Breaking Cultural Barriers with Amish Cheese

 I have a great job. Today I spent 40 minutes on the phone here in SE Indiana with a Jewish winery owner in Long Island, New York discussing a business arrangement involving Amish cheese from Northern Ohio. Just the idea made my day.


 In 2007 I contacted an Amish cheese maker I knew of and asked if I could sell their cheeses at wholesale to groups who would place bulk orders through me. They said ok, we could try that. 


At first when we'd speak on the phone it was hard to understand one another. Communication was awkward and we had a lot of problems making things work. They were icy because they didn't know me, didn't want to know me and I was 'English'. They were clearly not up for a relationship, but that's how it had to work because I care about the people God brings across my path more than I care about money. I figure that is my main job in anything I undertake. I believe it is safe to say we're friends now. That makes me happy, but it's strange that without the cheese-selling the chance for friendship would never exist between us.


The cultural gaps are pretty huge, but there are commonalities, too. Someday I hope we get the time to talk about it face to face. I've invited them to come for a visit. Maybe they'll take me up on it in a few years. And maybe they won't. I'm not dumb. I know our friendship revolves around cheese, but I am invested and I hope they are, too. The intersection of our lives is an opportunity to break down barriers and there is little I enjoy more. Jesus was the very best at that. The Apostle Paul was good, too. Neither one gave a hoot for status, nationality, rank or reputation. I'm with them. 


I don't think I've ever had to work so consciously to win friends or prove my sincerity. But now I hear smiles when I call. When things were tough for my Amish friend R last winter I pushed the envelope pretty hard and asked if I could pray for her over the phone. I did and she thanked me sincerely. It was nice to be able to give something more than a cheese order to a hurting person. The opportunity to intersect meaningfully is worth the effort involved.

Today I got to reach out across a very different set of culture gaps. I heard a fast-talking, Jewish (very slight guess), New York proprietor in rush hour traffic, slow down a bit and interact because a person was interested in more than his money. I don't think he was expecting that. I asked a lot of questions and learned things. I was honest, I problem-solved and offered to help.  Before we hung up he said, "I gotta tell yuh, it was a pleasure talking to you today. I don't think any New York cheese salesman would have used the word 'glob'." (About cheese curds.) We laughed, we intersected, and it was good.

I am not a high-powered business woman, and I have no desire to be one, but it's nice to be able to help pay some bills. God has allowed me an interesting platform from which to care for people. I am thankful that I can stay at home and raise my children. I get to offer people a high-quality product that they can't otherwise get at a really good price. I get all that AND the chance to cross cultures and make new friends in the process. I am truly blessed.