Seasonal Tourists- The Journey of the Monarch Relates to our Journey as we move forward
Each year we have some seasonal tourists here in Lincoln and the Midwest. They come for the Spring and Summer and leave in early Fall. Our guests are the Monarch Butterfly. Kids like to walk around the butterfly cage at the Children’s Zoo. People like to watch them and photograph them. They are a wonderful example of the beauty in God’s creation. Their journey can teach us something as we move forward with our lives.
at the Sunken Garden in Lincoln
It is one thing for birds to migrate hundreds of miles to spend winter in warmer places. The Monarch migrates about 2,500 miles to winter in Mexico. Our tiny friends overcome a long journey. It would seem the odds are against them. Flying from Lincoln over farms, the mountains and deserts, they persevere to their destiny.
As we move forward I think there are things we can learn from the Monarch:
1- even though it is not easy there is a destiny for us that makes the journey worthwhile
2- enjoy the journey along the way like the Monarch who literally stops to smell the roses 
3- even though we move forward we do not have to forget those we leave behind-the Monarch comes back each year
This Weekend We Say Goobye to Trang
This weekend we will say goodbye to our friend Trang by going to see today her by going to her funeral Sunday afternoon. It is sad to say goodbye to a dear friend, but as we do so let’s remember a few things that can help as we go through this weekend.
There are those with us who will need our ongoing friendship and support. Let’s not forget Trang’s loved ones in the weeks and months after this weekend. The business of funeral preparations and family coming can keep our minds occupied. It is afterward that the real need to friendship continues on.
When we see her let’s remember that who she really is, her soul and spirit, is with God in heaven. Her body is here, but she is in a better place. She is in the arms of a loving God who can forgive everything if we come to Him in faith such as Trang did when she prayed with me a few years ago.
Let’s remember the feelings, the ups and downs, the high points and valleys of despair, the sadness, the anger, the confusion, are normal to feel. We need to make sure we do not keep those to ourselves but have people we trust that we can share those with not just this weekend, but also in the weeks and months to come. Grieving is a time of sorrow that can lead to healing in our souls and the process of grieving is different for each person. We do not arrive at the same stages of grief at the same time. We extend grace to each other and allow each other to grieve and be patient with each other.
We also remember that we have a purpose here and our lives will continue on to a future. Just yesterday I introduced a young friend of mine who wants to be a Pediatrician to one of Trang’s uncles who is a Pediatric surgeon. Our lives go on and we will recover and move on to our futures. By doing so we we will truly honor our friend Trang in the best possible way.
We also remember that all of the feelings we have we are experiencing because of our love for Trang and her loved ones. We are not alone in our feelings. There are others around us feeling the same way. Stay together with our friends and remember that as impossible as it may seem, we will recover and we will get better. There will be brighter days ahead and there is HOPE. I believe I will see Trang again. If any of my friends want to know how and want to talk Mr. Matt is always ready.
We Choose Which Memories to Focus on- Trang a Joyful Young Lady
When a friends passes away, it can feel like so many things are beyond our control. There is one thing we do control which is the memories we choose to focus on and cherish. With my friend Trang there are so many good memories for me to focus on such as her joy at discovering new things about her new country and how she would share them with me. How she made others feel welcome and her caring heart.
me with Trang in the ELL room at the library
The first few years of my groups with young people from Vietnam the groups consisted of 4 boys and Trang. She was the one who would always remember my birthday or other special times. She would bring me some candy on Valentine’s Day weekend, a card for Christmas and other special items. If it had been left to the boys to remember, I don’t think it would have happened, but Trang made sure.
me with Trang and the guys in the ELL room
The guys will probably be a little frustrated that I put this picture in my blog. They might say “we look like kids” or something like that. However, I wanted share memories that are meaningful to me at this time. The memories of laughter filling the ELL room as we studied and as my friends shared their experiences of their new lives in America. Memories of Trang helping me keep the guys in line Memories of Trang being the one to finish her homework and of me rubbing it in with the guys.
At this time I want to encourage my friends to focus on the positive memories of our friend Trang. She is a special young lady.
In Memory of My Friend Trang- One of the First Group of My Vietnamese Young People
It doesn’t seem that long ago that one Sunday afternoon I saw a friend from Vietnam with three young men in the ELL room at the library and offered to help them with English. That group of three soon grew to five with the addition of a brother and sister from Vietnam. We met on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for a few years. Trang was the sister. She was a joy to have in the group and I could see how smart she was from the first time I met her.
me with Trang at a Christmas program at my church
It always amused me when my young friends would playfully hit each other on the shoulder. I always took Trang’s side and would say “men never hit women” and when the young men would complain I would side with her. We would laugh about it. She was the one who always completed the homework I assigned. We made a joke out of it by saying there was a $1 penalty for those who did not do their homework. Trang had $0 accumulated compared with the young men. Of course I never collected since it was only a game.
me with several of my Vietnamese friends and my van from Jesus
In many ways it is because of Trang and the young men that my effort to help young people from Vietnam continues to this day. Now on Saturdays I meet with a group of six young people, some in high school and some in college. I have been able to help people to prepare for college, gone to New Student Enrollment with friends, and helped in many other ways.
Sadly my friend Trang passed away yesterday, Tuesday September 20th at a young age. However, she does leave behind a legacy each time I meet with my other young friends from Vietnam. I learned a lot in those first few years about helping young people from Vietnam and about their culture. I am not sure if the other young women would have felt comfortable when they first joined if Trang had not been there. I am thankful that she was part of my effort in the first few years and thankful I can say she was my friend. We will miss you Trang, but we will always remember you with fondness.
Weekend Fun- Birthday Brunch at Valentino’s
On Sunday we celebrated Mindy’s birthday after class by going to Valentino’s for brunch. It was great to have time to catch up on things with my busy friends Mindy, Alex and Daniel. They are all University students with a full load of courses. The best was being able to wish Mindy a Happy birthday. International students live far from home and family, so occasions like birthdays are times I try to keep track of to help them feel
Mindy with her Happy Birthday lollipops
A lighthearted moment was when Mindy made me promise not to tell them it was her birthday because she did not want the servers to come sing to her. When our server came over, Yoshio told the server it was Mindy’s birthday. I was off the hook and we managed to embarrass her for her birthday anyway
Mindy with Yoshio
I had my camera ready for some fun photos such as friends at the buffet area and at the table.
Alex giving me the what are you doing look
It capped off a great morning with my friends in class and after. It was then on to be with my friends at Ministerio Manatial de Vida where I began a new adventure of teaching the youth bible class. Now I have 2 Sunday classes to look forward to each week.
End of an Era- Uncle Yoshio Will Move Back to Japan
In my Sunday morning class Yoshio my friend from Japan shared that he will move back to Japan in November. Yoshio has been working here in Lincoln for a Japanese company that has a production facility here. His nickname is Uncle Yoshio which he was given by the young people who come to my Saturday and Sunday groups. The nickname began on a cool Saturday morning when a group of us were waiting for Yoshio for an Omaha Zoo trip in the late Spring 2009. I suggested the young people yell “Uncle Yoshio” when he got out of his van. When Yoshio arrived, our young friends yelled “Uncle Yoshio” as soon as he got out of his van.
me with Yoshio
The nickname is fitting because Yoshio has a big heart and enjoys doing things to help our young friends. He has anonymously helped when I asked him to, helped drive our group on fun excursions such as the Omaha Zoo or Mahoney State Park, and treated people to lunch. He has stored boxes and other items for International Students over the summer while they are back home. The way I would say it is that if Japan would send more people like Yoshio to work here, it would be wonderful. In many small ways he has been a great Ambassador of his culture. I also know he has done a lot to help Japanese students living in Lincoln.
Yoshio at lunch with friends from China, Russia and Vietnam
Yoshio moving away represents the end of another era. There was a stretch of time that my weekend groups had friends from Belgium, Brazil Congo, Germany, Japan, and Korea. All of my weekend friends then were either Graduate Students or Post Doctoral from UNL or were working here. That era came to end when Isis moved back to Brazil in March and Jochen and Julia moved back to Germany in early August. Yoshio was the first one in that group and will be the last one to leave.
me with Yoshio, Brigitte from Belgum and Julia and Jochen from Germany
The one constant in life is change. Transitions come and we can choose to embrace them. Yoshio embraced the change of the makeup of my weekend groups as friends moved away and younger friends from China and Vietnam started coming. He has helped them to feel welcome and has been a good “Uncle”. Yoshio- thank you for being a good friend
Yoshio with his young friends from China
Yoshio with some young friends from Vietnam
Sunday Fun with my International Friends- A Class of Sharing Highs and Lows
Yesterday in my Sunday class seemed like a microcosm of a season’s worth of Sunday classes. We shared memories of September 11th regarding where we were that day and what we thought. We talked about how we can have peace in our spirit because of God even when it seems the world has gone crazy. Some of my Sunday friends were only children at that time ten years ago, but remembered hearing about it at school in their country.
We also celebrated Mindy’s birthday in class. That was our high point being able to celebrate our friend Mindy’s birthday. We sang in English and gave her a card. It is always a pleasure to celebrate a birthday in class because in essence we are celebrating our friend when we do so and Mindy is a person who deserves to be celebrated.
me with Mindy
Yoshio shared with us that he will be going back to Japan in November. He has been great to have as part of our group. My young friends will miss “Uncle Yoshio”. That was a low point for our group yesterday. We have said goodbye to friends that are important to us this year. First we said goodbye to Isis when she moved back to Brazil. Then we said goodbye to Tingting when she left for her MBA program in Buffalo New York. Now we are preparing to say goodbye to Yoshio in a month and a half. That is the nature of my friendships with internationals. When I first meet them, I know the day is coming that we will say goodbye. The times in between first meeting and saying goodbye are well worth it.
me with Yoshio
So it was a morning of highs and lows shared among friends from America, China, Japan, and Vietnam who come together in friendship each Sunday. Our focal point is studying from the bible and talking about who God is during class time. My hope is that I live that out as we spend time together.
Reflections on September 11th
It does not seem like it has been 10 years already since that fateful day when a group of insane religious zealots thought they were doing God’s will by flying airplanes into buildings and killing thousands of people. I can still remember the images of people jumping out of skyscrapers and falling to their deaths and of people running from the buildings covered with ash and dust from the falling towers.
The memory that is strongest to me is that of heroic men and women running the opposite way. They were the the brave firefighters and police officers who tried to save lives and in the end lost their own. They were the ones who exemplified true courage and bravery that day in stark contrast to the cowards who flew the planes into the buildings.
The weeks afterward were ones of uncertainty and confusion. I went to a TV Appliance Store with a friend from Iraq because he and his family were scared to go out out of fear of how they might be treated. We went into the store and though people did stare at us, nothing happened. They had many American friends come to visit them and check on them to make sure they were okay. In many ways America showed what is best about America in the days that followed.
During the confusion I kept reminding myself of something written in the Bible- God is not the author of confusion. I also reflected often on something Jesus said about this life. He said “In this world you will have troubles, but do not lose heart because I have overcome the world” He also said “I have said these things so that in me you may have peace” At that time when the world seemed crazy, as it still does at times, I reminded myself that I can peace in my spirit in every situation because of Jesus because He has overcome this world full of trouble. I also at times reflect on a thought which is why would anyone choose to follow a madman instead of the Prince of Peace.
I am still in this world that is full of trouble because I still have work to do which is to show the love of God to others. It is the purpose we all have in this life. Show others love and help them to experience the love and peace of God in their lives.
Buñuelos Party with my friends from Ministerio Manatial de Vida and Spring of Life Deaf Church
On Sunday and Labor Day I spent time with my friends from Ministerio Manatial de Vida and Spring of Life Deaf Church. On Sunday we had corn Mexican style and rolled the dough to make a Mexican treat called Buñuelos. On Labor Day we had a potluck lunch which included chicken tacos, ices and the Buñuelos.
Buñuelos is a sweet deep-fried treat similar to a sweetened tortilla shell. The dough is rolled into thin somewhat round shapes and then set aside to dry over night. They are fried in oil and the allowed to cool. They are a tasty crunchy treat. It seemed to me the fun was in the rolling the dough. Several people joined in on rolling the dough ad there was a lot of laughter. Rolling Buñuelos seemed like a community event.
me rolling the Buñuelos dough with my "assistant" Elizabeth watching
For some reason my rolling efforts were not fully appreciated by my “assistant” Elizabeth. I guess some people do not like it when someone claps their hands with flour in them After rolling out the dough, the pieces are placed on paper to dry overnight.
Pastor Rogelio with the Buñuelos
After drying overnight, the much anticipated treat was ready for frying. I noted that it was the men who were doing the frying. I think it is because then they can sample the treats
me demonstrating the "correct" frying technique
When they are done being fried and allowed to cool, they are ready to be enjoyed by young and old.
We also had ices with several flavor choices. The children enjoyed not only eating the ices, but also seeing how their tongues changed color. Candice was our ices chef with some willing assistants.
It was a fun weekend. It was great to be able to sample some special Mexican treats such as Buñuelos, chicked tacos, and corn on the cob with a twist. Tomorrow I will write about corn on the cob Mexican style.
Seeing Friends and Making New Friends at Welcoming Back Party at UNL
Friday evening I went to an event at UNL called Welcoming Back Party which was put on by Asian World Aliance and Vietnamese Student Association. I chatted with a friend on Facebook and asked about going without giving an RSVP because I wanted to surprise some people I know. I am glad I went because I was able to see a few friends that I have not seen in a long time and I met some new friends.
Game Time
There was plenty of delicious food. I love Vietnamese Egg rolls. While we were eating, I had the opportunity to meet Nhung the current President and Nhat the new incoming President. I also met the two UNL staff members who work with the group. I am delighted to know that my Vietnamese friends have a student organization on UNL Campus. In my weekend groups I have young people from Vietnam. Some of them are Seniors in High School who will go to UNL next year. It is great to know there is a group they can participate in, so they do not get lost in the busy shuffle of UNL.
I also met a young family that just arrived a few weeks before UNL started its Fall term. Phuong is a PHD student in English. She is married and has a six year old girl. We discussed possible lessons for her husband Loc. I had a chance to share with Trinh a wonderful young woman who wants to help High School students prepare for UNL. I met several other quality students at the party as well.
Of course I watched as they had a lot of fun playing games which my friend Tai led. The room was filled with laughter and smiling faces beaming with joy. I couldn’t help but think about how behind each smile is probably a fascinating family story. Many of their parents work hard, so their children can go to college. Many of them probably came here as refugees. All of their families are newcomers to America and yet there they were at a party at UNL. University Students working toward a bright future
About
I teach English Second Language and have a ministry for internationals at my home church First Evangelical Free church in Lincoln Nebraska. I have had the pleasure of traveling in Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania and Switzerland. My hobby is to learn words and phrases from other languages. I have learned how to greet people in 30 languages.
My blog is about my experiences with international friends, my travels, and people I meet along the way. My international friends’ stories are fascinating to me. Experiencing other cultures makes life rich for me.
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