Dress Rehearsal

I’m about all Thanksgiving-ed out, and it’s still the day before. We had a party for the members of our leaders meeting tonight at our house, and I guess about 15 or 16 were able to come. Two of those were friends of a leader that asked us if they could bring them along. My wife worked like crazy all day to make a bunch of food. She’s pretty tough. First Thanksgiving in her own home, and she had to cook for that many people!  

It was nice to have everyone together all at once. We haven’t done anything at our house since we got the new place, and we have some members of our leaders meeting that hadn’t ever been to our house until tonight. I still have a lot to learn about society and relationships here, but it really seems that bonds here are forged a little slower than the States. I don’t know if it’s the lack of the brother-sister relationships or what. (One of the friendliest girls we know here actually has siblings, so maybe that is the deal) But events like this hopefully work together to build bridges between them.  

We ate an American/Chinese Thanksgiving dinner – fried rice and soy-sauce covered vegetables included. Things that mystified them: mashed potatoes and big pieces of meat. There was a big roasted pork surrounded by pineapple slices for flavor/decoration. The pineapple slices made more sense to them than a big hunk of meat, so that’s what they ate! Also, the traditional order of dining was embellished a little bit. Why not wash down some vegetables with a bite of banana bread? Or use some potatoes to bring out the flavor of your apple pie?  

After dinner, we played “spoons” the only way it’s possible to be played: riotously. Of course, we played with chopsticks instead of spoons, ignoring the possible risks of eye-gouging. Love of the game and all that… We really had fun together. Speaking of giving thanks: I could never express how much it means to me to be surrounded by so many friends that I have the privilege of teaching the Bible to. It really is the coolest thing ever… 

St. and T. talked to me tonight more about starting some serious Bible classes. We’re going to try to get something really rolling next semester, Lord willing and language allowing, but I think at least the three of us, and maybe a couple more, are going to meet one night a week for some more study. St. is the earnest one, and T. is the passionate one. T. hurls questions one right after another… good questions (usually). St. is genuine and soaks up information. I really hope that you will pray with me for these two guys who are feeling the burden of a God-given desire to serve Him!