Often times, that means I'm more available to where I am than where I'm going…
I think I've always been this way, and something has always been sitting at the edge of my consciousness waiting for any opportunity to use it against me by throwing guilt and an identity of carelessness or irresponsibility at me with strength that has sometimes knocked me over and pinned me down.
A few times, the Lord has had to call the round, pick me up, throw me back in the corner, and pour some living Water teeming with Truth down my throat so He could send me back out wearing the armor I so often forget to put on and keep on.
The Lord tells me He's determining my steps.
(Pr 16:9)
He also says not to boast in the future because we have no idea what it holds.
(Jas 4:13-17)
And that He's been planning good works specific to each of us since the beginning of time.
(Eph 2:10)
Admittedly, there is a moderation I have yet to achieve in the way I manage time…but I also believe the way I manage time may have been designed.
Our last night in Ho Chi Minh I went out to watch some futbol with our new Irish friend Colin at an Irish pub in the city.
We met Colin at the same bar/restaurant where we had first met him. We had made a few other friends there, too, including this little man, Quy (which means “precious” in Vietnamese).
He's 9 years old and can be found at this particular restaurant any night of the week well past midnight trying to sell bracelets, fans, decks of cards, lighters, and chewing gum to tourists at outrageous prices.
The first time Quy showed up, I was eating dinner and I was honestly over being pestered by street peddlers, but he was something different in his little Tennessee Vols button-down. I started joking with him and asking about his family and what his favorite thing to do is (go to school).
We went back later that night and taught him the macarena and played countless games of rock paper scissors, wagering all kinds of things from the prices of his bracelets (I win, $1 – he wins, $2.50), taking my turn in our pool game, etc. He's one of the beautiful people who stole my heart this week, and by our last night I wanted to take him home with me!
The night we went out to watch the Ireland game would be the last night we would see Quy so we wanted to spend time with him for a little while, and we danced and played and laughed with Quy until we were all parched.
Brittany asked him if he was thirsty and he looked at her and slowly said, "no, not thirsty. Hungry." with a quizzical look as if he were thinking we might feed him, but wasn't sure enough to hope for it.
It was about 11pm when we bought him dinner without a second thought, well-past any 9-year-old’s bedtime in America.
A few minutes after his chicken wings arrived, his mom showed up outside calling to him.
He shot up with a piece of chicken in hand and ran to her, exclaiming in Vietnamese that he had dinner. He offered her the piece of chicken and she stood with her matching set of goods to sell and shook her head.
When Quy came back in with the chicken still in his hand, we asked if she wasn't hungry.
My heart sunk so fast I thought it's many pieces would make a hole in the floor.
Brittany ran out to quy's mother and asked if she wanted to come in and eat something.
The woman we came to know as Le (which means “tears”) joined my cry-fest and came in, ordered some rice and a shrimp/vegetable Thai dish, and thanked us continually until it arrived – then she carefully portioned out two bites, blew on them to cool them down, and fed them to Quy while brushing his hair out of his face.
Le ate and smiled while she watched my teammates dance and play games with her little boy. I had been making friends with the staff all week, so I asked one to come over and translate to Le that she is a phenomenal mother and that we could clearly see her love for Quy and it brought us much joy. Insert more crying here.
"yeah, go sell!" – a phrase I'm sure he's heard a few times in his short life.
For less than $12usd, we were able to give a mother, whose life situation redefines "struggling mom," a full belly and peace of mind – if only for one night.
Jesus, please continue to provide for Le and for Quy, bring them joy and fullness and riches in you! Reveal your true self to them, and in doing so, reveal their true identities to them. Thank you for letting me see true love in vietnam, for letting me experience the lightness of childhood with my 9 year old friend and the overwhelming fullness of a mother's love in Le's eyes.
