Dude shows up the other day with his grandson and decides to go for a swing.
Our swing.
Cameron: "Shouldn't somebody know that it's not a park if there's a house in front of it."
Beck [yelling]: "Hey, go away!"
Me: "Let's go tell him about Jesus." [I'm thinking, "What's the worst that can happen...he gets offended and leaves our yard."]
Well, he didn't speak a single word (or syllable of English). So I busted out my Chinese bag of tricks (three words: "Neehow" and "Shey Shey"). Technically it's only two words, "Hello" and "Thank you", but when I say "Shey Shey" I feel like I'm saying two words... "thanks thanks"- see, that's two words. So in total- Hello and Thanks Thanks- Three words.
He wasn't too receptive to the gospel, since he couldn't understand it. But per my post on tongues I thought I'd give it a shot anyway. Apparently he didn't have the gift of interpretation because he just stared at me and spoke in Chinese.
On a serious note, it is a blast having so many internationals in our neighborhood (mostly professors at Iowa State), because (as the metaphor goes) the world has come to our doorstep (or my backyard swing).
What a time in our history!
I don't even have to get on a boat and risk suffering loss. They show up in my backyard and use our swing.
My dad once counseled my aunt, who at the time was experiencing many opportunities in America with internationals and yet desperately wanted to go overseas to be a missionary, "Be careful not to step on orphans on the way to the orphanage."Lord, help me not to miss the world on my swing.
PS- Leatha the sharp shooter snapped this picture from the kitchen window..."Smile!"...(oh wait, you don't understand English)
2 comments:
This story is hilarious. I laughed out loud when I first read it, and smile any time I remember it. thanks for the post.
That would be great. Can you email me so we can set up a time and I'll get your phone number?
leatha.arant@gmail.com
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