God is not white
...nor does He exclusively speak English. While these are rather obvious observations (or commonly held beliefs), it struck me that I think that way sometimes.
You see I met this guy, Lamon Esco..., in our hostel in Seoul. He was hanging out with a friend who worked at the hostel. He is a 26-year old native Korean who speaks passable English. An estimated one quarter of ROK professes the Christian faith, but Lamon became a Christian only 8 months ago. We chatted very late one night about our common faith and his uncommon struggles. We shared our favorite verses and translated them to one another using Korean and English bibles. It was a remarkable experience. Despite the semi-intact language barrier and our cultural differences, our common faith allowed an extraordinarily honest dialogue.
Lamon's favorite verses dealt with the power of the tongue and aptly so... Lamon is/was a rap artist. The existential ambiguity remains because Lamon gave up his passion and talent in order to tame his tongue. In the midst of his new life in Christ, he decided rapping led him astray. I, of course, asked him why he didn't try rapping a different way. (While my rapping ability has gained notoriety in the US, I suppose Big white Pappa hasn't hit this side of the Pacific just yet.) I spoke with a naivete becoming of my WASPy self. Lamon explained to me that he couldn't do anything but "blame, blame, blame" every time he opened his mouth. He had a style and an artistic current and he couldn't just create a new rapper within himself. As he said, "I can not do anything but God can."
On Sunday, Lamon took me to church with him. (Lamon had asked the night before if I wanted to go to a foreigner's service in English, but I insisted on going with him. I planned to just listen and observe.) We walked in late after searching for the right bus to the service. After a couple minutes of sitting there dumbly, I saw a few people in the unconventional service motion to one another. The next thing I knew, a very nice guy was whispering an English translation of everything that was going on in my ear.... my bad ear. After I switched seats with him, I heard about Korean missionaries in Mongolia and a woman who had brought her Japanese parents with her to church for the first time. Then a microphone was being passed in my direction. I was asked to share something.
I stood up and started reeling off a hastily prepared hello from the US complete with a quote from st. francis of assisi. The whole congregation started laughing into my second or third sentence. What was so funny?
I forgot that I had to wait after each sentence to let the translator do his thing... I guess I thought he would just memorize my 800 word hello and spit it back out in Korean like an online translator. I started over with fewer words (usually better in my case) and did things properly.
My Mom put this up on our refrigerator at home: Preach Christ at all times, if necessary use words.
- St. Francis of Assisi
The people who I met at that service were wonderfully kind and gracious. I understood Christ, even though I didn't understand what they said. The congregation served a traditional meal after the service. No better place to taste the culinary heritage of a people than a Sunday afternoon pot-luck. They were all impressed I could handle their kimchee. I smiled and said it was good. (I didn't tell them that I had limited experience.)
It's not just white or Korean or American or English or rapper or lax dude... the gospel transcends all complexity and opposition of our diversity. It cuts to the core of our HUMANITY. His loving grace reaches us all. In Seoul that weekend, an American traveler and a Korean rapper learned that together.
You see I met this guy, Lamon Esco..., in our hostel in Seoul. He was hanging out with a friend who worked at the hostel. He is a 26-year old native Korean who speaks passable English. An estimated one quarter of ROK professes the Christian faith, but Lamon became a Christian only 8 months ago. We chatted very late one night about our common faith and his uncommon struggles. We shared our favorite verses and translated them to one another using Korean and English bibles. It was a remarkable experience. Despite the semi-intact language barrier and our cultural differences, our common faith allowed an extraordinarily honest dialogue.
Lamon's favorite verses dealt with the power of the tongue and aptly so... Lamon is/was a rap artist. The existential ambiguity remains because Lamon gave up his passion and talent in order to tame his tongue. In the midst of his new life in Christ, he decided rapping led him astray. I, of course, asked him why he didn't try rapping a different way. (While my rapping ability has gained notoriety in the US, I suppose Big white Pappa hasn't hit this side of the Pacific just yet.) I spoke with a naivete becoming of my WASPy self. Lamon explained to me that he couldn't do anything but "blame, blame, blame" every time he opened his mouth. He had a style and an artistic current and he couldn't just create a new rapper within himself. As he said, "I can not do anything but God can."
On Sunday, Lamon took me to church with him. (Lamon had asked the night before if I wanted to go to a foreigner's service in English, but I insisted on going with him. I planned to just listen and observe.) We walked in late after searching for the right bus to the service. After a couple minutes of sitting there dumbly, I saw a few people in the unconventional service motion to one another. The next thing I knew, a very nice guy was whispering an English translation of everything that was going on in my ear.... my bad ear. After I switched seats with him, I heard about Korean missionaries in Mongolia and a woman who had brought her Japanese parents with her to church for the first time. Then a microphone was being passed in my direction. I was asked to share something.
I stood up and started reeling off a hastily prepared hello from the US complete with a quote from st. francis of assisi. The whole congregation started laughing into my second or third sentence. What was so funny?
I forgot that I had to wait after each sentence to let the translator do his thing... I guess I thought he would just memorize my 800 word hello and spit it back out in Korean like an online translator. I started over with fewer words (usually better in my case) and did things properly.
My Mom put this up on our refrigerator at home: Preach Christ at all times, if necessary use words.
- St. Francis of Assisi
The people who I met at that service were wonderfully kind and gracious. I understood Christ, even though I didn't understand what they said. The congregation served a traditional meal after the service. No better place to taste the culinary heritage of a people than a Sunday afternoon pot-luck. They were all impressed I could handle their kimchee. I smiled and said it was good. (I didn't tell them that I had limited experience.)
It's not just white or Korean or American or English or rapper or lax dude... the gospel transcends all complexity and opposition of our diversity. It cuts to the core of our HUMANITY. His loving grace reaches us all. In Seoul that weekend, an American traveler and a Korean rapper learned that together.
posted by Dan at 3:12 AM
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