Christmas Party with a Surprise Ending

(I know this is long - but it's awesome. Enjoy.)
I had my first Christmas party tonight. I’ll explain the details of that later. Only half of the class showed up so after the party was over we went to the dining hall to eat. It’s times like this that I find the Father comforting and affirming my coming back for a second year. He doesn’t have to give confirmation we’re doing the right thing, or ever give us reasons why, but tonight was an extra bonus that He gave.

As we ate we talked about more real stuff. They explained that this school was their 6^th, 8^th, or even 9^th choice for schools. How most of them didn’t want to study English. They shared about real life things and asked questions instead of “can you use chopsticks?” one girl asked “Are you outgoing because you are a teacher, or when you are alone are you too? When you’re alone are you silence? (quieter)” Good question. I could answer honestly, “Usually, when I’m in front of a group I’m more outgoing and more energetic, but by myself or with a small group I’m calmer.” It led into getting to explain I don’t like singing in front of people (surprise for Chinese people!) and other things that make me feel uncomfortable.

The next thing I know one student (the Billy Graham of the class I talked to you about this summer) shared her current struggle in her Relationship… in front of the other 9 classmates. (It’s like she doesn’t realize how much boldness she has, she just starts talking like she doesn’t really know it could be awkward or care.) She described how in the day she feels good talking to people, but at night to Talk she feels evil for not Reading or Talking to Him throughout the day. I repeated what I am learning that He loves when we talk to Him, He wants intimacy. Just like talking to a boyfriend or girlfriend for 5 min a day doesn’t really work, sometimes we take a day off and go have a date all day with the person. Maybe a day away would help her. I wanted to encourage her and admitted I know what that’s like and how it feels; she went on to say she feels all alone, many people think she’s crazy because of what she believes and how she acts. (She admits this in front of all of her classmates – who said they don’t believe, but they can understand.)

Another one of her classmates (who was into asking really good questions for the night) asked, “did you just always believe because of your parents or when did you start to believe in the Father?” I told her I knew stuff when I was little, but I really really started believing and understanding it when I was in high school. “So what was it? What changed your mind, what changed your view? What event?” She wasn’t asking as an interrogator, she wanted to know and wanted some of it. I explained it was a drama/performance. I went on to explain that I have become more convinced in the last 1.5-2 years. They asked why.

“Do you remember the big teacher who had a beard and was here last year?” I asked.
“Yeah! The fat one!” they replied. (Direct statements of Chinese mixed with a simple vocab).
“Well, he got really sick and found out he had cancer….” I explained. As I went on to tell the story of how he was both diagnosed negatively and then diagnosed praiseworthily. They’re eyes opened. “Whaaa?” My struggling sister piped in with a story of how it happens a lot in their fellowship too, and another sister (I just found out about) explained in their fellowship too. Awesome! She explained how one boys grandma had cancer and after they Asked for it, she went back to the doctor and it was gone. When they went back home the grandpa then had cancer too. After some time of Asking for it, the Father “made him have no cancer.”

I went on to explain how Tannah (my teammate and another foreign teacher they have) spoke into my life words from the Father when I hadn’t told anyone of a situation I was in. I explained about a dream that my teammate last year had (which is just awesome in itself). This they were very excited about and nearly had tears themselves at the end of it. “Yes!” our sister chimed in. “My uncle has dreams too, all the time.” I celebrated with excitement. She admitted she thought it was cool, but others didn’t like it or thought it was crazy, others in her fellowship. (We can’t be hating on gifts the Father gives to us as testimonies of His might, awesomeness, and reality.)

I got to explain how it’s because He loves us He makes Himself real and known. He calls us to follow His ways because He knows us better than we do. Like a mother telling a child that ice cream is not an acceptable breakfast, so He cares and directs us. He calls us to Him to leave our old ways and do things His way because He loves us.

The question girl asked “so if you believe in the Father and the Son – when you die do you get to see the Father?” I explained that everyone gets to see Him, some are taken with Him into glory and some are thrown into the fire. (It became real and now they’re accountable for that – but I thought it was definitely necessary and needed.)

Another girl asked “I’m not a Family Member, can I still Lift up things to Him.” In a long and slightly confused answer I was able to share how He wants to hear from them. Like I as a future dad (not yet, no girlfriend/wife/anything) am going to love hearing anything from my daughter whether it’s: I love this Barbie doll, or my day was really bad, or I need help with this boy. Because my love is so strong for them, He enjoys every and all interaction with them. I explained that if she goes on trying to do her own life then He’s not going to help, but He wants her to talk to Him – Yes! Please go ahead and Ask! Talk to Him!

It was a phenomenal dinner all because we’ve known each other and we were able to be honest – and because the Sprite was doing work in the room. It was amazing that the thing that shocked them the most was when Billy Graham-ess told them that before class Tan and I pr for them. After that was translated, students sat in shock. “Me? For me?” One girl motioned with two hands towards herself as if to receive something and said “warmth” “I have warmth in my heart when I heard this.” They were all shocked. Another student said “Oh… you really do love us! Very deeply!” (It’s amazing that all the work you do or phrases you say to show them in hopes they would see your love for them, but it’s the little things that HE calls us to (like simply pr for a class) has the biggest influence. In 4 hours of being together, it’s what we do in our quiet times is what hit home. I guess the faithfully humble still have awesome things to share in glory.

The Father is awesome and the way He changes and inter-works within our lives is too. I am thankful for being in China, for having some of my returning students. I am thankful for the boldness of some students to just share what’s going on in their life which He could direct to opening a ridiculous convo that could, can, and is going to change their future one way or another. He’s magically phenomenal. He’s just awesome.