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Growing up as a child of missionaries, I (CHRIS BOOK ‘74) always wanted to work cross-culturally. Our family returned to the U.S. when I was an insecure 13-year old. After attending a public school for 9th grade, I came to LMH and immediately felt welcomed and valued. My three years at LMH were significantly formative as I matured as a believer and chose an academic career path that would suit me well in a cross-cultural setting.
My entire career has been devoted to cultivating and nurturing relationships with people from other cultures, ethnicities, and socio-economic levels. For nearly 17 years, my wife and I have called rural Zambia our home. In my work at the Macha Research Trust, I work to support, mentor, and encourage my Zambian co-workers as, together, we conduct research in diseases that are endemic to this setting, including malaria, HIV, and influenza.
Our home is often filled with young people. We play games and teach them to bake, read, do math, and practice their keyboard skills. Several regularly join me on a bike ride or an evening run. Such times often lead to meaningful conversation about faith and life issues. I try to use those times to instill in them an appreciation for the beauty of nature and how to be good stewards of this beautiful land.
Global Citizenship encourages us to value and learn from those with experiences, cultures, races, and socio-economic backgrounds that are different from our own. I’m thankful that LM continues to teach children and teens to broaden perspectives that will prepare them for a multicultural world.
