A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

retained the "helper-helpee" stage with its prerogatives to define both needs and solutions. The third stage of interdependence, where both sides equally share in planning and decision-making, has remained largely a theory. The central office in North America contin- ues to be the service organization that consults with the churches abroad about the program in their respective geo- graphical areas, but maintains a unilateral grip on decision- making. Many national church leaders are skeptical of any rhetoric having to do with "Partnership in Obedience." They inquire, "partnership with whom?" National leaders continue to feel subordinate to the missionaries and the mission office. Said one national leader, "Yes, we were told the national confer- ence was autonomous to make decisions, but since we were partners with the mission this partnership was understood to be only in one direction and not reciprocal. The Mission Of- fice is the Vatican for us."31 Dr. Tite Tienou, a native African, for nine years professor at the Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York and 273 A PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH the founding president of a seminary in Ivory Coast, recently defined an appropriate meaning for context ualizat ion and globalization: Contextualization and globalization are two sides of the coin, I have been globalized for a long time [i.e. listening to westerners]. It is time that the West became globalized. Globalization means westerners now listen to the Third World. . , . We have been hearing you for a long time, do you hear us, . . . If we cannot listen, we cannot learn. Free-time is filled with noise. To listen, we need silence . . , creative ways of partnership are not now adequately dealt with. We need to treat brothers and sisters around the world as full gospel partners, not just as junior part- ners . . . partnership is to help us the Third World to do a better job.52 Actions speak louder than words. Have we failed to im- plement our partnership rhetoric in both our relationships and in sharing responsibilities with the nationals? How do we re- spond to national leaders in South America when they ask: ^Obedience to whom? Partnership with whom?" National leaders continue to feel pressured to obey decisions made by the missionaries. In the end, North America always has the last word. National conferences are "autonomous" partners but the partnership was understood to be in only one direc- tion and not reciprocal.33 A member of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Brazil and a graduate of the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in