The Webber* family, serving in Central Asia, was visiting a village northeast of where they live when they first encountered what are known as “boneless pigs.”

Most people in their province wait until the cold weather to butcher their pigs, sectioning and preserving them before the meat is hung in a well-ventilated, shady place until it’s needed. In this other village, however, instead of cutting up the pig into pieces, they remove the skin and outer layer of fat, essentially gutting and de-boning the animal. The skin and fat layer is then sewn up and flattened and the seam covered with salt to preserve it. Most writers have called these “boneless pigs,” but the literal translation of the local name is “pig fat meat.”

The Webbers had actually read about these boneless pigs while they were living in the city. They had no idea how often they would actually encounter them in the nearby villages.

Many of their friends in the villages had up to five or six boneless pigs stored at their house. They could tell you exactly when each one was killed, and some even had pigs up to 10 years old. This meat is often given as a gift to neighbors during holidays or to say “thank you” to doctors or repairmen.

During the celebration of New Year’s in their village, the Webbers actually had a chance to try some of this meat at a neighbor’s home. The people are very careful to take off any parts that may have gone bad and only serve the good parts. Although very different than any food they had tried before, the Webbers agreed it actually wasn’t too bad.

Being invited into someone’s home and sharing in their cultural traditions is a vital part of building lasting, trusting relationships. By partaking in the custom of the “boneless pigs,” the Webbers now have a cultural connection with those families that could have easily been damaged by refusing the food. It goes beyond just sharing a meal with someone; these boneless pigs are a part of a family’s history. To share that with someone is an extension of trust and acceptance into the community.

Many of our global workers encounter similar situations with food or activities that are new to them. They recognize that they are not in their own cultural context and are sometimes called to step out and do things they’re not normally comfortable with. In many situations, this can start opening doors for closer relationships to develop and lead to opportunities to share the gospel.

Could you step out of your comfort zone and try a “boneless pig” for the sake of the Gospel? Do you have a strong stomach and a spirit of adventure? Consider joining our overseas internship, Exchange Your World (exchangeyourworld.com).

*Names changed for security reasons