I really love visiting the homes of my international friends. But I'm limited in the number of houses and apartments I can get into, with my wheelchair. I have a friend who is very allergic to peanuts, so going into a house where peanut oil is used liberally in cooking is not a good idea for her. There may be other obstacles or health concerns that limit the time you can spend in the home of your international friend. But just like speaking different languages, this does not need to be a barrier in your friendship. Inviting them into your space is just as important as being in theirs... and this is something I absolutely love to do.
When an international visits your home, you are the native, and they are the foreigner. So think and pray ahead of time about ways you can make them feel as comfortable and welcome as you possibly can. (This is when visiting their house first can really be a benefit!) Maybe have a comfortable seat available to offer them, and prepare something to drink. I like to keep my pantry stocked with tea and tea cookies! Here's a story about being prepared to be hospitable. Is there something kind and special you could do to honor them? It may be as simple as greeting them at the door in their traditional manner, or turning up your thermostat a couple degrees warmer than normal.
When an international visits your home, they become the learner, and you have the opportunity to be the teacher. This can be a very special privilege for both of you! I've had international friends over for specific things like a traditional American birthday party and Thanksgiving dinner. These are fun times to explain and demonstrate our cultural traditions. If there isn't a "special occasion," make it special by doing things you or your family love. Make a favorite meal like pizza, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, or macaroni and cheese, and introduce your guest to a favorite past time, like a board game, tag-football in the backyard, jigsaw puzzles, Charades, or a TV show. If you normally say a prayer before you eat, explain this and do it. While your routine might seem normal to you, you might be surprised at the response you get from your guest. It is special and unique because it is a glimpse into your life.
It's hard to know exactly how to strike a balance between making them comfortable and giving them a cultural experience. I don't think you need to go so far as eating your meal on the floor with your hands, or trying to prepare some complicated ethnic food. Remember, they have come to your space, to experience how you do things! Wouldn't you feel a bit disappointed if you visited an international home and they offered you a pepperoni pizza from Dominos?
I do recommend that if you are making a traditional American meal, that you include one dish that is a little more familiar to your guest - rice or greens or something. Steer clear (at least in the beginning) of making casseroles where all the ingredients are already mixed together; this makes trying new things intimidating! Don't serve pork or Jell-O until you know your friend well enough to know these are ok, based on their religious background. In fact, it might be a good idea to ask beforehand if there are any foods they are not supposed to eat. As your relationship develops, you could even get together to cook a mixed meal to share. One year for Thanksgiving, we had mashed potatoes, sweet tea, corn, wontons, and sambusa! Here's the story, if you're interested.
Because they are the learner, be prepared to answer a lot of "why" questions... try to anticipate some of these questions ahead of time, and think through good answers, instead of saying "I dunno... that's just what we do." Also take a look around your space through the eyes of your international friend. How does it look different? What do your decorations or cleaning habits say about what you value?
Time is often something we struggle with cross-culturally... If you say "Dinner is at 6," your friends may come early or late, and may hang around a while. In the beginning, meals with short prep work might be best, so as to avoid feeling frustrated over cold dishes or kitchen duty when you want to entertain. As your friendship develops and you gain more mutual trust, you can teach and explain the importance of time sensitivity in American culture. You might be learning to be flexible, but many other Americans will not be so understanding, so this is an important lesson for your friend to learn.
Finally, please remember that hospitality is much more than pulling off the perfect event. Do not get so wrapped up in the plans and preparation that you forget the goal: building bridges and breaking down barriers in cross-cultural relationships. Do this because you love the Lord, and because you want to show love to your international friend.
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Vocabulary word: "Home"
I've been working on writing 30 full-length ESL lessons on the book of Genesis. It's a fun project I gave myself a while ago, because I find that I learn deeper things from familiar passages when I pick apart the language, one kernel at a time.
Today I was scrounging around in the story of Cain and Abel... When God pronounces the curse on Cain as punishment for his sin, one piece of the curse is that he will be a "restless wanderer on the earth" (Gen 4:12). I'm writing these lessons on a beginner English proficiency level, so trying to limit the vocabulary as much as possible without losing the meaning or significance is a constant (and delightful) challenge.
In this lesson, I was trying to introduce how to express negatives for nouns and verbs. I already introduced the word "rest" in lesson 1 - because God rested on the seventh day, so in this lesson (lesson 4), I was able to say: "You will not rest."
But I prayed for a while about how to express the wandering. I finally decided to say "You will have no home." The interesting thing about the word "home" is that it is somewhat abstract. You can show a picture of a house, a hut, an apartment, or a castle. But home is - dare I use the cliche?? - where the heart is. It isn't confined to a building or geographical location. (That's why we say "Go to school, go to the hospital, go to my house... go home."To is directional, and home does not necessarily have direction.) Think about all those songs that talk about home... it's where your family and loved ones are; it's where you feel comfortable and at peace and welcomed. Home is where you know you belong.
I love teaching this word as an English vocabulary term, because people understand it. Many of the students I've had nod their heads and blink misty eyes as they learn the word, mentally going back to some far away place of love and peace and comfort - sometimes it's a place or time that they don't think they will ever be able to return to, and sometimes it's a new experience that is bringing hope and life to them again. I'm sure as you read this, you know exactly what "home" means to you... I know I do.
Now take that beautiful word, that concept that is universally cherished, and go back to that curse that Cain bore for the rest of his restless life... "no home." I can almost hear his voice quiver and crack as he huddles in the dirt and says, "My punishment is more than I can bear." Take a moment to feel the heartbreaking tragedy of it. Remember that Adam and Eve felt the same way when they were sent out of the garden. And the children of Israel, who lived as refugees and slaves and exiles and strangers in foreign lands for so many years, felt it too. No home to call their own... no home.
Imagine the effect the promise of God must have had on Abram's heart when he heard the words: "I will give you this land... Your descendants will inherit this land." Essentially, I will give you a home where you belong. And he made his home there, but he knew it wasn't his true home...
"...he lived in tents... for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God..." And he left a legacy for those who have followed his example of faith: "All these people... admitted that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own... they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:9-10, 13-16)
It's one of those bits of eternity that I think God planted in the hearts of Man, a longing for a home. And sometimes we get glimpses of it here on earth, but there is a much better home being prepared for us, if we put our faith in Jesus. I love that it is one of those promises Jesus made to his friends when he said he had to go away... that he would prepare a place - a home - for them and come back for them, so they could be together forever. Home - hallelujah.
Today I was scrounging around in the story of Cain and Abel... When God pronounces the curse on Cain as punishment for his sin, one piece of the curse is that he will be a "restless wanderer on the earth" (Gen 4:12). I'm writing these lessons on a beginner English proficiency level, so trying to limit the vocabulary as much as possible without losing the meaning or significance is a constant (and delightful) challenge.
In this lesson, I was trying to introduce how to express negatives for nouns and verbs. I already introduced the word "rest" in lesson 1 - because God rested on the seventh day, so in this lesson (lesson 4), I was able to say: "You will not rest."
But I prayed for a while about how to express the wandering. I finally decided to say "You will have no home." The interesting thing about the word "home" is that it is somewhat abstract. You can show a picture of a house, a hut, an apartment, or a castle. But home is - dare I use the cliche?? - where the heart is. It isn't confined to a building or geographical location. (That's why we say "Go to school, go to the hospital, go to my house... go home."To is directional, and home does not necessarily have direction.) Think about all those songs that talk about home... it's where your family and loved ones are; it's where you feel comfortable and at peace and welcomed. Home is where you know you belong.
I love teaching this word as an English vocabulary term, because people understand it. Many of the students I've had nod their heads and blink misty eyes as they learn the word, mentally going back to some far away place of love and peace and comfort - sometimes it's a place or time that they don't think they will ever be able to return to, and sometimes it's a new experience that is bringing hope and life to them again. I'm sure as you read this, you know exactly what "home" means to you... I know I do.
Now take that beautiful word, that concept that is universally cherished, and go back to that curse that Cain bore for the rest of his restless life... "no home." I can almost hear his voice quiver and crack as he huddles in the dirt and says, "My punishment is more than I can bear." Take a moment to feel the heartbreaking tragedy of it. Remember that Adam and Eve felt the same way when they were sent out of the garden. And the children of Israel, who lived as refugees and slaves and exiles and strangers in foreign lands for so many years, felt it too. No home to call their own... no home.
Imagine the effect the promise of God must have had on Abram's heart when he heard the words: "I will give you this land... Your descendants will inherit this land." Essentially, I will give you a home where you belong. And he made his home there, but he knew it wasn't his true home...
"...he lived in tents... for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God..." And he left a legacy for those who have followed his example of faith: "All these people... admitted that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own... they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:9-10, 13-16)
It's one of those bits of eternity that I think God planted in the hearts of Man, a longing for a home. And sometimes we get glimpses of it here on earth, but there is a much better home being prepared for us, if we put our faith in Jesus. I love that it is one of those promises Jesus made to his friends when he said he had to go away... that he would prepare a place - a home - for them and come back for them, so they could be together forever. Home - hallelujah.
Friday, August 22, 2014
My parents
I've been at home in NC for about a month now. I don't have many friends my age to hang out with, and I'm still seeking direction from God about what to do next. So I've been spending a lot of this time with my parents.
My dad and I like to go out to breakfast together once a week, and mom and I have tea time together almost every afternoon. These are the times when we really get to talk... they are both good listeners and have a lot of wisdom that I need to hear, too. They've taught me so much over the years, and still have so much to give.
At home we play with the family dog, Beau, watch "Chuck" and "MASH" on TV, have picnics in the backyard, and do puzzles - right now we have a 1000-piece beautiful view of the Avon River in New Zealand. And Mom and I go consignment shopping, get frozen yogurt waffle cones on "Waffle Wednesday," and experiment with new cooking recipes. It's been fun to share this season of my life with them, and I will treasure the memories.
Most of all, I like watching them together... the way they joke together and serve together. They love each other, and love the Lord, and I'm so thankful that is my heritage.
My dad and I like to go out to breakfast together once a week, and mom and I have tea time together almost every afternoon. These are the times when we really get to talk... they are both good listeners and have a lot of wisdom that I need to hear, too. They've taught me so much over the years, and still have so much to give.
At home we play with the family dog, Beau, watch "Chuck" and "MASH" on TV, have picnics in the backyard, and do puzzles - right now we have a 1000-piece beautiful view of the Avon River in New Zealand. And Mom and I go consignment shopping, get frozen yogurt waffle cones on "Waffle Wednesday," and experiment with new cooking recipes. It's been fun to share this season of my life with them, and I will treasure the memories.
Most of all, I like watching them together... the way they joke together and serve together. They love each other, and love the Lord, and I'm so thankful that is my heritage.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
A Short Rest... much like the Hobbit
Of course, the question now is, if Connie isn't in the Hobbit Hole anymore, where is she? Well, after living and serving in Fort Wayne for four years, and after a summer of travelling the country (quite literally), I am back in North Carolina, staying at my parents' house for a while to rest and get refreshed, so I can regain some strength and energy, and be ready for the next big adventure... kind of like in chapter 3 of The Hobbit, when Bilbo and the company of dwarves went to Rivendell (for the Hobbit fans out there).
In fact, the account in Tolkien's book, of the respite with the elves, sounds amazingly similar to my own experience in coming home, from the warmer air, to the people who knew Bilbo so well, to the place being a bit out-of-the-way for their journey, to even the silly songs and long stories told by the elves - in my case, by my awesome nephews.
"All of them... grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes. Their bags were filled with food and provisions light to carry but strong to bring them over the mountain passes. Their plans were improved with the best advice..."
I have a pretty good idea of where my next adventure will take me, but like Bilbo, I don't quite know what route to take or how long it will take me to get there. I feel like I have a sort of map and a sort of plan, but the directions are confusing and mysterious to me. So I am here to rest, breathe, listen, seek the Lord, and receive wise counsel from people I trust. I intend to do a lot of reading and writing during this time as well, so check this page regularly if you want to know how the "secret runes" get deciphered and where the map leads...
In fact, the account in Tolkien's book, of the respite with the elves, sounds amazingly similar to my own experience in coming home, from the warmer air, to the people who knew Bilbo so well, to the place being a bit out-of-the-way for their journey, to even the silly songs and long stories told by the elves - in my case, by my awesome nephews.
"All of them... grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes. Their bags were filled with food and provisions light to carry but strong to bring them over the mountain passes. Their plans were improved with the best advice..."
I have a pretty good idea of where my next adventure will take me, but like Bilbo, I don't quite know what route to take or how long it will take me to get there. I feel like I have a sort of map and a sort of plan, but the directions are confusing and mysterious to me. So I am here to rest, breathe, listen, seek the Lord, and receive wise counsel from people I trust. I intend to do a lot of reading and writing during this time as well, so check this page regularly if you want to know how the "secret runes" get deciphered and where the map leads...
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Farewell to the Hobbit Hole
I said good-bye to the Hobbit Hole yesterday for the last time. Pictures, books, dishes and music were packed in boxes and bags, so that by the end it didn't look like home anymore... but homes are made of so much more than the stuff that hangs on walls and sits on shelves.
I still remember the first week we moved in, and didn't have any furniture. The people who came to visit didn't mind, they just made themselves at home on the floor, and said we were living "African style." Soon, Jared brought us some tables and Todd gave us some chairs, and who could have possibly known how those gifts would be used until they literally fell apart! Over the past two years, this house became a place of celebration, fellowship, and growth. Brilliant ideas were birthed there, and also carried into reality there; stories were told and art was created and tea was brewed and songs were sung and love was cultivated there. As you can see, we did a lot of eating, laughing, praying, studying, learning, and partying around that table, with friends from all over Fort Wayne and the world.
I still remember the first week we moved in, and didn't have any furniture. The people who came to visit didn't mind, they just made themselves at home on the floor, and said we were living "African style." Soon, Jared brought us some tables and Todd gave us some chairs, and who could have possibly known how those gifts would be used until they literally fell apart! Over the past two years, this house became a place of celebration, fellowship, and growth. Brilliant ideas were birthed there, and also carried into reality there; stories were told and art was created and tea was brewed and songs were sung and love was cultivated there. As you can see, we did a lot of eating, laughing, praying, studying, learning, and partying around that table, with friends from all over Fort Wayne and the world.
I hope that everyone who came into the Hobbit Hole felt welcomed and loved. I hope each person knew the grace and peace and love of God a little more when they left. He is the reason this house became a home, a refuge, a classroom, a coffee shop, a work shop... a center of life and community, and it's because of Him that we became a family. I love you with all my heart, and will never forget the beautiful moments we have shared together.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Summer Adventures - Part 3, The South
After Florida, Mom and I returned to North Carolina, where I got to have a ladies' tea party and speak in front of a women's group of about 55 people at my home church. It was so fun, and I got to see some very dear ladies who have been a part of my life at different times and stages, and who continue to bless and encourage me.
I also got to share at another church in town, to a mission board that has been very supportive of my ministry for a long time. My friend Tim is the leader of the board, and he was my Bible teacher/spiritual mentor through middle and high school, and because of his background and passion for missions and God's Word, he had a huge influence on the decisions I've made with my work. He got up to introduce me to the group last week and said, "For those of you who don't know her, this is Connie, and she is my favorite missionary." Well, I hardly needed to say anything after that - what a recommendation!
Besides speaking, I did get to just have some fun while I was home with my parents too - doing puzzles, having picnics, watching old tv shows, and eating ice cream. Anna and I went downtown Friday night for the gallery hop and all the craziness of street performances (Winston-Salem can be a pretty hopping place in the summer!), and Hayden took me to get "southern soul food" (which can be identified when the "vegetable" category of the menu includes macaroni and cheese, apple sauce, cole slaw, and fried okra).
I got to catch up with a few other friends too, and it was actually kind of hard to leave this time. When life is changing and I don't know what lies ahead, nothing is quite so comforting as being at Home.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
A Letter to the Hobbits
To my dear hobbits,
It's been almost four weeks since we've been together. Brie traveled West and I traveled South to see our parents, brothers, and furry friends. Hannah is getting a tan and warding off mosquitoes in Africa, and Emilee is keeping vigil and defending our home against Snowpocalypse 2014.
And while we have each had our fair share of adventures (and the world is surely a better place because of them), I miss you all and just want to be with you again. I want us to put on fuzzy socks, light some candles, mix up some hot chocolate, and cuddle on the couch, reading each others' eyes and giggling at everything and nothing all at once. And if any of us had pipes to smoke, I'm sure that would be a part of our celebration too.
If I know anything about hobbits (and I like to think that I do), it's that they love to be at home. Hobbit Holes mean comfort - cozy old chairs, fully stocked pantries, hot drinks, and music and stories! But where do the stories come from? Well, that is the other thing about hobbits - as much as they love home, they know Adventure lurks outside their door and is bound to make them late for supper, but is worth the risk to find treasure and a good story. No matter where Adventure takes them, their heart still pines for the home they love.
That is what I've learned it means to be a hobbit - to feel a constant tension between the thrilling quest for true love and high adventure, and the safety and comfort of home... to feel a deep contentment to be still and cling to small moments, and at the same time a deep restlessness to seek and find more. I've seen each of us really wrestle hard with that tension over the past year. Rich, deep, full life is in both places, you know. And while we can only have one or the other at a time right now, I think the tension serves to remind and encourage us that in Heaven we will have both at the same time. Our longing for home and our longing for adventure will be wholly satisfied when we are with Jesus. And I am so glad we'll be there together - just think of the times we'll have!
Until that glorious day, let's keep wrestling - going out and coming back again - to live life as fully and bravely and powerfully as possible. We'll be back together soon, and I look forward to seeing how our tale continues to unfold. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, and spur each other on to following his lead, I know the story will be unexpected and wonderful.
May the hair on your toes never fall out,
Constance Baggins
It's been almost four weeks since we've been together. Brie traveled West and I traveled South to see our parents, brothers, and furry friends. Hannah is getting a tan and warding off mosquitoes in Africa, and Emilee is keeping vigil and defending our home against Snowpocalypse 2014.
And while we have each had our fair share of adventures (and the world is surely a better place because of them), I miss you all and just want to be with you again. I want us to put on fuzzy socks, light some candles, mix up some hot chocolate, and cuddle on the couch, reading each others' eyes and giggling at everything and nothing all at once. And if any of us had pipes to smoke, I'm sure that would be a part of our celebration too.
If I know anything about hobbits (and I like to think that I do), it's that they love to be at home. Hobbit Holes mean comfort - cozy old chairs, fully stocked pantries, hot drinks, and music and stories! But where do the stories come from? Well, that is the other thing about hobbits - as much as they love home, they know Adventure lurks outside their door and is bound to make them late for supper, but is worth the risk to find treasure and a good story. No matter where Adventure takes them, their heart still pines for the home they love.
That is what I've learned it means to be a hobbit - to feel a constant tension between the thrilling quest for true love and high adventure, and the safety and comfort of home... to feel a deep contentment to be still and cling to small moments, and at the same time a deep restlessness to seek and find more. I've seen each of us really wrestle hard with that tension over the past year. Rich, deep, full life is in both places, you know. And while we can only have one or the other at a time right now, I think the tension serves to remind and encourage us that in Heaven we will have both at the same time. Our longing for home and our longing for adventure will be wholly satisfied when we are with Jesus. And I am so glad we'll be there together - just think of the times we'll have!
Until that glorious day, let's keep wrestling - going out and coming back again - to live life as fully and bravely and powerfully as possible. We'll be back together soon, and I look forward to seeing how our tale continues to unfold. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, and spur each other on to following his lead, I know the story will be unexpected and wonderful.
May the hair on your toes never fall out,
Constance Baggins
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Where's Connie?
Well, merry Christmas, and happy New Year to ya'll from mild, rainy NC! Sorry I disappeared there for a while... I would like to say I got whisked away by Peter Pan, but the truth is that any creative energy in me - physical and mental - has been used up daily for the past two weeks on a huge cross-stitch project that I finally finished yesterday. Took me 11 months to finish it, and I am super proud of it! I'll post a picture of it later.
Besides the project, I've enjoyed time with my family in Winston-Salem over the holiday, as well as a few precious hometown friends. Spent some significant time in Greensboro, too - got to meet Pastor Meng Pu's sister and family in their tiny humble apartment, had a great lunch meeting with the new I-Teams area director at Four Seasons Mall, and joined Kevan for weekly potluck and concerts with his community of Christian musician friends in the Glenwood neighborhood. All around, a relaxing and enjoyable trip home.
Before all that, the Hobbits (and cousins from the Nunnery) had a big holiday feast together, with a 20-pound turkey and all sorts of delicacies to accompany it. Then we went to Valparaiso and watched The Hobbit (part 2) together, and got snowed in at Brie's parents' home. The next day we took our Hannah to the airport for her big trip to Uganda, and picked up my mom to take her back to Fort Wayne. That night when we arrived back at the Hobbit Hole, we had to get our manly neighbors to shovel us in, because our alley, driveway, and ramp were piled eight inches high with snow! The next day, after my international Sunday school Christmas party, Mom and I drove down south.
I had planned to leave yesterday to get back to the Hobbit Hole, but then "Snowpocalypse 2014" attacked the Midwest, and with predictions of more than a foot of snow and negative degree temperatures and deadly wind chills, I decided to stay put for a few more days. Kevan and Richard have promised to take me out for an authentic crepes dinner this week to make the delay worth it, and I'm pretty sure they won't disappoint me.
So that's where I've been and where I am! I'll take a couple days to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next, so stay tuned!
Besides the project, I've enjoyed time with my family in Winston-Salem over the holiday, as well as a few precious hometown friends. Spent some significant time in Greensboro, too - got to meet Pastor Meng Pu's sister and family in their tiny humble apartment, had a great lunch meeting with the new I-Teams area director at Four Seasons Mall, and joined Kevan for weekly potluck and concerts with his community of Christian musician friends in the Glenwood neighborhood. All around, a relaxing and enjoyable trip home.
Before all that, the Hobbits (and cousins from the Nunnery) had a big holiday feast together, with a 20-pound turkey and all sorts of delicacies to accompany it. Then we went to Valparaiso and watched The Hobbit (part 2) together, and got snowed in at Brie's parents' home. The next day we took our Hannah to the airport for her big trip to Uganda, and picked up my mom to take her back to Fort Wayne. That night when we arrived back at the Hobbit Hole, we had to get our manly neighbors to shovel us in, because our alley, driveway, and ramp were piled eight inches high with snow! The next day, after my international Sunday school Christmas party, Mom and I drove down south.
I had planned to leave yesterday to get back to the Hobbit Hole, but then "Snowpocalypse 2014" attacked the Midwest, and with predictions of more than a foot of snow and negative degree temperatures and deadly wind chills, I decided to stay put for a few more days. Kevan and Richard have promised to take me out for an authentic crepes dinner this week to make the delay worth it, and I'm pretty sure they won't disappoint me.
So that's where I've been and where I am! I'll take a couple days to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next, so stay tuned!
Saturday, August 3, 2013
The last two days
Waking up in the Badlands again did something to my emotional stability. While Hannah and Anna checked us out of the motel and worked on a plan for the day, I sat in the desert field and stared at the sand castles, and cried. Couldn't really pinpoint at the time what was going on, but now as I think back I just realize I was so homesick.
I thought about Brie and Emilee and Todd and Brandon and the others back home... and how I wanted so much to share all of this with them. And so much had happened in my heart during the week of camp that I really hadn't been able to process through yet, and I wanted desperately to return to my ministry team and talk for hours with them about it all. And being there in the Badlands, I was keenly aware that I was still 1,000 miles from home. I felt like Dorothy at the end of The Wizard of Oz... I didn't want the adventure to end, but I felt like the rest of the adventure was back in Fort Wayne.
I don't remember much that happened that day or the next, and I don't think I was much fun... but Hannah and Anna bravely kept morale up and we got to see some more cool things before the end of the road.
The girls climbed a sand castle...
We went to see Sioux Falls in SD...
The prettiest thing we saw in Minnesota were the clouds...
We were not disappointed! A knock on the door, and our dear Richard came in and welcomed us back. He started filling us in on the adventures he had had since we left, and his smiling face was the best sight I'd seen all day. Then we heard the familiar lumber of Brandon charging up the ramp and he burst into our kitchen, dripping wet and shrieking his joy at seeing us. Giant hugs and exclamations assured me that he missed us as much as I missed him. Then came Todd, just to give a hug and hear a quick story and offer us some ice cream before he had to run to work.Then Bethany and Rachel popped in, and we told the Glacier Park story for the third time in an hour - Richard was still there grinning and could probably have told the story better than us by then. Brie came home shortly after and my joy-and-love tank nearly burst. We were back in our Hobbit Hole, surrounded by friends and family.
Now that I've caught you up on the day-by-day adventure, I'll spend the next few days working through my reflections and all the things God's taught me.So stay tuned! The adventure isn't over... it's just beginning...
Saturday, December 29, 2012
All the family home for Christmas
This has been such a special Christmas break, because I got to spend this week with my whole family! And what a beautiful, incredible family it is, eh? :)
You might not be able to tell from the picture above, but those cute little nephews of mine are really superheroes... Andrew and Amanda are doing a great job raising them to be warriors for Jesus!
So blessed, too, to get some time with some of our awesome west coast cousins...
And here's just a little plug for my book, Tea Time - available on Barnes and Noble's website for $9.95! Just click on the picture of the book in the right side column of this page for details.
You might not be able to tell from the picture above, but those cute little nephews of mine are really superheroes... Andrew and Amanda are doing a great job raising them to be warriors for Jesus!
So blessed, too, to get some time with some of our awesome west coast cousins...
And here's just a little plug for my book, Tea Time - available on Barnes and Noble's website for $9.95! Just click on the picture of the book in the right side column of this page for details.
I hope everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas time, and that you got to spend it with those you love!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Organic Life, part 4: Home
Tonight I was at the home of a family from our church. It was warm and cozy, with a fire in the fireplace, a dog on the couch, and the wife folding clothes in the dining room. I visited with friends and played with the puppy and didn't want to leave... I wanted to curl up on the couch with an afghan and take a nap.
Last night was similar - girls night was at a house with a spacious den and a kitchen with savory-smelling pots and pans on the stove. And Monday night, the cookie exchange was at a house that felt like it had been featured in Southern Living magazine and smelled of pine needles and sugar cookies. And a few weeks ago, I was settled in a recliner in a peaceful farmhouse with a cup of tea and an old piano nearby. Each one made my heart so contented that I wanted to cry.
And I can't decide if the emotion I feel is homesickness, or comfort, or longing for my own home and family... maybe a little of all that, maybe more. I just love the feeling of peace and rest found in these homes, like time slows down and the world gets smaller and life gets simpler... I don't think my house is as charming and cozy as the ones I've been in lately, but I do love it when people drop in for a cup of tea, or fall asleep on my couch, or hesitate to leave, lingering just a little longer. I hope they find peace and rest here in our Hobbit Hole...
Hannah says this is another aspect of organic ministry... being in homes, extending and accepting open doors and welcoming embraces... being in community, in the most authentic way possible... realizing that hospitality isn't really about gormet foods and fine linens and fancy planned parties, but about cozy couches, piles of clean laundry, stories and laughter. It's really about being together, and sharing life-in-the-raw, beautiful and real.
Last night was similar - girls night was at a house with a spacious den and a kitchen with savory-smelling pots and pans on the stove. And Monday night, the cookie exchange was at a house that felt like it had been featured in Southern Living magazine and smelled of pine needles and sugar cookies. And a few weeks ago, I was settled in a recliner in a peaceful farmhouse with a cup of tea and an old piano nearby. Each one made my heart so contented that I wanted to cry.
And I can't decide if the emotion I feel is homesickness, or comfort, or longing for my own home and family... maybe a little of all that, maybe more. I just love the feeling of peace and rest found in these homes, like time slows down and the world gets smaller and life gets simpler... I don't think my house is as charming and cozy as the ones I've been in lately, but I do love it when people drop in for a cup of tea, or fall asleep on my couch, or hesitate to leave, lingering just a little longer. I hope they find peace and rest here in our Hobbit Hole...
Hannah says this is another aspect of organic ministry... being in homes, extending and accepting open doors and welcoming embraces... being in community, in the most authentic way possible... realizing that hospitality isn't really about gormet foods and fine linens and fancy planned parties, but about cozy couches, piles of clean laundry, stories and laughter. It's really about being together, and sharing life-in-the-raw, beautiful and real.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Location, Location, Location!
It's taken me about a week to figure out exactly where I live now. I mean, I know my address, and the immediate surrounding streets, but when asked the basic-yet-surprisingly-profound question: "Where do you live?" I have responded with hums and sighs and a lot of muttering. Am I an east- or west-sider? What am I close to? Am I south or north of downtown? Which of the three rivers am I near? Our poor neighbor, Joe, has tried to patiently explain it to me, but from his very male-minded perspective, and I am incurably female-minded. So... Main Street is over there... and... somehow if you can get there, it will take you to our neighborhood.
I finally decided to look at a map. And guess where I am? Right in the middle! Yes, I live in Central Fort Wayne now. I am a mile from the heart of downtown, and am within a short walking distance of the confluence of all three rivers: St. Joseph is to the north, Maumee is to the south, St. Mary is to the west, and they all collide in a lovely greenish-brown spot close by. I have figured out the major roads that are nearby, and which way they go, so now I am pretty sure - pretty sure - I can tell anyone from any part of the city how to get to my house!
Being in the middle is a good place to be if you are wanting to be available and accessible to the community... which I am! And as I put this under a spiritual lens, I think about how much I want to be in the center of God's will too. And I realize that it takes some initiative to get there... God is the one who moves me there, but I have to be willing to be moved. I don't want to be on the fringe, doing the minimum and therefore receiving the minimum blessings. I can't expect to live fully if I just tiptoe around the edge of his plan like a swimming pool, looking in and wondering if it is safe or worth it... I have to jump in with both feet and trust that his promise is true - his plans are good and his will is higher, greater, more wonderful than anything. Lord, take me deeper - further up and further in - until I am dwelling in the center of your will.
I finally decided to look at a map. And guess where I am? Right in the middle! Yes, I live in Central Fort Wayne now. I am a mile from the heart of downtown, and am within a short walking distance of the confluence of all three rivers: St. Joseph is to the north, Maumee is to the south, St. Mary is to the west, and they all collide in a lovely greenish-brown spot close by. I have figured out the major roads that are nearby, and which way they go, so now I am pretty sure - pretty sure - I can tell anyone from any part of the city how to get to my house!
Being in the middle is a good place to be if you are wanting to be available and accessible to the community... which I am! And as I put this under a spiritual lens, I think about how much I want to be in the center of God's will too. And I realize that it takes some initiative to get there... God is the one who moves me there, but I have to be willing to be moved. I don't want to be on the fringe, doing the minimum and therefore receiving the minimum blessings. I can't expect to live fully if I just tiptoe around the edge of his plan like a swimming pool, looking in and wondering if it is safe or worth it... I have to jump in with both feet and trust that his promise is true - his plans are good and his will is higher, greater, more wonderful than anything. Lord, take me deeper - further up and further in - until I am dwelling in the center of your will.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Significant Mentors
There are some people who come into my life for a season, and I am blessed and forever changed by my encounters with them. And even when our paths take us in different directions, whether to different cities, states, or countries, I get this feeling that we will meet again in this life, to bless each other again. For me, some of these people are Lou and Kendra.
There was a time in my life, from about 2005-2010, that I called "The In-Between Years." I was out of college and had no idea what the next big step was going to be. Little did I know what God would do with that time!
My summer of casually hanging out with the teenagers from my home church developed into a full-time leadership role, and Kendra (who was a full-time youth pastor at another local church) became a mentor and friend, and included me in a community of youth ministers who prayed together and collaborated to reach out to the youth in our city. She also took me to a huge youth leaders convention in Charlotte where I heard incredible speakers like Shane Claiborne and Phil Vischer. Her wisdom and experience, and her patience with me and my insecurities and immaturity, was very significant to my growth as a servant leader.
Lou helped me get my first job out of college, tutoring students at a private school where he worked. As that job progressed into a ground-breaking ESL program, Lou offered his educational insight and experience to teach me about program development and personalized care for ESL students. Kendra and Lou encouraged me in the persuit of my Masters of Art in TESOL, too.
Kendra and Lou also had (and still have) a passion for adoption. I got to witness the whole exciting process of their first domestic adoption, remember the exciting insanity when they got the call about a baby that was about to be born, that could be theirs, and getting little Eleni in less than a month after they were approved as adoptive parents. Seeing their joy and commitment to her enhanced my own desire to adopt, and made me more aware of the children in my own country who need a family.
This dear couple moved five years ago to Lou's home country, Cyprus. They built a house with a fully wheelchair accessible apartment, and told me I must come to visit one day. Lou teaches GSL - Greek as a Second Language, and he and Kendra do "organic ministry" from their home and in their neighborhood. They have a biological little girl now, and another on the way, and they said that they still plan to adopt another older child when their girls have grown a bit. We stay in touch through Facebook, but I have missed them so much since they moved.
They are in my hometown this month, and today, they came to visit! The two hours we had together flew by in a flurry of stories and laughter. They are just as I remember them - so full of life and love. I'm so thankful for the years we shared, and the valuable lessons I learned from them. It's amazing to realize how much the sacrifice of time and energy can affect another person's life; it's amazing to realize how much Lou and Kendra's discipleship and investment in me has impacted who I am today. Thank you, my friends! Ευχαριστώ!
There was a time in my life, from about 2005-2010, that I called "The In-Between Years." I was out of college and had no idea what the next big step was going to be. Little did I know what God would do with that time!
My summer of casually hanging out with the teenagers from my home church developed into a full-time leadership role, and Kendra (who was a full-time youth pastor at another local church) became a mentor and friend, and included me in a community of youth ministers who prayed together and collaborated to reach out to the youth in our city. She also took me to a huge youth leaders convention in Charlotte where I heard incredible speakers like Shane Claiborne and Phil Vischer. Her wisdom and experience, and her patience with me and my insecurities and immaturity, was very significant to my growth as a servant leader.
Lou helped me get my first job out of college, tutoring students at a private school where he worked. As that job progressed into a ground-breaking ESL program, Lou offered his educational insight and experience to teach me about program development and personalized care for ESL students. Kendra and Lou encouraged me in the persuit of my Masters of Art in TESOL, too.
Kendra and Lou also had (and still have) a passion for adoption. I got to witness the whole exciting process of their first domestic adoption, remember the exciting insanity when they got the call about a baby that was about to be born, that could be theirs, and getting little Eleni in less than a month after they were approved as adoptive parents. Seeing their joy and commitment to her enhanced my own desire to adopt, and made me more aware of the children in my own country who need a family.
This dear couple moved five years ago to Lou's home country, Cyprus. They built a house with a fully wheelchair accessible apartment, and told me I must come to visit one day. Lou teaches GSL - Greek as a Second Language, and he and Kendra do "organic ministry" from their home and in their neighborhood. They have a biological little girl now, and another on the way, and they said that they still plan to adopt another older child when their girls have grown a bit. We stay in touch through Facebook, but I have missed them so much since they moved.
They are in my hometown this month, and today, they came to visit! The two hours we had together flew by in a flurry of stories and laughter. They are just as I remember them - so full of life and love. I'm so thankful for the years we shared, and the valuable lessons I learned from them. It's amazing to realize how much the sacrifice of time and energy can affect another person's life; it's amazing to realize how much Lou and Kendra's discipleship and investment in me has impacted who I am today. Thank you, my friends! Ευχαριστώ!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Freckles, ruby slippers, and oatmeal cookies
Good news - I'm feeling stronger and more energetic, and needing fewer naps! Also enjoying some of my favorite things more... this is when retreats get better. :)
Reading a charming book named Freckles, an old favorite of my Aunt Ruth, who gave it to me this summer. It's set in Indiana in the early 1900s, in the Limberlost - which is around Decatur, not an hour from where I live! Definitely a day-trip exploration this fall (hint, Hannah!)... though I sadly doubt that the fairyland garden that Freckles created is still there... more to come on that.
The other night I went out for ice cream with my dear friend, Leigh Ann, and as we sat on the patio deep in conversation, I let the last couple bites of my ice cream melt into creamy soup in the bottom of my cup, with the cherry stem floating lazily inside. I use my hands a lot when I talk (a habit which I think developed as an ESL teacher, more than anything), and at one point, knocked my cup over, spilling ice cream soup on my pants and into my ruby slippers. Leigh Ann and I have had just about every adventure imaginable together, so we laughed this one off as I carried my shoes into the restroom and she helped me clean up. With my weird imagination, I couldn't help but think there should be an alternate backstory - a much more entertaining, and perhaps even romatic story - to having ice cream-filled ruby slippers... more to come on that one, too.
And now I must sign off, because the smell of freshly-baked homemade cookies is far too distracting... Mom seems to think it necessary to have homemade baked goods always on hand at The Spoon-Drop Inn, which I don't mind, except that it is making me very spoiled, and well... any weight I lost in the hospital has been generously redeemed. Oh, well. I can't resist, because they are my favorite: oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chips and craisins!
Reading a charming book named Freckles, an old favorite of my Aunt Ruth, who gave it to me this summer. It's set in Indiana in the early 1900s, in the Limberlost - which is around Decatur, not an hour from where I live! Definitely a day-trip exploration this fall (hint, Hannah!)... though I sadly doubt that the fairyland garden that Freckles created is still there... more to come on that.
The other night I went out for ice cream with my dear friend, Leigh Ann, and as we sat on the patio deep in conversation, I let the last couple bites of my ice cream melt into creamy soup in the bottom of my cup, with the cherry stem floating lazily inside. I use my hands a lot when I talk (a habit which I think developed as an ESL teacher, more than anything), and at one point, knocked my cup over, spilling ice cream soup on my pants and into my ruby slippers. Leigh Ann and I have had just about every adventure imaginable together, so we laughed this one off as I carried my shoes into the restroom and she helped me clean up. With my weird imagination, I couldn't help but think there should be an alternate backstory - a much more entertaining, and perhaps even romatic story - to having ice cream-filled ruby slippers... more to come on that one, too.
And now I must sign off, because the smell of freshly-baked homemade cookies is far too distracting... Mom seems to think it necessary to have homemade baked goods always on hand at The Spoon-Drop Inn, which I don't mind, except that it is making me very spoiled, and well... any weight I lost in the hospital has been generously redeemed. Oh, well. I can't resist, because they are my favorite: oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chips and craisins!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Resting
And now the priority is to rest. I came home to rest - to be away from busy-ness and excitement, to take frequent naps, to not have a work schedule, to not have interruptions, to read and write and pray and and eat and listen to music and watch television and crochet and drink tea and all those sorts of quiet, calm activities. It's an intentional, healing retreat.
I'm not very good at this. Anyone who knows me at all knows this is not natural or easy for me. I have to physically stop myself from starting new projects, have to mentally slow myself down to not overanalyze things, have to socially put myself in check so I don't overdo it. This is not a normal trip home, Connie. I have to remind myself. You are not here to be busy and overstretched, you are here to rest. Because with rest comes healing, and with healing comes strength, and with strength comes endurance. And rest is a very good thing....
If you have any recommended music, books, movies, or quiet, creative activities for me to try out during this time, I'm happy for you to send suggestions to me! And if you are nearby, I'd love to have a little company now and then. :)
I'm not very good at this. Anyone who knows me at all knows this is not natural or easy for me. I have to physically stop myself from starting new projects, have to mentally slow myself down to not overanalyze things, have to socially put myself in check so I don't overdo it. This is not a normal trip home, Connie. I have to remind myself. You are not here to be busy and overstretched, you are here to rest. Because with rest comes healing, and with healing comes strength, and with strength comes endurance. And rest is a very good thing....
If you have any recommended music, books, movies, or quiet, creative activities for me to try out during this time, I'm happy for you to send suggestions to me! And if you are nearby, I'd love to have a little company now and then. :)
Monday, June 13, 2011
Back to life as usual...
Usual? What is usual?
Jessi is here with me now... a little younger than my last roomie (I realized last night that I am twice her age!) but she's a hard worker with a great attitude. I asked her last night what she thought of her first day here, and she said it felt "natural" to be here. Pretty cool, I think. She's met our families and some of our staff so far, we went out to lunch with some friends, grocery shopped, bought baby clothes for the newest addition to my international family, bought a grad gift for our first ever youth night graduate, and went to a softball game.
Today we're starting work! There are laptops and binders, charts and lists spread all over the house, and toys and mats sunning outside after a good cleaning, all in preparation for Summer Kids Club, starting tomorrow . I've been sitting at my little corner of the table, lesson planning and creating lists of my own, thankful that I'm working with teens and adults, not the mass of insane children who will magically appear tomorrow (that's sarcastic, Pam, although I know you have the magic power of making it happen!). Meeting with the good Pastor in about five minutes, and then its all phone calls and emails to finish up final prep for the mission trip in two weeks! The sun is shining, the breeze is refreshing, the ducks are enjoying our swimming pool, and my Kelsey is sitting next to me with an absurdly huge mug of coffee.
Life is good and beautiful and precious... as usual.
Jessi is here with me now... a little younger than my last roomie (I realized last night that I am twice her age!) but she's a hard worker with a great attitude. I asked her last night what she thought of her first day here, and she said it felt "natural" to be here. Pretty cool, I think. She's met our families and some of our staff so far, we went out to lunch with some friends, grocery shopped, bought baby clothes for the newest addition to my international family, bought a grad gift for our first ever youth night graduate, and went to a softball game.
Today we're starting work! There are laptops and binders, charts and lists spread all over the house, and toys and mats sunning outside after a good cleaning, all in preparation for Summer Kids Club, starting tomorrow . I've been sitting at my little corner of the table, lesson planning and creating lists of my own, thankful that I'm working with teens and adults, not the mass of insane children who will magically appear tomorrow (that's sarcastic, Pam, although I know you have the magic power of making it happen!). Meeting with the good Pastor in about five minutes, and then its all phone calls and emails to finish up final prep for the mission trip in two weeks! The sun is shining, the breeze is refreshing, the ducks are enjoying our swimming pool, and my Kelsey is sitting next to me with an absurdly huge mug of coffee.
Life is good and beautiful and precious... as usual.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
About taking a break from ministry...
I'm finding out that is impossible. I came home from Fort Wayne for a couple weeks, and people have been asking me the whole time if I am enjoying my break. "Break? What break? Is that what we call this?" Don't get me wrong, I have really enjoyed sleeping more, and getting puppy kisses from my Beau, and eating mom's home cookin', and visiting with a few special people, and enjoying the hot southern nights. These things are precious to me, and make my heart break with love whenever I am here.
But there are two things that make this feel like it is not a break...
First, I can't turn off my thoughts about ministry in Fort Wayne. This whole time I've been home, I've been making notes and reading books and looking through pictures and planning lessons and writing emails. I wake up in the night with brainstorms about what we can do to strengthen our teams and expand the programs. Stories that other people tell me remind me of my own stories of my international friends, and I make a mental note of every game we play or dessert we eat that could be fun to do with the youth. A part of my heart is very much there in Indiana, no matter where else I go.
Second, I jump back into the ministries I had when I lived in NC. These are people I have known for a long time, some of them I have known their whole lives! I used to lead and teach the youth group at my home church, and I still love those kids like they are my own children, even though the youngest class I had is graduating high school this year. I care a lot about where they are in their walk with the Lord and how he is leading them and how their lives and relationships reflect their commitment to Him... and when I'm home I want to check in with each of them intentionally. Then there are my friends who are going through some tough crossroads in their lives right now, and we've been through so much together in the past that I want to (and feel the need to) use our brief time together to listen and pray and offer help and counsel if I can. When I go back to Indiana, I will feel sad, even a bit guilty, for leaving all of this behind, wondering if it's really ok for me to love people somewhere else, when I already love so many people here... questioning whether it's right to serve in a different corner of the world, when I see the needs I can help with right here. Old stomping grounds have become not just places of nostalgia, but memorials to times in my life where God has taught me and changed me, where he brought people into my life who I needed and who needed me in different seasons. No matter where else I go, a part of my heart is very much here in North Carolina.
I don't think we're ever meant to truly take a break from ministry... when did God say to stop caring about people, sharing his love with people, thinking of ways to infuse his joy into others' lives? True, we all need to rest, but I don't think "to rest" means to stop living for Him. Wherever I go, whether it is called "work," "missions," "vacation," "furlough," or "sabbatical," there will always be people who need to experience the love of Jesus. As Joni Eareckson Tada says, "Shake salt, shine light, travel to the uttermost parts of the world!" Until Jesus returns to take his family home, we have work to do - let Him find us faithful, busy serving for his glory.
But there are two things that make this feel like it is not a break...
First, I can't turn off my thoughts about ministry in Fort Wayne. This whole time I've been home, I've been making notes and reading books and looking through pictures and planning lessons and writing emails. I wake up in the night with brainstorms about what we can do to strengthen our teams and expand the programs. Stories that other people tell me remind me of my own stories of my international friends, and I make a mental note of every game we play or dessert we eat that could be fun to do with the youth. A part of my heart is very much there in Indiana, no matter where else I go.
Second, I jump back into the ministries I had when I lived in NC. These are people I have known for a long time, some of them I have known their whole lives! I used to lead and teach the youth group at my home church, and I still love those kids like they are my own children, even though the youngest class I had is graduating high school this year. I care a lot about where they are in their walk with the Lord and how he is leading them and how their lives and relationships reflect their commitment to Him... and when I'm home I want to check in with each of them intentionally. Then there are my friends who are going through some tough crossroads in their lives right now, and we've been through so much together in the past that I want to (and feel the need to) use our brief time together to listen and pray and offer help and counsel if I can. When I go back to Indiana, I will feel sad, even a bit guilty, for leaving all of this behind, wondering if it's really ok for me to love people somewhere else, when I already love so many people here... questioning whether it's right to serve in a different corner of the world, when I see the needs I can help with right here. Old stomping grounds have become not just places of nostalgia, but memorials to times in my life where God has taught me and changed me, where he brought people into my life who I needed and who needed me in different seasons. No matter where else I go, a part of my heart is very much here in North Carolina.
I don't think we're ever meant to truly take a break from ministry... when did God say to stop caring about people, sharing his love with people, thinking of ways to infuse his joy into others' lives? True, we all need to rest, but I don't think "to rest" means to stop living for Him. Wherever I go, whether it is called "work," "missions," "vacation," "furlough," or "sabbatical," there will always be people who need to experience the love of Jesus. As Joni Eareckson Tada says, "Shake salt, shine light, travel to the uttermost parts of the world!" Until Jesus returns to take his family home, we have work to do - let Him find us faithful, busy serving for his glory.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Going Home
I'm getting ready to go home to NC for two weeks. I've been at I-House now for one year, and in some ways it feels like I've been here a lot longer. I remember last August when I was planning to go home, I was so homesick and so ready to be in NC, chomping at the bit to get there, not caring what I would miss here. And I realized this week that I don't feel like that now... I really miss my family, and I am excited to see people and visit my old haunts, but it's different this time. My friends asked me if I wanted to leave early, since I don't have any programs to work in this Thursday and Friday, and I find myself resisting that. I can't leave early - I'd miss two lessons with the good Pastor, I'd not have time to visit my student and her brand new baby at the hospital, I wouldn't get to see the girls on Girls' Night, I wouldn't get to hang out with Kelsey or meet with Becky, and Moi San (Nibs) might grow another tooth in that time. I'm already missing Maelynn's graduation party on Monday and I feel sad that I'm not able to spend time with the youth for two weeks. I don't just have programs and students anymore, I have friends and social activities and ministry. This isn't just where I work now... it's where I live and grow too.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A Productive Day
My definition of a productive day is when I write a long to-do list the night before, and then take great pleasure the next day in marking each item off the list one by one until they are all completed... before I go to bed that night. To-do list in hand, I had good intentions this morning. And then...
I had breakfast. With Jo-Lien. My breakfast was a healthy bowl of Special K, with berries and yogurt. Mmmm... and it makes the milk turn pink in the end. Which Jo-Lien was fascinated by. So I spooned up a little milk and held it out for him to try. He loved it so much that he lapped up every last drop of it! Then he smelled my Pumpkin Spice Chai tea, which naturally smells marvelous. So I spooned up a little tea and held it out for him to try. He made a terrific face - very much like my own face when I tasted tamarin leaf tea. Yuck! I laughed and shook my head, note to self - no chai for the kids. But then Jo-Lien took my spoon, dunked it in my cup and very carefully held up a spoonful of tea for me to drink. I let him feed me just as I fed him, and we got through about half the cup that way, both giggling and spilling tea all over. So breakfast took about an hour longer than planned...
Then Pastor Meng Pu came over for ESL class. I had planned to move forward in great progressive steps toward a greater understanding of (ironically enough) time, but the poor man was stuck on properly pronouncing the English "Th" sound... didn't really help that one days of our week have that sound in them and that in ordinal numbers, most dates end with it... just picture a twenty-minute lesson on sticking your tongue out! Pretend you have sweater fuzz on your tongue, I tried to communicate... oh, the spraying that occurred in the process! Once he got it, after laughing until we were crying, he said, "Oh tank you teacher Connie! Hallelujah! Amen! Tank you!" More laughter as I corrected him - "Thhhhhhhhhhhank you!" So much for a greater understanding of time...
Then the boys took a nap, so Lian wanted some girl time, so she made coffee and we sat and talked for about two hours... about middle names. She is so frustrated, for Burmese names are not like American names, and Americans don't seem to understand that. She has three names: Dim Ngaih Lian. But all three names are important. They aren't like first, middle, and last names for us. So shortening it to Dim Lian is not really ok. It would be like making my name Con Ler. This presents problems at important places such as banks. So I listened and nodded and sympathized and drank my coffee for two hours as she vented in broken English about her middle name, or lack of...
Now it is time to have some soup and go to youth night! Where did my day go?? I spent most of it at the dining room table, talking like Daffy Duck ("thhhhufferin' thhhhhhhuckatash!"), making a mess with a two year old, and learning to be sensitive to the value of names in other cultures. I love days like this. I love that even though only a couple things were marked off my to-do list, it was still a full, productive day. I love living life in Little Burma.
I had breakfast. With Jo-Lien. My breakfast was a healthy bowl of Special K, with berries and yogurt. Mmmm... and it makes the milk turn pink in the end. Which Jo-Lien was fascinated by. So I spooned up a little milk and held it out for him to try. He loved it so much that he lapped up every last drop of it! Then he smelled my Pumpkin Spice Chai tea, which naturally smells marvelous. So I spooned up a little tea and held it out for him to try. He made a terrific face - very much like my own face when I tasted tamarin leaf tea. Yuck! I laughed and shook my head, note to self - no chai for the kids. But then Jo-Lien took my spoon, dunked it in my cup and very carefully held up a spoonful of tea for me to drink. I let him feed me just as I fed him, and we got through about half the cup that way, both giggling and spilling tea all over. So breakfast took about an hour longer than planned...
Then Pastor Meng Pu came over for ESL class. I had planned to move forward in great progressive steps toward a greater understanding of (ironically enough) time, but the poor man was stuck on properly pronouncing the English "Th" sound... didn't really help that one days of our week have that sound in them and that in ordinal numbers, most dates end with it... just picture a twenty-minute lesson on sticking your tongue out! Pretend you have sweater fuzz on your tongue, I tried to communicate... oh, the spraying that occurred in the process! Once he got it, after laughing until we were crying, he said, "Oh tank you teacher Connie! Hallelujah! Amen! Tank you!" More laughter as I corrected him - "Thhhhhhhhhhhank you!" So much for a greater understanding of time...
Then the boys took a nap, so Lian wanted some girl time, so she made coffee and we sat and talked for about two hours... about middle names. She is so frustrated, for Burmese names are not like American names, and Americans don't seem to understand that. She has three names: Dim Ngaih Lian. But all three names are important. They aren't like first, middle, and last names for us. So shortening it to Dim Lian is not really ok. It would be like making my name Con Ler. This presents problems at important places such as banks. So I listened and nodded and sympathized and drank my coffee for two hours as she vented in broken English about her middle name, or lack of...
Now it is time to have some soup and go to youth night! Where did my day go?? I spent most of it at the dining room table, talking like Daffy Duck ("thhhhufferin' thhhhhhhuckatash!"), making a mess with a two year old, and learning to be sensitive to the value of names in other cultures. I love days like this. I love that even though only a couple things were marked off my to-do list, it was still a full, productive day. I love living life in Little Burma.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Little Burma
We've decided to rename our house "Little Burma." At any time, you can come inside and smell (for better or worse) real Burmese food cooking, and you can find people wearing longis and sandals and wraps that they use to carry their babies on their backs, and you can hear little boys yelling short Burmese phrases and mothers singing Burmese hymns. Sometimes I feel like maybe I am in Burma.
The morning after our special snowed-in sleepover this week, we were having a late brunch and looked out the window to see Lian and Cing shovelling a path from Little Burma to 711 House. We felt bad for them, considering all their progress was quickly being covered again by the still-falling snow in sub-zero temperatures, so Pam tried to tell them to go home and stay warm, and we'd come over soon. When we did go home, Lian was there waiting for us with a look in her eye I hadn't seen before... was she angry? or offended? I realized then that she was worried about us! She came in and tried to explain that when we didn't come home that night they all thought we were stuck and couldn't get out, and they resolved as a group that in the morning they would shovel us out. I felt guilty for having so much fun while they were so concerned... and it kind of surprised me that they cared so much. I didn't bother to tell them our plans because I assumed they would stay upstairs close to their space heaters and never even realize we were gone. But Lian is much more of a mother hen than I gave her credit for.
And when that hit me, something inside me changed... I had this mentality that I was the "house mom," teaching and helping the internationals in a new situation - and granted, I think Hannah and I are doing that, just not in the maternal way that Lian and Cing care for us. They have just as much (if not more) to contribute than we do. And its nice to have a "mom" away from home... oh, these mommas won't make us snickerdoodles or strawberry jam, though... more like ramen-type soup and quail eggs! But they really care about us and love us, and it feels so good to be so loved.
The morning after our special snowed-in sleepover this week, we were having a late brunch and looked out the window to see Lian and Cing shovelling a path from Little Burma to 711 House. We felt bad for them, considering all their progress was quickly being covered again by the still-falling snow in sub-zero temperatures, so Pam tried to tell them to go home and stay warm, and we'd come over soon. When we did go home, Lian was there waiting for us with a look in her eye I hadn't seen before... was she angry? or offended? I realized then that she was worried about us! She came in and tried to explain that when we didn't come home that night they all thought we were stuck and couldn't get out, and they resolved as a group that in the morning they would shovel us out. I felt guilty for having so much fun while they were so concerned... and it kind of surprised me that they cared so much. I didn't bother to tell them our plans because I assumed they would stay upstairs close to their space heaters and never even realize we were gone. But Lian is much more of a mother hen than I gave her credit for.
And when that hit me, something inside me changed... I had this mentality that I was the "house mom," teaching and helping the internationals in a new situation - and granted, I think Hannah and I are doing that, just not in the maternal way that Lian and Cing care for us. They have just as much (if not more) to contribute than we do. And its nice to have a "mom" away from home... oh, these mommas won't make us snickerdoodles or strawberry jam, though... more like ramen-type soup and quail eggs! But they really care about us and love us, and it feels so good to be so loved.
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