Sticking out
A few weeks ago, James was talking with a nurse at work, and through the course of the conversation they realized that we were neighbors. Her parents live directly across the street from us, and we see them coming and going all the time. Our kids have even become friends with her nephew (Chase) who currently lives with his grandparents and comes over to play in our yard. Sadly we still don't know their family very well, but were excited when this nurse invited us to join them in a "Xian" family get-together. We weren't sure what to expect, other than the fact that we would probably be the only white people there, we would probably be offered some strange and mysterious food, and we would feel totally out of place....well maybe we did know what to expect. I think out of our family I was the most hesitant to attend, but putting aside my own insecurities, we ventured into the land of the Hmong and I am glad that we did.
As we arrived, everyone was dressed in a traditional outfit, or something pretty fancy, and we showed up in jeans. After a couple minutes of awkward standing by the door, we found our friend and she invited us to eat with them. Thank God for rice, which all our children happily ate as they passed up the raw beef dish, the chicken feet delicacy, and the curry noodle soup. There were a few things that we found tasty and after a few bites of this and that, we had our fill. The next thing we knew, our kids took off to play with the other kids there. It was as if they didn't even realize that we were different than they were. Eliana even had the boldness to ask our friend if she had a traditional costume that she could wear. We watched as they had a traditional ball toss contest, a acrobatic flute player, and a Tae Kwon Do demonstration. Just before we left, they started the "new year's" ceremony, where the elder men cast out the evil spirits from the past year in hopes that they will start the new year with a clean slate.
We long to tell them that there is only one person who can wipe your slate clean, and give you a new beginning. Would you pray that God would give us the boldness to share Jesus with our Hmong neighbors, and give them the newness that their hearts are longing for!
All in all, it was great practice for moving to a place where we will be sticking out where ever we go!
As we arrived, everyone was dressed in a traditional outfit, or something pretty fancy, and we showed up in jeans. After a couple minutes of awkward standing by the door, we found our friend and she invited us to eat with them. Thank God for rice, which all our children happily ate as they passed up the raw beef dish, the chicken feet delicacy, and the curry noodle soup. There were a few things that we found tasty and after a few bites of this and that, we had our fill. The next thing we knew, our kids took off to play with the other kids there. It was as if they didn't even realize that we were different than they were. Eliana even had the boldness to ask our friend if she had a traditional costume that she could wear. We watched as they had a traditional ball toss contest, a acrobatic flute player, and a Tae Kwon Do demonstration. Just before we left, they started the "new year's" ceremony, where the elder men cast out the evil spirits from the past year in hopes that they will start the new year with a clean slate.
We long to tell them that there is only one person who can wipe your slate clean, and give you a new beginning. Would you pray that God would give us the boldness to share Jesus with our Hmong neighbors, and give them the newness that their hearts are longing for!
All in all, it was great practice for moving to a place where we will be sticking out where ever we go!
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