So I'm guessing you've all heard the big news by now... I honestly couldn't believe it myself. It's rather unexpected, that's for sure, but we'll have to take things as we come. I never in my life imagined that Seth kiss a guy much less our pastor here in Korea or dance the salsa with a woman who was not his wife. In front of an audience at that. I know, I'm still frazzled after seeing such a sight. But I definitely took sufficient pictures. I'm sure you're pining for me to explain how these strange and unusual events came about.
It all started this past Christmas Eve (ya know, the one we just celebrated). We attended church as we always do on Sundays and ate the wonderful meal that followed (this week ddak kook- that's rice cake soup for all our non-Korean speaking customers). After partaking in a bit of coffee (umm, speaking of, I think I'll make myself some now- be right back-ok, I'm back) a bunch of people from our church loaded the vans up with goodies and headed off to a home for the mentally and physically disabled. Seth and I had wanted to volunteer at an orphanage here in Gumi on Christmas Day, but that wasn't working out so this opportunity to spend some time with these special people was such an incredible gift to us. It was pretty amazing. After we arrived at the group home we played some group games, ate some snacks, and spent some time just "being" with our new friends. We smiled a lot, spoke some English, some Korean, and for Seth, even a little sign language. Simply smiling seemed to communicate our thoughts and words most effectively. Most of the people we spent our time with did not speak. There were many children there and a few adults. One young girl took a particular liking to Seth and seemed to already have in mind what she wanted the wedding invitations to look like. Too bad I already beat her to the punch! We're going to post a few pictures on our picture website soon (check out our last post for the web address- I think Dec. 23 was the date).
We returned to the church around 6PM and the festivities continued. Our church had a kimbap making contest (you can see pictures of kimbap on some of our previous posts), but here's the kicker- the men made the kimbap and the women were the judges. The men were divided up into four teams and each made a different kind of kimbap. Seth's team made kimchee, tuna, and cheese kimbap, another team ma de nude kimbap and another made what looked like pizza kimbap. It was all pretty wonderful and so much fun! Then there was the traditional Christmas program for the kids. Again, a lot of fun. Even the high schoolers sang (high schoolers here don't seem to have the all too common high school fear of singing) and the smaller children sang and danced and played in a little band. Words really do little to describe, definitely check out our photo website for pictures. Then during the course of the Christmas program the MC (the worship leader) would randomly select people to come to the front and pull a piece of paper from a hat that had a task written on it for the selected individual to complete. Well, this is where the whole "kissing the pastor" shenanigans started. Seth was randomly selected and pulled out a piece of paper that said (in Korean- not English) "You must kiss the pastor." So he did. And it was rather humorous if I do say so myself. Then he had to pull out another piece of paper and it said he had to dance with one of the younger Korean woman from our congregation. It was really funny. I laughed a lot. Then the program came to a close and we headed home.
But! Our Christmas Eve was not quite over. Seth and I decided that our family would open gifts on Christmas Eve rather on Christmas Day (I know, a little strange since both of our families opened gifts on Christmas Day). After much thought and prayer we made this decision because we wanted to make sure that the focus was on Christ's birth and not on getting/receiving presents. So we returned home and opened our gifts. It was so simply wonderful. Seth got me some much desired presents, my favorite was the Korean cookbook. I've already put it to use. For those of you who know me well you know how much I love to look at cookbooks. A few years ago, when I lived in Belle Plaine, I was notorious for taking cookbooks with me to the bathroom in lieu of a magazine or newspaper. Ok, maybe too much information... I got Seth a book by John Piper, some slippers, and a few other things. Then we talked with Seth's family a bit online and waited for our carolers.
What? You're probably saying- "It's GOT to be around midnight by now! Carolers? At this hour?" Well, I would then say to you- You're absolutely correct! Apparently it's a Korean Christian tradition to go around caroling to church member's houses on Christmas Eve at midnight. After the carolers come you are to give them a few boxes of cookies for the Sunday School children to eat on Christmas day! Then we went straight to bed, directly to bed, do not pass go, do not collect $1,000.
Our Christmas was fairly relaxed. We woke up around 8:30AM, ate some breakfast and read a part of the Christmas story together. It is such an intricate powerful story. It still perplexes me and fills me with wonder. It is more than just a special story. Indeed, one that has changed my life so. I can't imagine what the story of my life would be without this birth story. Then we went to the department store to get a few groceries and grabbed lunch from one of our favorite street vendors- odeng and hadt dakk (Korean yummy pancakes). After lunch we relaxed. I took a nap, read some more of the Christmas story and worked on lesson plans. For supper, we had nothing short of a feast. Buckle your seatbelts... mandu and onion soup, a type of pumpkin bread/bun, sweet potatoes, sweet rice cake, oranges, dried squid, rice pudding, angel food cake, pound cake/bread, yogurt drinks, coffee, umm, I think that's it. It was wonderful.
Feeling fat, full, and content we watched a Smallville episode, read the last of the Christmas story and called it a day. What a day. It was such a blessing for my heart and faith to be able to focus and concentrate my thoughts on the true reason for this season, to ponder what my life would be like without Him and to feel for those who are yet to know Him. Truly, I (we) have been blessed, by your prayers, thoughts and words of encouragement.
Merry Christmas.