Long Weekend

It is Monday, November 8, 2010, after a very long tiring weekend. I worked at the computer until noon on Saturday and then took two buses and after an hour and a half arrived at the Aloha restaurant. I didn’t go there to eat, but to begin a short walk to a home where a western Thanksgiving dinner was going to be served at 2:30. Somebody provided the turkey and everyone else brought something. Talk about a pile of food, but it took a lot because the final count was 130 people; that was wall to wall people, but that is normal here. We filled our plates and stood shoulder to shoulder and ate and talked. Some went upstairs; some went downstairs; some went outside; some stayed near the food and just kept filling their plates. – This is no ordinary house. It has five floors, but one side of the house is half a floor different than the other side. – Between 3:30 and 4:00 the leftover food was taken away and the serving table and counter were covered with all kinds of desert. At 4:00 we again filled our plates and stuffed ourselves.

At 6:00 Anna wanted to go see Lisa, who was just getting home from work, but wasn’t sure of the bus to train transfer. I was going to where Lisa lives to transfer busses, so I suggested Anna travel with me. An hour and a half later, in very bad traffic, we finally arrived. Anna went to see Lisa and I crossed that special eight lane road to catch my bus back home. At home I showered and collapsed into bed.

Sunday morning Zuhua and I were off to church, but stopped along the way for breakfast. Church was normal, except for decorations for a wedding that was to follow the service. I didn’t realize that the choir was going to sing for the wedding and since Zuhua was in the choir, I stayed for the wedding. I stood outside the side door, which was only a few feet from the ceremony and took pictures.

After the wedding, Zuhua and I headed across the courtyard of the church to head home. By the time we had gotten to the street some friends had caught up to us and led us to one of the three big busses parked on the street. I am sitting on the bus wondering how I managed to be headed to the wedding dinner, but I was. Finally the three busses arrived at a very nice hotel. We were led in and taken to our seats; that is most were. There were no seats for about twelve of us. We walked in the front door of the large banquet room and out the back door, down the hallway toward the backdoor of the hotel to the last room where we were finally seated. We were not strangers. Joy and Jenny and another church staff person were there. The rest were choir members. I sat next to Jenny, who interpreted for me four years ago. We talked and talked. She wants me to return soon and work at the seminary with her. The church is praying that I will return soon and continue to teach there. The students at Mr. Mai’s want me to come back soon. My feelings are, “Why leave?” There is so much to do here. I love the work and the people.

After a wonderful dinner, Zuhua and I took a bus home and crashed for about an hour before we had to catch two busses to get to a friend’s home for supper. Their home is on the 26^th floor and is very beautiful. There were two young ladies in their early 20’s there as outside family members who wanted to practice their English. We had a great time. One of the young ladies was very interested in becoming a Christian, but wasn’t quite ready. I have been in email contact with her for over a year. After a great supper, it was back to the buses and back home and finally back to bed.

I realized this weekend how many people I know here in Asia and how involved I am here. This is life for me. This is what counts. I know this is where I belong.