With all the teams that are coming in to volunteer these last couple of months, we were able to hire on an extra cook to help us survive. I’ve noticed Lailing working constantly with her four year old son, Bongs, trying to prepare all of our meals. Honestly, it’s something I’ve taken for granted the last several weeks because all the meals have been on such a regular schedule. It wasn’t until I rode in with Lailing the other day that I finally gained an appreciation for her.
When I hopped in the multicab to ride out to camp, I knew she looked familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. I’ve met so many people out here now that faces have slowly begun to blur together. It wasn’t until she greeted me and Bongs stuck his head out that I placed her. I just assumed that she was living out at the camp for the few weeks, but apparently, she has been making the ride back and forth each day with Bongs. She said their typical day involves getting up at sunrise to get their house in order, and then taking off by 9 at the latest to make it to camp in time to start lunch. It usually takes her an hour to make it out to camp even though it’s only about a 30 minute ride with your own vehicle.
Throughout the day, Lailing rarely leaves the kitchen as she is constantly preparing meals for 30 plus people. Yesterday at lunch, I watched as one dish she made was gone less than 5 minutes after she put it out to serve. The food has been incredible at the camp but we don’t all know that Lailing is the one to cook it, and she doesn’t even really like the same stuff we do. She just has a gift, and is using it to serve us.
As we talked on our ride in and I got her daily rundown, my appreciation for this woman just kept growing. It’s funny how when you meet the people that provide a service for you, you become that much more appreciative of the things you’re served. When I thought about commuting two hours a day and working another full 12, and all that with a four year old tagging along, I couldn’t help but thank this lady. I admit, because of the language barrier, I couldn’t get the full story on her life, but I also couldn’t stop thanking her. My dinner that night and the blessing before it took on different meaning as I thought about the woman back in the kitchen.
Food makes a ton of people happy. One way to my heart is through my stomach, but Lailing is doing so much more than just putting meals on the table. She’s setting an example of service, and I can’t help but be thankful…
