It was Sunday morning and I was sitting, at the end of a hard wood bench, in church, preparing for service to start with a time of worship, when I sensed someone standing next to me. I turned and looked up and saw that it was Emmy. She said that her dad was outside and wanted to speak with me. Through Emmy, as his interpreter, he asked if I had any plans for the day and if I didn’t he wanted me to join his family for dinner after church. With plans now made, he returned home and Emmy joined me in church. It was a great worship time, and even more special to have Emmy there with me. She had not been coming, since her mother joined her four weeks ago, because her school required her to be in attendance 24/7. She was off today by special arrangement.
After church we were met by her dad and together we managed to spend about one hour covering a distance that normally required about 5 minutes. We stopped at the river and the bridge which crosses it and talked and enjoyed each other’s company, providing Emmy’s mother time to prepare dinner without her guest being there. Emmy’s dad kept in touch with her mom by cell phone and when the meal was ready we were there.
We sat for a bit in the living room, drank tea and ate watermelon pieces, and had general conversation. After a few minutes we seated ourselves at the table, with Emmy and I sitting across from her parents. On the table were ten prepared dishes, including chicken feet and other things I do not have names for. Here in China I eat most everything and usually enjoy it. It was a delicious meal with very warm fellowship in an apartment where I sensed warmth, peace and love. The apartment was located on the seventh floor in a building located in the shopping district of downtown. It is in an old section of town, but the apartment had warmth of character that I would choose any day over my much larger and expensive home in the US. I told Emmy several times, how much she has to be thankful for and how I hope she gets a chance to live in my home to better understand what I mean. Being in Emmy’s home with her parents has drawn me that much deeper in love with what they have here. I feel as much a part of this family as I do my own. It is one incredible experience.
When I though the meal was done, more food was brought to the table, and when that was done there was more. These were additional dishes of new items. After we finished, the table was cleared and things cleaned up. Emmy’s dad went to the bedroom and Emmy, her mom and I talked about college and the visa. After a while I sensed everyone wanted a nap by their concern about me being tired. Emmy’s mom insisted that I sleep on Emmy’s bed and they would all go to other places. I laid down on Emmy’s bed and realized that it was a sheet of plywood covered by a blanket. I didn’t care because I was a guest in China. An hour later I woke up, but I laid there for the next 30 minutes and thought about how richly God was blessing my life through this family. – To be continued.
After church we were met by her dad and together we managed to spend about one hour covering a distance that normally required about 5 minutes. We stopped at the river and the bridge which crosses it and talked and enjoyed each other’s company, providing Emmy’s mother time to prepare dinner without her guest being there. Emmy’s dad kept in touch with her mom by cell phone and when the meal was ready we were there.
We sat for a bit in the living room, drank tea and ate watermelon pieces, and had general conversation. After a few minutes we seated ourselves at the table, with Emmy and I sitting across from her parents. On the table were ten prepared dishes, including chicken feet and other things I do not have names for. Here in China I eat most everything and usually enjoy it. It was a delicious meal with very warm fellowship in an apartment where I sensed warmth, peace and love. The apartment was located on the seventh floor in a building located in the shopping district of downtown. It is in an old section of town, but the apartment had warmth of character that I would choose any day over my much larger and expensive home in the US. I told Emmy several times, how much she has to be thankful for and how I hope she gets a chance to live in my home to better understand what I mean. Being in Emmy’s home with her parents has drawn me that much deeper in love with what they have here. I feel as much a part of this family as I do my own. It is one incredible experience.
When I though the meal was done, more food was brought to the table, and when that was done there was more. These were additional dishes of new items. After we finished, the table was cleared and things cleaned up. Emmy’s dad went to the bedroom and Emmy, her mom and I talked about college and the visa. After a while I sensed everyone wanted a nap by their concern about me being tired. Emmy’s mom insisted that I sleep on Emmy’s bed and they would all go to other places. I laid down on Emmy’s bed and realized that it was a sheet of plywood covered by a blanket. I didn’t care because I was a guest in China. An hour later I woke up, but I laid there for the next 30 minutes and thought about how richly God was blessing my life through this family. – To be continued.
