In the end, we’re the same.
I find myself standing in the gap. I’m between the knowledge they have and His wisdom being learned. To be a teacher is a humbling reality. Three weeks into the semester and I have never been so stretched, tired, or tried before. He has not only sustained me but made me capable through the power of the Advocate. I’m thriving.
I love my students. They are hands down the best part of being here!
It is such a privilege to have a place of influence in their lives. I don’t take it lightly, but seek to make the most of every opportunity — even if it is just eye contact and a genuine smile.
My teammate, Joan, and I were invited to the home of one of my students, Penny, for the Mid-Autumn Festival. She sent me a text message after getting lunch one day:
“Hi Lauren! The festival is coming. It is important for Chinese. Because Chinese people attach great importance to family affection. And we will be together on this day. When Chinese go home to meet family, I think you must be miss your family so much too. Why not join us and have a happy holiday?”
Being invited to a Chinese home for a holiday is very special — even more so considering I had only known Penny for a week at that point. I had no clue what to expect. This was my first real visit to a Chinese home.
We celebrated with her older sister, five-year-old nephew, mom, and her mom’s best friend. Penny’s dad works in another province and only comes home for Spring Festival (six weeks out of the year). However, he was so honored to have foreign teachers in his home that he had a friend fly live crabs in from Shanghai. I wish I could’ve seen my face when Penny said that!
I was able to communicate with Penny’s family in my elementary Chinese, but mostly it was Penny translating back and forth for us all. Her English is so good — and she’s a humanities major. I was oddly and affectionately proud of her. I told her mom how smart Penny is. She responded,
Because she has a good teacher!
We talked, ate, laughed, ate, shopped, ate, and in doing so, established a lifelong bond. Chinese culture runs on a relational debt of mutual exchange. It’s called guānxì (关系). It’s a process of reciprocity involving immense generosity, sacrifice, and intentionality. I only know One person from whom this custom resembles. Except He gives it freely, without contingencies or ties. It’s just love. Lavished, sacrificed, gifted love. Sound familiar?
As I sat down at their kitchen table for dinner, I looked around at the noisy scene before me and smiled. The outward expressions change, but blood always runs red. People are people. Her family isn’t so different from mine after all.
