Rice is Like Water

   I remember a couple of stories from when I lived with Pastor Andrew and Julie.  The first one happened one evening while we were eating dinner.   After being in the Philippines for several weeks and seeing rice on the table for every meal, I began to wonder.   So, I asked Pastor Andrew one of my famous questions:   "Do you ever get tired of rice?"   

   He was quick to respond:  "Val, rice is like water.   We never get tired of it."   

   

  Another cute story was one day I was at the house by myself.   There came a knock on the door.  I opened the door and a gal was wondering where Julie was.   I didn't not know the answer and so I did the best I could to communicate with her.   Later, when Julie came home, I told her that she had had a visitor.   Julie's first question was this:   "What did she look like?"   

   Oh my -- What did she look like?   How do I answer that question?   Well, she was short, dark hair, dark eyes, ....   Oh my -- how do I set her apart from the other Filipinos I have seen?  

   I was learning more and more each day about the culture and the people.   I needed to open my eyes and be more observant.   I needed to open my ears and learn the language.   I needed to open my heart and be more accepting.   I was learning so much.   

   I was slowly beginning to understand the Filipino culture and the Filipino people.   What I didn't know was that the culture and the people were slowly crawling into my heart and I would never be able to get them out.   Never.