New Language

When we moved to Beijing, we expected to learn a new language. Somehow we didn't expect it to sound like this:

What's the AQI today?
That's a lot of mafan.
Queue up behind the yellow line.
We need more helpers in the crèche.
Meet me at the subway.
Do you need a bag?
Amy needs a nappie.
Don't forget the bathers.
Can I bring a pushchair?
I'll be there to fetch you.
What line is that?
Do you need to shoo-shoo?
He made a visa run.
Please stand firm and hold the handrail.
Let's have a braai this weekend.
I'll send the wuye to your flat.

Where’s your flat?

Who are your flatmates?

Although friends spoke these sentences in English, they still needed some translation.

People Stories - W

This past Tuesday, our normal day off, we planned to hang out at a coffee shop to kill some time before meeting a friend to move a piano. This particular coffee shop is always full so we chose a two-person table next to a man who sat by himself. I had hoped to enjoy a nice cup of tea and just be with Mark, but the guy initiated conversation. Naturally we talked about the normal topics - life, work, family, our ages, etc. In the conversation he mentioned his age of 38. He understood most people live to about 80 so he was almost half-way there and wondering about his purpose in life. He reflected the ancient  philosophy of paying debt to society or what we might refer to as paying kindness forward. Mark used that opportunity to proclaim the message of Jesus coming to pay our debt to God so we don’t have to. We expected never to see this man again so Mark spoke boldly and directly.

It turns out that he works at a nearby restaurant so he invited us to be his guests at the restaurant. Though we had walked by it many times, we had never eaten there so we accepted his offer and went last night. It seemed the staff expected us because they deferred to him and were especially gracious.

He not only hosted us but also sat down and joined us for dinner. He indeed picked up the tab for us. But more importantly, we had conversation during the evening about life, work, and family. We brought the conversation back to his looking for purpose in life and paying back debt. I had brought along Ultimate Questions as a gift for him and told him that this little booklet addressed many of those questions about life and its purpose. Mark explained the Good News more fully by drawing the bridge illustration with the cross of Jesus as the bridge between man and God. I pray that God will use Ultimate Questions for his good and His glory. May He bring salvation to a searching man.

The food, by the way, was delicious.