectiveness in their work. Even though most of them
did not recognize or acknowledge suffering culture shock, this researcher found some
oftheir experiences as expressions of culture shock especially in their early days
among Muslims. Some of the missionaries' culture shock experiences took long to
deal with thus continuing to affect their productivity.
This research identified various causes of culture shock, which included
world-view conflicts, unfamiliar cues, economic factors, religious factors, language
learning, identification in the field, relationships and personal factors.
This research therefore recommends that training of missionaries should bring
a better understanding of the concept of culture shock. CMT should identify with the
above causes of culture shock and prepare missionaries to adjust accordingly in their
field of ministry. Missionaries should be prepared in order not to be surprised when
they encounter experiences different from those they experience in their home culture.
This researcher also recommends that CMT should give more time and focus on
anthropological courses. This should give adequate preparations on world-view
understanding and development of a cross-cultural perspective among missionaries.
On-field orientation and culture shock seminars should also be strengthened in order
to enable missionaries to adjust from culture shock. These recommendations can also
be used by other missions sending missionaries among Muslims in Kenya and Africa.
