It's More Than Just A Meal

At our staff meeting this week Nunu was talking about the importance of our staff eating with the children. More than just eating with them but talking to them and getting all involved.

He brought up the first time he came to the States and talked about how open I was in talking to my parents. Nunu actually wondered was I being disrespectful, because this was my father and not my friend. He couldn’t believe how casually I was talking. In case you were wondering I was not being disrespectful, I was just having what I would call a normal conversation.

At least it was normal for me. But keep in mind normal is a product of the environment in which you grew up. I grew up in a house where everyone ate dinner together at the table. Sure there were exceptions but if you were in the house and wanted dinner, you came to the table, we said grave and talked while we ate.

This was a first for Nunu. In my mind Nunu loves talking to his peers, but not so much older folks. But I’ve learned that it’s not that he has a problem with older people, he is just intimidated because he doesn’t have the experience, or rather I’m sure he has had a few bad experiences.

One of our other staff, Antonio, commented that when he was growing up the family ate together but in silence. No one said anything. He said in his house all the males shared one plate and all the females shared one plate. His dad told him I don’t want to hear you or see your food.

Both Nunu and Antonio commented how uncomfortable they are now as adults speaking with older people, saying that they didn’t want this for our Center kids.

It’s so interesting because as an American I feel I was brought up to think that people are poor because they don’t have money. But the more I see the life around me the more I see that people are poor because they don’t have the support or security of nurturing. They didn’t come from Christian households where family was put first. Where children are tucked in at night. Where boo-boo are promptly kissed. Where backs are patted. And the question is asked each day at the dinner table, “How was your day today?”

Prayer Requests:

- Health - I was quite sick for last week. So I switched to bottled water for a few days. But I'm back on filtered tap water and hoping to stay there as bottled water isn't in our budget right now.

- Land - For those of you who get our Newsletter you know we feel God moving us in a different direction (for more info click here) We are currently looking for land to build a house and if large enough the site of our new ministry. We have some money saved to buy land. A few years back it would have bought us a nice choice piece of property but the price of land keeps rising (because of oil companies in the area). So we are taking our little bit and praying that God will stretch our dollars and show us the land meant for us. Nunu has already started looking, so please be praying with us!!