The Significance of Shared Meals

To the Chinese heart, nothing says, "I value you and our relationship is important" more clearly than inviting someone(s) to share a good meal. It is also one of the best ways to encourage group solidarity, an important feature of this in-group/out-group culture. Therefore, as hosts or guests, we eat with company usually four days each week.

These are four recent shared meals that were especially significant:

1) Study Group

I'm in a weekly book study. One Saturday morning some of us met at the southeast foot of the mountain, hiked up over the crest and down to our home on the southwest side, for lunch. Then a couple people took off; the remaining seven adults and three children napped like sardines on our apartment floor. 

2) Courageous Friends

I think we knew that Wang Zhao and Li Ci were coming, but the other three tag-alongs were a surprise! It was Lydia's first time to our home; they carried her and her wheelchair up to our sixth-floor place. Another girl, Essie, has a cool story-- totally deaf, adopted from the Changsha orphanage at age 11, for the past 10 years she's been with her family in England. She's learned English and forgotten Chinese. We had so much fun communicating via pen and notebook, getting to know each other. She's a sweetheart and the kids loved playing with her.

Li Ci, Wang Zhao, Titus, Essie, Mike, Rach, Zhao He, Jon, Lydia

3) Prostitutes & Husbands

No photo for this one.

I've been visiting a woman in a small brothel once or twice a week this summer. Once we both relaxed, I discovered that she's a melancholic but very kind lady. She and her husband, who is also a migrant worker in Changsha, invited our whole family out to dinner! First we all met up and chatted inside the brothel's foyer, the kids played. Naturally Drew battled uncomfortable feelings, but believe me, it was fine. Then another young prostitute and her hubby arrived and we all had fun at dinner together. Isn't that amazing!? (and confusing? I will write more about this friendship another time.)

4) Drew's Co-workers

Drew has been shouldering significant responsibility in the English corner for the faith-curious on Saturday afternoons. The photo below shows some of his co-workers, who we met with in a park on Saturday morning. It started pouring...we moved to a tea house...cleared up...toured the little park, the old city wall site in Changsha...then lunch. Drew's continuously been striving to maintain good relationships and unified vision for the English corner.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

a palate for flavors previously unfamiliar -- bitter melon, empty-heart vegetable, si melon, pickled vegetables, lotus root-- we love this Chinese food that you set before us every day!

the courage you give to the special-needs people pictured here

folks of opposite perspectives, and the opportunity to appreciate what we share and depreciate differences which are of no consequence