In Asia for 5 weeks. Learning the language. Going to T dancing at the collage. Eating shou kou and drinking beer. I’m a Missionary.
Have you ever gone to a park to play Ultimate Frisbee or some other game and when you arrived found out that your team has decided not to run, just cause they don’t like to? They just want to walk. The other team is still going to run. Will you get any where? You for sure won’t be able to win. Is the game even worth playing at that point?
I’ve been over sees on several short trips. I was VERY blessed to have gone with teams that wanted to run in the game. They went with the mind set that we are coming to bless the people of that country. We will bend. We will meet them where they are at. We will wash their feet. We will eat what is before us with chopsticks and not even mutter a word of complaint. We will use a squatty potty. We will take cold showers and be great full that we at least have clean water.... I took it for granted that all missionaries have this mind set.
Last night was the best night since I’ve been here. I went with my room mates to the collage campus to the T dancing. All kinds of T people show up for the dancing each week. They play traditional T music and young and old stand in a circle and dance the old folk dances of their people. When foreigners show up they gather around us after the songs and ask us how we like their dances. Their eyes are bright and hopeful that we approve. I like T dancing, and told them so. I was tired and wanted to leave early, but I knew it was time for me to grit my teeth and press onward. After the dancing ended a few of our new T friends invited us to go out for shou kou. A street food that is only served at night. It’s all kinds of veggies and meat grilled with a specific blend of spices, on a stick. It’s very good. There were four T's and 5 of us foreigners. When we arrived our T friends ordered a ton of food and and 5 beers. They passed out small paper cups and filled them each with beer. Before we even sat down some of the other foreigners were actting stiff. They had kind of been stiff the whole time but I don’t think I noticed until they were sitting next to me. Some of them started making comments in english and their body language was very much saying they were only here because they felt obligated. Some of them even said so. Instead of making the most out of it, smiling and enjoying at least the friendship they just close off. They didn’t smile. Didn’t try to join in the conversation. It became very awkward very fast. I felt bad and wished I spoke more of the language so I could lighten the mood in some way. Being the newbie I had spent the last few weeks watching from the side lines. After all I didn’t speak the language. This time however I knew it was time to jump in. I knew I had a choice. I could enjoy this time and these people, use the little bit of language I knew, risk looking like a fool and being made fun of, or I could be stiff and reluctant like the rest. I could make an effort to meet them where they were at or I could stay in my comfort zone. My conscience told me it was time to leave self behind and follow in the foot steps of my King. I jumped in. I eat the food let them know I enjoyed it. Sipped the beer out of my small paper cup and did my best to join in the conversation. At one point the girl sitting next to me filled my cup, (about an ounce.) and asked me to do a “shot” with her ( I kind of giggled thinking that collage students in the states do this with strong alcohol and here my T friends did it with very week beer.) I said ok and downed the whole ounce. This got a cheer from that side of the table. Then one of the other girls asked me to do one with her. I did, and another cheer went up. Then they all stared at me with wide eyes. One of the girls then said. “You are like a T!! You like our beer and you like to laugh and sing!! "(they had taught us some of their traditional songs and I did my best to sing along.) This was a great complement to me. I think the best I have received since I arrived. That was my goal. I wanted them to know I valued them, their culture, and that I wanted to learn about them. The girl next to me then asked me and my room mate what religion we belonged to. We said we were Christians. She said she was T B but then asked us if she could go to our place of worship with us some time, she didn't ask the others, just us, we said yes. We exchanged phone numbers and said good night. Next week we fully intend to go back, dance, and go out afterwards.The culture says that it’s now our turn to pay and that we have to top what they did, ie. buy more food, spend more money. So I will penny pinch this week and do the culturally polite thing. I will do my best to live Christianity, love my King and love my neighbor as my self. I will listen to that still small voice inside and ask Him to help me be as gentle as a dove and wise as a serpent.
I don’t share this to point to my self and how great of a missionary I am. I share this as a testimony. If it was not for the careful teaching of my King from a young age I wouldn't know what I know. He is the one who taught me the importance of relationship. He taught me to meet them where they are, by meeting me where I am at. Day in day out. He comes to me first. While I was still a sinner He died for me. Why were the other missionaries so stiff? I don't know. I've never met them before. Maybe they have been hurt. Maybe they are just scared. Maybe they want to love but haven't been taught how to. After wards I asked my room mate If I was missing some thing. Did the other missionaries know something I didn't? She said no and thanked me for doing what I did. It encouraged her not to give in to the peer pressure.
And just incase any of you were wondering. I didn’t get drunk or even tipsy. My Daddy’s kind teaching voice in my head reminded me to keep track of my ounces, and say “no more thank you” before I hit my limit. He taught me well.
**Because of security I can not say where I am or the peoples group I'm working with.**
No comments:
Post a Comment