Last night was an interesting night. After a rather unexpected but anticipated wedding banquet of yet another person I'm related to, but never met, at the “prestigious” White Swan Hotel in Guang Zhough, I was on my way back to Dong guan when one of Fai's rear wheel's just snapped. We pulled over to the side of the road around midnight, and after assessing the damage, they called a factory worker to come and pick up my grandparents. I told them I'd stay behind to wait with Fai, since it's probably a lot better to have two people than just one.
It was rather ridiculous, the way the car tire just came off. It's like the brake cylinder that held the wheel to the car just snapped right through the middle of the cylinder. To be honest, it seemed like an impossible snap...until I was told that the part was made in China. Oh, China...
Well after waiting till about 2:00am for the tow trucks to arrive, and for Fai to devise up a way to tow the car (with that wheel gone, it was rather difficult to tow the car. Thankfully, Fai used to tow cars in HK, so he was the mastermind behind last night's excursion to remove the car off the highway), we headed off to a“disco”...I know...sounds pretty, yea...but here's when I need to do a little cultural translation. A disco here is basically what we have come to know as a club over in Toronto. But yea, after lounging around, listening to dance music (which I haven't much fancy for), we ended up going home.
I woke up this morning around 10:30, clocking about 5 some hours of sleep after returning home past 4 last night. I felt so gross, cause I didn't get a chance to shower the night before, but after showering, eating a bit, I went to do my devotions.
Last night at the dinner table, my belief in Christ predictably came up again. Passing jokes about how I needed to go to bed early because I need to read the Bible, how I could probably quote by memory half the book, my apparent ignorant innocence, were amidst some of the things that I think they didn't expect me to understand since in their eyes I didn't really understand Cantonese...hahah...well I did understand. It was also interesting how the Da Vinci code came up. The reach of this book is pretty crazy, I never expected my grandfather's younger brother to know much about this book, let alone know some of the major issues it brings up about the Bible.
It really makes me to think though. Last time I came back, I felt and was treated like a kid. Ignorant, inexperienced, unknowledgeable, it didn't seem like I really had my own voice, or if I did, it was just passed. But this time coming back, I've felt like I have some more respect. And it's beginning to hit me how different I stand out…the fact that I have an education, have a desire to study God's Word...
I remember back at Urbana, I had an identity crisis. It was there for the first time in my life, that it dawned on me that it was no accident that I am a Chinese born in an English speaking country, having English as my primary language, and studying at a world class university. And I think it's becoming clearer now...
Things like the Da Vinci code, mixed with the uneducated minds of the local people coupled with a fairly belittled view of Christianity, are reasons why we need Christians who can think, who study, who really can provide a sound reason to why we believe.
I was raised speaking English so that I can study the bountiful resources the Lord has blessed the West. I am pretty confident that there is no other language on this earth that has as many books, CDs, videos, teachers, and colleges that speak of God's Truth. It's time to bring those blessings to others. It's time people outside the West start to be blessed by the abundance we have received.
Today at lunch, I think I had the longest conversation I've ever had with my grandfather. For the first time, I didn't feel belittled talking to him because of my lack of Cantonese. We talked for a great deal of time about Kam Pin and how my education relates to it. And I began to feel like my grandfather is starting to respect the competency the Lord has been developing in me for this sort of stuff...leadership, human resource management, quality control...I always believed that the reason why I study Industrial Engineering was to equip me for missions later in China. I think what John Maxwell had to say this past year is so true...in the Christian community, relationship is the keyword; but in the business community, respect is the keyword. Today I felt like I established respect with my grandfather for the first time. And I'm praying that this would be away that I will be able to share my faith with him.
The Bible talks about doing things for Christ, letting our motivation to give our best to whatever it is we're doing, whether it be ministry or just plain work. (Colossians 5 I believe) Back at home, the application is brought forth because of our laziness, our apathy for work. But I'm beginning to see how the real intention of this concept is not just an inward thing, but it was meant to be outward. Letting Christ be the motivation for us to give our best in our work was meant to be a witness to non-believers around us. I think that's why my godfather was so impressed last time I worked with him.
Over here, people are either completely unmotivated and do a sloppy job, or they are completely consumed with a self-promoting motivation...hurting others for the sake of their own gain. But when a believer steps in and starts to produce five times the amount of everyone else, and not for selfish gain...I think people will start to wonder. Because, to them, what other motivation is there?...none really, except for our Lord in heaven whom we are really working for.
