A privilege to know her

being silly: (we'll call her "MK" because she loves make-up) and I

MK, me and Megan

MK and I

Today started like any other Spring Saturday....I woke up naturally, and I signed onto my U of A account to watch my brother's baseball game. This weekend, they are playing UCLA at home. Big game as UA is ranked 4th and UCLA is like 13th or something! As soon as I had the game pulled up, I put on the movie "Facing the Giants" for some good American sports' background noise! It felt as close to being at the games as I can simulate here in China. Nevertheless, as bran's baseball season carries on, I miss home and long to be with my whole family at these games! But, as my day today after watching the game showed me, there is still a greater purpose being carried out through my presence here in China.

Last weekend, I had four of my students (who are all roommates in one room) come over to cook some good Chinese dishes. And it was then that I found out one of them knew how to make my favorite dish: Guo Bao Rou. It is the dish that American Chinese food fashions orange chicken after. (except here they use pork). Anyways, when I found out my student we'll call "Sweet Pea" knew how to cook this amazing dish, I practically tackled her and said you HAVE to teach me next Saturday so I can go home and make it for my family! She just laughed at my enthusiasm and eagerly they all agreed to come back this Saturday. In exchange for teaching me Guo Bao Rou, I would teach them the fine art of pizookie making ;) So our plans were set to meet today at 4 pm.

The day rolled through quickly and suddenly 4 pm was upon us. There was a knock at my door and I bounced over to it. Orange [pictured above] and Megan were at the door. (I had asked Megan, my teammate, to join us) I welcome them in, and then 'MK' whips out a gift of a cup of frozen yogurt!! I had heard a rumor that there was a legit frozen yogurt stand complete with toppings in our third dining hall, but I had yet to discover it! And lo and behold, she brings me this wonderful treat to prove it's wonderful existence! Ah, frozen yogurt! I have not enjoyed it since last summer, and despite having the different taste that comes from using Chinese milk, it was still a sufficient replacement! As I was savoring,(well wait, shoveling down is more like it!) my fro yo, MK explains to me and Megan that the others will be coming soon, but they will be a little late. And then she says, but we can have a visit until they come. haha love it! Okay, so we walk into the living room to "have a visit". I begin asking her questions and it seemed we wouldn't have much to talk about because of her low level of English, but by the grace of Him, it was just the opposite!

We had a long conversation because apparently coming a "little" late is code for being an HOUR AND A HALF late! haha But, in this long and unexpected conversation, I saw her open up more and more to me. I got to know her a lot better tonight and it was such a gift! It truly reminded me of His good providence in bringing me here and keeping me here in these relationships ALL the way through June!! MK is one of two girls in her family. She is older than her sister by 7 years. (this is apparently common in Chinese culture to have siblings far apart in age) She explained how her grandparents wanted a grandson (as most Chinese want sons not daughters) but they were disappointed when she came. Then, her grandparents wanted her parents to have another child hoping for a boy... and so seven years later her sister came much to their dismay. As she grew up, her parents were businessmen running their own business selling any and all baby products. Because her parents were so busy, MK grew-up thinking her parents didn't care or love her. (As is a theme in a lot of my students stories) She shared how her sister cares better for her parents than she does and she believes her sister to be the favorite. This changed when she moved here to Hua Qiao for school. As a freshman, living over 20 hours away from home, she has seen a new perspective to life and family. She assures me her relationship with her parents has gotten much better and she believes they love her and her sister both.

MK also has a dream of owning her own make-up business (hence my nickname for her MK). When she told me this, I was quite surprised because she appears to me to be more "tom-boyish" than into make-up. But as our conversation indicated, it would be hard to tell what a students' true passions are because the school is very strict in regard to self-expression. Piercings or jewelry of any sort, dyed hair,  and weird haircuts are some things that are outlawed on campus... she explained once she was caught wearing a ring on her finger and she was scolded that she would lose her academic scholarship, and her grades would be dropped if she made a mistake again. Because of her making this mistake the first time, her name was also put on a notification of some sort which is sent to all students and faculty using embarrassment or in this culture "losing face" as the form of punishment. I couldn't believe it, but nevertheless, I had heard stories of some students who dyed their hair a hardly noticeable shade darker and were paid by the dean of their department to go back to the salon to have it fixed!! Control is a big deal here apparently!

After this awesome and enlightening conversation with MK, her roommates showed up with the pork and food to begin cooking. The cooking seemed to go off without a hitch until suddenly when I was in the living room and I heard screaming and my name, "Coutteniah, Coutteniah!!" (somehow that's what Courtney turns into in China with a BIG emphasis on the "iah" at the end) I run in and sure enough there is a plate of oil sitting on the ground. Confused I look around and Katherine picks up a deformed thing, "the oil, it did this to your bowl!" I look at the deformed piece, and sure enough it was one of my plastic bowls that had been completely melted in a weird shape from the boiling hot oil they attempted to pour into it! I began to laugh at their stricken faces and said, "wow, cool! Wish I could have seen it!" My students started laughing and I could see MK's face relax some as she realized I was not angry. To be honest, it really was a funny sight! The bowl is completely deformed! It was amazing! After this small hiccup, the evening was pretty awesome... they made Guo Bao Rou (which unfortunately tasted nothing like the restaurants.. but hey they're just freshman girls lol!) and they had brought pizza hut... but the pizza was FISH pizza! Um, okay helooo China- putting fish on stinkin' everything! Either way, it was still decent pizza! We had good laughter and the end of the night came with us five agreeing to buy the same t-shirt off the internet so we could all wear it together! It's a typical China t-shirt that just really doesn't make much sense, but that's it's greatest appeal to me :) The shirt says "better late than never" haha I don't know why they want it but they all want us to have matching shirts, so matching shirts we will get! :) Can't wait to rock it!

So tonight was a blessing from on high for sure! He is gracious to show me as the weeks are dwindling in my time here that there is purpose and good in each and every last day here on Chinese soil. This is a once in a lifetime experience that I need to embrace and remain present here up until the last minute! And by His grace, I will take joy in these precious, rare, and limited moments where I get the gift of knowing these beautiful girls more and more despite language and cultural barriers. When we first arrived in Beijing, I will never forget what Tim Davis said to us new employees.... "being here, what you do and who you meet, it is a privilege" and night's like tonight, remind me of this beautiful privilege I have been given and entrusted with to serve in this capacity!