iving in the U.S. has turned out to be quite different from what we had imagined. We thought we were prepared for this transition. After all, we had seen plenty of American movies. Surely, we knew what to expect from the culture. Wrong!

As we began navigating the unfamiliar while here for training, we started recognizing the subtle (and not-so-subtle) gaps between expectation and experience. This feeling is not entirely new for us. When we taught Chinese children online, they often believed we had pet lions at home. Their assumptions about Africa made us smile—but also reminded us how easy it is to frame a mental picture of something based on stories, rather than reality.

In the U.S., we have become the subjects of similar assumptions. People are shocked to learn we are from South Africa, enticing Mauritz to start jesting, “Yeah, we had to sell our giraffe before coming here.” What started as a playful comment has turned into a running joke—one that some people actually believe.

Through this experience, we are learning not just about others’ perceptions, but also about our own, and it is preparing our hearts for entering the Czech Republic while choosing to leave our assumptions at the door. We do not want to arrive thinking we know who they are or how they will respond. Instead, we want to learn to see people for who they truly are, allowing God to shape our understanding of them.

We are also realizing how essential it is to experience God for ourselves in real and personal ways, and to let Him shape our understanding of Him through His Word, rather than relying on the filters of tradition, culture, or expectation.

Please partner with us in discovering the culture of the Czech people, and watch with us as they, in turn, discover the reality of how good our Heavenly Father truly is.

• Twitter