Chopstick Fears

I've NEVER been good with chopsticks; by NEVER I do quite literally mean NEVER.  And to be honest, this has never caused me significant concern until my first trip to South Korea in November of 2009.  I'd been to India, Thailand, and Hong Kong as my only Asian destinations; chopsticks are not prevalent in India and most of the places in Thailand or Hong Kong I went catered to western tourists (I guess) and were very hospitable with forks.

I didn't look this cute
using my cheaters.

However, in preparation for my first trip to South Korea I had heard that while larger touristy places might have forks, most of the restaurants my group of teachers might visit would expect my usage of chopsticks.  I tried to practice and it just didn't stick (no pun intended).  So I visited my local Pei Wei restaurant and got some of the chopstick cheaters they make available to young children (it sounded like a good idea at the time).

Well, let's just say there were two problems with using these cheaters in South Korea: 1) the laughter and ribbing from my U.S. teacher colleagues, while all in good fun, was sort of embarrassing and 2) the cheaters were designed for a more traditional rounded Chinese chopstick set rather than flatter Korean styles.  The cheaters just didn't want to work for me.  It was like the fates were out to get me.  I wanted to use chopsticks, I tried to use them, I wanted to be culturally appropriate...but I usually ended up having to ask for a fork or make due with the soup spoon which accompanied the chopsticks.

And then about a year or so ago I was in a Asian restaurant and thought "let's try again" and WOW.  I was actually able to manipulate the chopsticks enough to get through about half of my meal.  It doesn't always work out; I often make a mess and grow tired of the struggle with the first couple of bites.  But at least now I have "hope".  Last week I was eating at Yaching's in downtown Louisville and made it through virtually my entire meal (including rice! with no cheaters!!!).  I was excited and wanted to do a happy dance...but it's Louisville...land of the Kentucky Derby...you don't happy dance you happy gallop or something, LOL.  I guess the excitement got me all inspired because upon my return to Oklahoma City on Saturday I went to Dot Wo with my mother and was eager to try the chopsticks again...eh...I made it through part of the meal...no rice success...and then forked it.

So with my upcoming return to South Korea and the land of flat chopsticks my fears are setting in.  I am committed to NOT taking any cheaters.  I just hope the fates smile on me so that I don't embarrass my hosts and colleagues and so that the food makes it, even if only quasi-gracefully, into my mouth.

I know that practice makes perfect so I plan to try several more times before leaving in a couple of weeks.  Word of warning to friends and family...you might get a call to go out with me to eat something Asian.  If you're too scared of the mess I might make landing on you then politely decline; but if you're willing to risk some laughs...let's roll!

Eyes of a Child

This past Sunday night, my weekly Bible study group was concluding a series on fears.  During the discussion, the topic of seeing the world through the eyes of children came up.  So often, children have a completely different outlook on life than we adults have.  Too often we see the "realities" and fears of life rather than embrace the simplicity, hope, and joy that it offers.

This made me reflect upon some of my travels and the faces of children that I've met.  With some I've developed a relationship (even if only temporary) while others it was more of a passing encounter.  But nearly every time, regardless of culture, color, race, religion, economic, or other human defined background, I've looked into their eyes and glimpsed the simplicity, the hope, and the joy that life offers.

Me with Jazmine, Pricilla, & Jhon in Lima, Peru, June 2000

These three lived at Posada de Amor, a home for orphans & abandoned children

Me with several precious girls outside of Kisumu, Kenya, June 2002

A little girl in a Mon village along the River Kwai in Thailand, June 2009

My encounter with a day care group in Seoul, South Korea, November 2009
These children were on a field-trip at the Korean National War Museum

Me with a group of boys in Bodza, Malawi, July 2010
These boys attend a feeding center where I helped a team from my church drill a water well

My friend Holly and a group of girls at a school in Aschaffenburg, Germany, June 2011
(don't worry, the girls had already finished their lunches before we joined them)

One of my great honors as I've roamed the roads of lands remote has been to see the face of God as expressed through the hearts of children.  No matter the culture, you can see the simplicity, the hope, and the joy of life expressed on their faces.