Gingrich finishes development work in Nepal

All students at EMU are required to complete one cross-cultural experience in order to graduate. Some faculty members engage in a unique trip like this as well. Chris Gingrich did, and found himself well rewarded.

Gingrich is an associate professor of economics at EMU. He specializes in policies of consumption in developing countries and in international trade. In August 2001 he took an unpaid leave of absence—he was not yet eligible for a sabbatical—and went with his family to live and work in Kathmandu, Nepal, for two years. He went with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which does its work in Nepal through United Missions to Nepal (UMN). UMN acts as an umbrella organization to run various programs in the country.

Gingrich’s background in economics served him well in Nepal. During his time there, he worked in management development services in community organizations and acted as advisor to a group of 15 Nepali people and two expatriates. In addition, he researched the viability of savings and credit cooperatives in the country. Findings he made will be published in a future issue of the Journal of Microfinance.

Gingrich feels that financial organizations like those he researched are strong in Nepal, despite being in isolated locations. He says that they “established a new paradigm for how developmental organizations should partner with rural savings and credit cooperatives.” He also feels that there should be “less money given out, and more partnerships in management development.”

When asked to describe Nepal, Gingrich emphasized the respect the country has for other cultures, and how easy it is for a foreigner to work there. He says that Nepali culture is “unintrusive.” His ability to speak some of the language allowed him to “see a side of Nepal that maybe a lot of tourists don’t.” While there, he didn’t work directly with the church, but was able to attend a Nepali church some of the time. The rest of the time he went to an English-speaking church attended by expatriates. He estimated the amount of Christians in Nepal to be about five percent of the population.

Part of the experience was becoming more conscious of the life of Nepali people. There has been a civil war going on in Nepal since 1996, “between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’” Gingrich says that while he was there he became “more aware of the day-to-day struggles of people trying to live through the violence.”

Gingrich’s time in Nepal, although very different from the typical cross-cultural that students experience, was a time that he calls “one heck of an experience.” He encourages all students to look into going on an MCC assignment after graduating.

He had the opportunity to share his story at a luncheon for staff last week.