Fruitcake

In the USA, Christmas fruitcake has become something of a joke. Most people don't like the taste or consistency of it. Many folks prefer to use it as a doorstop. Other just "re-gift" it. There's even a belief, held by many Americans, that there's just one fruitcake in the entire USA, and that it keeps getting sent and re-sent across the entire country, person to person, Christmas after Christmas, year after year.

In Peru, however, fruitcake is a whole different ballgame!

Peruvian fruitcake (called "paneton") is lighter and tastier than its American cousin, and Peruvian fruitcake is happily received as a Christmas gift. I've never seen a Peruvian turn down fruitcake as a Christmas gift. It's always received with a big smile.

However, I have seen some Americans here in Lima turn down Peruvian fruitcake as a gift, thinking that it was nothing more than the local version of the same tasteless, concrete-hard loaf that they hated in the USA. Their refusal was taken as a serious insult here in Peru, and they and their ministries suffered because of it.

What? Suffered because they turned down a fruitcake?

Yes, because it seemed to suggest that they were disparaging an important Peruvian Christmas tradition, and in turn it was as if they were insulting Peru itself.

Christmas, as well as other local holidays wherever you are doing international ministry, can be seasons that make or break your ministry. If you are seen as insensitive, indifferent, or insulting toward local holiday traditions, then you will be severely damaging your chances for success in your ministry.

Embrace your local holiday traditions. Celebrate them. Eat the fruitcake. It won't kill you, and you might actually like it, and the locals will salute you and your ministry for your efforts, and they'll also greatly appreciate your inclusionary attitude.