Western missionaries come to the East with a distinctly Western idea of reality. If one wants to place a phone call in the West, one simply picks up the phone and places the call. If one's plumbing is leaky, one simply calls a repairman. But these simple tasks, taken for granted in the West, are different here in the East. Frequently, all phone lines are busy or one simply cannot get through for one reason or another.
Leaky plumbing is an ever-present reality in the East, with which one simply learns to live.
As a result, one's work effectiveness drops considerably compared to Western standards. The value system Western missionaries bring to their posts in the East causes a second problem. In other words, a Westerner gains value from the product, while the Easterner gains value from the relationship. It normally takes the Western missionary about two years to comprehend the different value system at work in the East. Therefore, missionaries must adjust their value systems in order to be effective in the East.