TUESDAY, 29th March
9PM.... Oh my goodness, you wouldn’t believe what just happened to me! I went down to the restaurant round the corner with Sarah for dinner, and on the way home as I was walking past the funeral a group of ladies started talking to me and urged me to sit down. They gave me some tea and a little dish with a fruit, a leaf and something dried (part of the funeral fare) then asked me to go with them. At this stage a young lady walked past and translated that they wanted me to go with them to their house. They were very friendly, so I agreed.
They grabbed hold of my arms, laughing and talking ten to the dozen and we headed off... down the lane that had fascinated me this morning! First we stopped at Dot’s house, went in and had some slivers of sugarcane. I met her 2 adult children who translated a little for us. I thought Dot looked like she had been crying... turns out her husband died only 7 months ago, so I guess funerals are still pretty raw for her. Anyway, she was laughing along with the rest of us at our attempts to communicate (none of them speak a word of English!). I’m not at all sure I have their names right, but it didn’t matter...
9PM.... Oh my goodness, you wouldn’t believe what just happened to me! I went down to the restaurant round the corner with Sarah for dinner, and on the way home as I was walking past the funeral a group of ladies started talking to me and urged me to sit down. They gave me some tea and a little dish with a fruit, a leaf and something dried (part of the funeral fare) then asked me to go with them. At this stage a young lady walked past and translated that they wanted me to go with them to their house. They were very friendly, so I agreed.
They grabbed hold of my arms, laughing and talking ten to the dozen and we headed off... down the lane that had fascinated me this morning! First we stopped at Dot’s house, went in and had some slivers of sugarcane. I met her 2 adult children who translated a little for us. I thought Dot looked like she had been crying... turns out her husband died only 7 months ago, so I guess funerals are still pretty raw for her. Anyway, she was laughing along with the rest of us at our attempts to communicate (none of them speak a word of English!). I’m not at all sure I have their names right, but it didn’t matter...
This is Laparm, Dot, and Tang ... how could I resist their invitation!
Next stop down another alleyway was Tang’s house. It is quite beautiful, with quality furniture, obviously wealthy. Her poor husband was watching TV when we burst in, and after saying hello he quickly made himself scarce. These 3 Vietnamese women never stopped talking, trying to make me understand.. I was just parroting back as best I could, much to their delight. We sat there in that lovely house while Tang shouted for her children to come down and meet me, but either they weren’t home or they took no notice... By then they were dead keen to go and sing Karaoke at Laparm’s house, just across the lane. So we trooped over there (with them still wrapped around my arms). Again, the husband was watching TV and rapidly retreated in the face of the onslaught! They set up the Karaoke and here they are, my gorgeous new Vietnamese friends!
They wanted me to sing too... the songs were Vietnamese so It was pretty funny when I had a go. When it got to 9 o’clock they all walked me home... arm in arm, laughing and still talking a mile a minute! Ah, Vietnam!
You know how it says in Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.... and only yesterday I commented on the lack of physical contact. And lo and behold, God brings along three lovely ladies at a funeral and I was smothered in hugs and hand-holdings and cuddles!.. even kisses on the cheek goodnight.
Unfortunately the funeral music is still blaring unabated... oh well for a while I couldn’t hear it!
No comments:
Post a Comment