Today is day 4 of our grand adventure in Asia. Yesterday we spent some time with like-minded folks and celebrated Father's goodness. Then we did the one thing we most had in common--we went to eat. Absolutely love the food in this area of the world. They actually have beef here--not just water buffalo. (Insert radom thought here: the girls are playing music from the Veggie Tales record and the song playing now is "Everybody has a water buffalo." That's not strange at all in this part of the world.) They prepare the beef in the most unusual and tasty way possible. Absolutely love it.
My respect and admiration for our kids living here in Asia increases exponentially (mark it down--two posts in a row using the word exponentially)each time we're with them. Just doing life here is a full-time job. It's almost like the natives have figured out the most challenging, taxing and tiring way to do things, and made that normal. Take plumbing. The Asians just stink at plumbing (pun intended). For example, the sink in the bathroom. Every side of the sink is angled. Great for drainage; not so great for setting things. Try shaving when the can of lather keeps falling into the water and the razor won't stay in place. Then, when draining the water con stubble, don't drain it too fast. For some unexplainable reason, not all the water can escape quickly via the sink drain, so it spills out onto the bathroom floor. OR, have they ingenously discovered how to multi-task: shave AND wash your feet at the same time. Maybe there's some theraputic value to having your feet marinating in shaving cream and whisker stubble.
And the bath tub con shower. The bottom of the tub is ribbed. Extremely uncomfortable and challenging to stand for showering. OR, have they again ingenously figured out how to conserve water. No one can withstand the pain of standing on those ribs for more than .645 minutes. BRILLIANT?!?!
Yes, life in Asis is challenging. But my kids have adapted because they love the Asian people and desperately want them to know the Truth. And at the end of the day, so do I. But I must confess, it would be nice if it was someone else's kids, not mine, helping them know the Truth. I also know that if they don't do it, no one else will. So there are here with my blessings and admiration.
oh so quotable: "It's almost like the natives have figured out the most challenging, taxing and tiring way to do things, and made that normal." love it! one of the most perplexing things we've encountered is the people who actually inspect each and every single green bean before committing to purchasing it. wow! maybe one day the phrase, "time is money" will mean something to them. maybe. :)
ReplyDeletep.s. our parents felt the same way... that they wish it was someone else's kids.
p.s.s. thanks for bragging on your kids once again. it does my heart good to hear about them!
:)