4th of July Fun with Friends from Many Countries
me with our host Aynur
On the 4th of July I was invited to a party hosted by my friend Aynur from Turkey. It was fun to meet a lot of people and eat some good food. It was also a blast-pardon the pun- to watch people take turns lighting off fireworks. I met people from several countries at the party. People from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Colombia, India, Iraq, Kurdistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uganda and a few Americans as well.
Garret at the Grill
Aynur’s husband Garret was a chef at the grill. There was plenty of good food that people brought such as some curry chicken and rice, Turkish potato salad and much more. We had fun mingling and meeting each other. Aynur’s dog walked around to greet everyone and managed to get some food from a soft-hearted little girl.
It was then time to light off the fireworks and there were plenty of them. Most of the guests are Undergraduate or Graduate Students at UNL. As they lit off the fireworks the young adults turned into little kids for a while. It was funny as I watched a friend from Colombia who is working on her PHD get excited as she prepared to light a firework.
Jihan with her firework
As we were watching the fireworks, I met a group of Undergraduate students who are from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, Kurdistan, and Sri Lanka. I asked them if they knew the famous words from the Declaration of Independence. One said “liberty and freedom” and I then shared with them “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights….. the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
After the fireworks were finished we had some spontaneous entertainment. Aynur’s two little nieces sang some songs for us. I taught one of them to say, “thank you, we will sign autographs out back”.
It was awesome to spend the 4th of July with new friends from all over the world. During the evening I thought about how what began on July 4th 1776, the cause of freedom and liberty, has spread throughout the world.
Weekend Fun with my Hispanic Friends- Father’s Day at Ministerio Manantial de vida
On Father’s Day I joined my friends at Ministerio Manantial de Vida for their worship service and a potluck dinner afterward. The worship service was full of poignant moments as the church celebrated Father’s Day or Día de Padres. Women in the church came up and read from the bible in español to the congregation. The children performed a drama that the church created. At the end of the service fathers came forward to the front and their children prayed for them. I got a kick out of the message by the Pastor’s wife. She shared about what it means to be a father and a man from the bible while using a tool box and tools as props. I listened with a smile while I wondered how often she used the tools.
the women reading
the children's drama
fathers being honored
After worship service we had a potluck dinner at the church. There was a lot of delicious food such as barbecue chicken, papusas, barbecue ribs and much more. During dinner I sat for a while with a family that has three girls who go to an elementary school where I teach Family Literacy. Then I walked around and took pictures for families. It was a wonderful way to cap off my weekend of fun with my Hispanic friends. I also had a chance to go for ice cream with Pastor Rogelio, his wife Chayo and daughter Jezharela in the afternoon.
The day reminded me of how important family is for our Hispanic friends. The weekend was full of fun, food and friends and also gave me many opportunities to practice my español, see how former students are doing, and appreciate the diversity of God’s creation especially when it comes to people. God loves all people of all cultures. I had a chance to observe that at different Hispanic churches this weekend.
Mother’s Day Picnic with my Hispanic and Hearing Impaired Friends
On Mother’s Day I had an opportunity to share a picnic with my friends from Ministerial Manantial de Vida and Spring of Life Deaf churches. Ministerial is a Hispanic church I attend on Sunday afternoons. Spring of Life Deaf church meets at the same time in the same church. The pastors of the two churches are related to each other. It was an unexpected blessing to share a picnic with them. Pastor Rogelio explained to the congregation why Mother’s Day is on the 2nd Sunday of May in the U.S. which contrasts with México which has Mother’s Day on May 10th every year. During the service members had the opportunity to share about their mothers and at the end Pastor Rogelio prayed for the mothers in the church. We then went to Peter Pan Park for a picnic.
My friend Chayo
It was fitting that Chayo was at the picnic. She is Pastor Rogelio’s wife and in fact they co-pastor together. Her son is the pastor of Spring of Life Deaf church. Chayo is like a mother to many of the people in the church. I appreciate her sense of humor. I was telling someone a story from my life in español and Chayo told me it would be faster if she translated. We both had a good laugh. It was great that she could have a blessed Mother’s Day.
my friend Celia
It was also great to see Celia enjoy the picnic. She is a sweet retired woman who makes everyone feel welcome when they come to church. She greets everyone and prays for many of us. I look forward to seeing her when I go to Manantial on Sundays.
Pastor Rogelio with his daughter Jezharela
The food was delicious. We had barbecued meat, guacamole, salsa and rice along with tortillas. Just writing abut it makes me hungry again. If I could eat like that each day, I would be quite happy. Pastor Rogelio tells me if I keep eating their delicious food my español will be perfect. That is a study plan I like lol.
Pastor Jonathan with members of Spring of Life Deaf church
I enjoyed trying to throw an American football with members of Spring of Life church. My throwing arm is not what it used to be but we had fun for a little while.
Each week it is wonderful to see the two churches and how they relate with each other. I have learned a few words in sign language. I have learned much more español. Best of all I have made some friendships with people I respect and admire. The occasional meals are a nice extra 
Easter Sunday Dinner- A Lot of Good Food with my Hispanic Friends
Sunday afternoon I joined my friends at Ministerial Manatial de Vida for their Easter Worship Service and dinner afterward. The worship was wonderful and lively. The youth group performed a drama as well. It was awesome to be able to participate in two Easter Services, one at my home church and with my friends at Ministerial.
We had dinner in the basement after worship service. The dinner was a potluck with each family bringing some food and there was plenty of it. We had tamales, tortillas, chicken, barbecue ribs, corn muffins, salads and more. As I went through the line many of the women told me what they cooked, so I tried to make sure I tasted some of everything. It was a fortunate day for me since I did not need to try to make food. I did bring some soda though and I was able to enjoy some good cooking and lots of it. In fact I enjoyed so much of it that I only had an apple later that day and was not very hungry the next day as well.
The best part was to be able to spend time with friends and get to know them better. It also gave me a chance to practice my español more. My español is to the point that I can worship more freely without having to try to figure out the what the words mean. Listening to the message is still a good challenge for me. I usually catch about half of it, but the practice is good for me.
Easter Sunday gave me an opportunity to share it with friends from China, Japan and Vietnam in the morning and then with friends from México and Honduras in the afternoon. It highlighted for me why we celebrate Easter which is to remember how God showed His love for all of the world when Jesus died and defeated death for us 2,000 years ago.
2011 China Night at UNL- Celebrating Chinese New Year with Friends
The first time I went to China Night at UNL it was out of my interest in other cultures and going to China Night gave me a glimpse into Chinese Culture. I have been able to observe and participate in cultural celebrations from various cultures and experiencing them has been mostly out of my desire to learn. In the past few years China Night has taken on a different meaning for me because I have some friends from China who are students at UNL. I have been able to see how important New Year is for them and also how they feel to be so far from home and family during their most important holiday. For us Americans it would be like living in a country where Christmas is not a big deal far from home at Christmas time. I was pleased to be able to sit with my Sunday friends at China Night.
Johnny and Tingting
Tingting was the first one in the group that I met in January 2009. She asked me where my suit was and I had some fun pointing out all of the other men who were not wearing a suit. Johnny came here in the fall of 2009. Johnny wore a suit I think mostly due to Tingting
Nancy and Kevin
I had the privilege of helping Nancy and Kevin study for the TOEFL test last June and was thrilled when they both passed the TOEFL.
Alex
Alex had the red carpet movie star look as he walked in. We have had some fun times and laughed at our mistakes. He is a great cook and now that I think of it, it has been a long time since he cooked for our group.
me with Huiyan
Huiyan was reading something on her cell phone that was in Chinese. I kept peeking at it and acting like I knew what it said.
The entertainment was in Chinese with a little translation at times. I may not have understood what they were saying throughout the night, but I did not need to because I understood the most important part which was that my friends who live so far from home and family and friends had fun and were able to celebrate their holiday with each other. The blessing for me was to see my friends laugh and be happy.
2011-China Night at UNL Welcoming the Year of the Rabbit
Last week was the beginning of Chinese New Year which is a celebration that can last for a week or two not just one day. Each year the CSSA-Chinese Students and Scholars Association- hosts China Night at UNL to celebrate Chinese New Year. I have had the privilege of attending China night several times and each time has been special in its own way. Last year I sat up front and was able to get some great pictures. The entertainment was awesome. This year was special because I was able to sit with my friends from my Sunday class more on that tomorrow.
When I first arrived, I noticed the welcoming line and a young woman giving them last minute instructions in Chinese. As I walked through the line I surprised them by saying Happy New Year in Chinese. They had the women on one side and the men on the other.
One of the greeters, my friend Daniel, showed me my seat. After I sat down a nice young lady name Ming came by to bring some items to the table. She was our server for our table for the evening. I surprised her by wishing her a Happy New Year in Chinese and we talked a little when she stopped by a few times.
The entertainment was fun to watch. It was a mix of traditional Chinese and contemporary music. There was also a Kung Fu performance and a comedy sketch about a man who was unlucky in love. The finale was amusing. They had children dressed like the Von Trapp children from Sound of Music and sing so long farewell. Then the all of the performers joined them on stage. It was a fun night and I look forward to going again next year. The best part for me was sitting with my friends- more on that tomorrow.
Celebrated New Year by Making New Friends
It has certainly been a cold New Year’s Holiday weekend. Last night I was sitting at home and felt like staying home instead of going out into the cold night, but I kept thinking about a invitation I received on Facebook for a New Year celebration at a church called Ministerio Manantial de Vida. So at the last minute I decided to go and meet some new friends and I am very glad I went.
the Worhsip team
The worship music was wonderful. I appreciated the heart of the worship leader Jezharela Artega. It was an awesome experience to look at the words as we sang and understand their meaning in English before looking at the translation. The worship team had some other talented musicians, Alex on the guitar, Juan and Emmanuel San Martin on guitars, Jared Lopez on drums and singers Maritza Mateo and Yina Lopez. I found out that Jared who is only 8 years old learned to play drums with no lessons. He can learn music by hearing it played. The worship time was a blessed experience, but I made a mistake. They had a time of sharing for people to come up and share what they are thankful for and I thought about sharing but did not since I have not spoken in Español to a group of people other than in class. I hope to have another try at it in the future.
me with Pastor Rogelio
It was a blessing to observe Pastors Rogelio and Maria Artega during the service. Their love for God and for others shines. I understood about half of Pastor Rogelio’s message which means I need to learn more Esapñol because I want to be bale to understand 100%. It was great to see how much they care for the people in their church.
After welcoming in the New Year by worshiping and thanking God, we went downstairs for a delicious dinner of Pozoles and Turkey. It was so delicious that I had two bowls. I sat with Jezharela, Maritza and Alex. I enjoyed getting to know them. It is refreshing to meet young people who want to live for God and help others.
It was an excellent way to welcome the New Year. I have some new friends and a place to go practice my Español. I now have two churches with friends who speak Español that I can feel at home. Ministerio Manantial de Vida means Ministry Source or Spring of Life. It meets on Sundays 11:30am at a Methodist church at 33rd and Starr streets.
2011- A New Year is Upon Us- To Boldly Go ?
One of my favorite TV shows/movie series is Star Trek. I love the beginning when it says “Space, the Final Frontier…… to boldly go where no one has gone before”. That is how I feel at the start of a New Year only I have no idea where I will go. I know I will be teaching at the college and plan to continue my work through my church, but as I begin the New Year I wonder who will I meet in the coming year and where will they be from. What new adventures await me? Where will I go?
It seems that every year God brings new surprises into my life. That is the fun of life for me. The adventure of discovery. Discovery of the world through my international friends. The discovery of the world through travels and the discovery of the world through the internet. One new adventure began for me this past Wednesday by beginning to teach an on line class. What other new adventures await me? It will be fun to find out.
But for now I would like to wish all a Happy New, Prosperous, Healthy and Blessed New Year or as they say in
Español- Feliz y Prospero Año Nuevo
Vietnamese- Chuc Mung Nam moi
Romanian- La Multi Ani
French- Bon Ani
Feliz 2011 everyone
A Truly International Christmas Eve for me
Christmas Eve was an awesome experience for me this year. I enjoyed sleeping in a bit late and yes went out to do a little shopping. After surviving the shopping, I picked up my friend Daniel from China to take him to Christmas Eve service with me. Phung from Vietnam met us at church and we celebrated Christ’s birth together.
me with Phung and Daniel at church
After the Christmas Eve service I took Daniel back to his dorm and dropped off a small gift for one of my wonderful students Linh. I then went to Phung’s house to wish her family and our mutual friends a Merry Christmas. I came loaded with Christmas Cards and Candy Canes. I gave the adults and young people I knew a card and gave a candy cane to everyone. Phung’s mother and uncle bought a house and they were having a Karaoke party. They asked me to sing, so I sang O Come All Ye Faithful and scored an 89 which they told me is good. I was happy to give Phung’s grandmother a candy cane and a hug. She is a sweet woman who loves to cook for her family.
me with Chi- Phung's mother
After spending time with a house full of my friends from Vietnam, I went to have dinner with Isis an Eduardo from Brazil. I always enjoy my times with Isis and Eduardo. I have learned a lot from them about Brazil and appreciate their perspective on many things. Of course I need to write that I am proud of Isis and that I call her my genius . They have a 4 month old puppy, Susie, that they spoil. I think Susie is the boss of the apartment.
Isis and Eduardo
Isis and Eduardo's daughter Susie
I am proud of both of them actually. They have both accomplished a lot. We had some delicious Brazilian food for dinner and sat around the table and talked until 11pm. Eduardo was impressed by some Christmas cookies I baked, I mean bought lol.
It was a very meaningful Christmas Eve for me personally because I was able to be with friends from Brazil, China and Vietnam. It makes me think of what the Angels said when they announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The first Angel said “I bring you good news of great joy for all of the people”. Christmas is a time to remember the birth of Jesus who loves all people. In the spirit of such news I would like to say Merry Christmas, Chuc Mung Giang Sinh, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Craciun Ferecit and Joyeux Noel.
My Favorite Christmas- Romania 2005
When people think of Christmas, we usually think of time with family, Christmas Eve Services, Holiday gatherings with friends, and shopping. As I reflect back on Christmas, the Christmas that stands out as my favorite was when I went to Romania to serve others one Christmas.
In December 2005 I went to Constanta Romania at Christmas time. My home church has partnered with a church in Constanta for several years. Their pastor and his family were in South Africa studying in a seminary, so my church sent me to Constanta to help them with their Christmas services. The trip started out a bit rough because of snow in Lincoln and Minneapolis that caused my flights to be delayed and I arrived in Romania without my luggage. The rest of the trip was wonderful.
the children practicing for their Christmas program
Once I was in Constanta, my first activity was to help with the Christmas Eve program of the children. It was a blessing to help out. I was also able to give the children some Christmas candy. Their performance was wonderful. While I was at their practice, some college students invited me to a meeting at a Baptist church. I went with them. The meeting was for all college students who wanted to come. There were students from the Baptist church, Orthodox church and Evangelical church at the meeting. On thing that was funny was that because my luggage did not arrive until the next day, I was wearing a sweatshirt with NU on it which is for Nebraska University. Nu is no in Romanian. At the meeting they asked me if I would speak, so the first thing I did was explain that my shirt did not say no.
I also preached their Christmas eve and Christmas day services. After the Christmas day service I was invited for lunch at the house of some members. We ate Sarmale and a lot of other good food. I stayed until January 1st then went to Bucharest to met with a few Chinese students at Bucharest Christian Academy. The highlight of the trip for me was spending time with the children who come from poor families to share God’s love with them and to be able to give them some holiday treats.
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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