Longing to Belong Chapter 4: Nature of Belonging

From Chapter Four of Longing to Belong

In the first chapter, we discussed how belonging is to be connected or bound by allegiance to and to be a part of the function of another. We also learned in chapter three that for us to stay connected with God and each other, we must remain within functional and relational boundaries that set clear expectations that define the nature of our relationships.
Expectations of Belonging
During the late 1980s my husband, Kelly, and I led a team of campus ministry students from the University of California—Los Angeles to the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific where we helped rebuild a village after a disastrous hurricane. While there, we encountered the beautiful culture of the Samoan people and experienced their strong sense of belonging to one another. Within the structure of the extended family and the village, individuals clearly understood their role and the expectations of functioning among the people.
The clear societal expectations provided both functional and relational boundaries that defined Who and Whose they were and How they were to operate within their relationships together.