Thanksgiving & The Little Chinese Boy
Every thanksgiving, I am reminded of a little Chinese Boy. [No, not that guy on the right. Good movie, though.] Instead, I am reminded of a time when I was in Shanghai on Missions back in ’95.
We were teaching English to a bunch of grade school kids from Xian. And we went to a garden in Shanghai to do some sight-seeing with them. After we were all done, we were hanging out and the teachers from the Xian school did a head count. That was when they realized that one of their kids was missing. He couldn’t have been that hard to find, all 30 of the school kids were wearing the same multi-colored striped shirt. We started rushing all around the park, but he was nowhere to be found.
Our group got together and started praying that the kid would be found. As we finished our prayer, a random lady from the area came by on a bicycle with a multi-colored striped shirted boy on her back tire. Elation ensued. Everyone was very thrilled.
We climbed back in the bus to head back to the school that we were staying at. As I sat there, I was so thankful that this whole trip wasn’t marred by a missing boy. I started praying a prayer of thanks to God by saying Thank You over and over again. Except I was saying it in Chinese, “Xie Xie” like any good missionary would do.
The Chinese student next to me asked, “Who are you thanking?”
I guess I had taken for granted that this person would know naturally what prayer was, but I told him that I was talking to God, thanking him for finding the boy. Okay, in my chinese, I probably stated, “I… God… Thank You… Boy…” with a whole mess of hand gestures. Nevertheless, he got the idea. His question, though, taught me a very important lesson that endures with me today. Hopefully, it is one that he learned that day sitting in his multi-colored striped shirt on that bus.
And this Thanksgiving, as you think about the things for which you are thankful, please ask yourselves the same question, “Who are you thanking?” It is important not just to remember for what you are thankful, but also to whom you are thankful.
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List three things you are thankful to God for in the comments.
Posted: November 26th, 2008 under Missions, Pastoral Musings by RjL.
Tags: God, little chinese boy, shanghai, thankful, Thanksgiving, xian
Comments
Comment from Paul Lee
Time November 27, 2008 at 12:15 am
Dad, I am thankful that your love is real and unbreakable (Eph 3:18). Thanks for providing me with the things that I need and a few gifts here and there. Oh, and thanks for being so patient. =]
Comment from ck
Time November 28, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I am thankful for:
1) My wonderful family
2) Derek Jeter
3) Eli Manning
Comment from dc
Time November 26, 2008 at 5:25 pm
i’m thankful to God for:
1) sending people into my life during the hard times.
2) the Men’s Life Group.
3) a loving and supportive family.