September 15, 2009
Visiting Men vs. Women
This was our second Sunday to attend church in Arazaty after moving a few miles away, and I have to admit that we'd enjoyed being able to roll out of bed and walk to the service. It's still only about 10 minutes away (because it's almost all a dirt road), but I'm having to retrain myself to be on time.
After service this week, we visited with a man in the neighborhood who had asked us to come by. This is an elderly gentleman, who made the request while he was quite intoxicated at a recent soccer game. He lives alone about 15 minutes walk from the campground, and we'd never have found him without our pal Ariel to guide us. I try to liken it to us knowing the shortcuts through our hometown--little backroads and side streets. But the locals always amaze me knowing how to turn past this tree, or in the middle of this field, or behind that ditch, to find someone's house.
We arrived to find the man lying down in his bed, talking with a visiting friend. Herein lies the difference with visiting a home where a woman lives, or just a man. The man got up immediately and got us chairs (the cultural invitation for us to stay a bit), and we sat in TOTAL silence. We tried to make conversation--about the weather, his family, his recently-passed-away mother (he cared for her until she died, just a few months before her 100th birthday), whatever we could think of. Ariel was our translator, going from Spanish to Guarani, but the man did speak some Spanish. So they say. We got a couple grunts and what might have been "Gracias" when we gave him a blanket, but that was the extent of the talking. It was just a bit uncomfortable for a while there, with everyone in the group looking to me (Well, I AM the talker), and me fresh out of ideas to spark the conversation.
He shook his head that he'd like to have us visit again, when Ken asked about that before our awkward departure. He was sooo talkative when he was drunk.... ???? Anyway, it was good to be walking around our familiar stomping grounds, and good to find out where this man lives, even if we'd never be able to find him again on our own!!
Is there really a need to say that we experience the same here? Lol.
ReplyDeleteI can so easily start a convo with the ladies, especially when they're in the kitchen. It amazes me when God uses me without saying a word.
I don't get it!! I naturally want to teach them and love on them in some way...but I think on Him and what he would have me to say...and sometimes it's nothing but to 'be', who they need me to be, Christ-like.
Love you friend.
That's interesting! Man! How funny to have everyone look at you for conversation! :) You'll have to prepare some notes with conversation topics for your next visit (if you can find him again!) :) However, I'm sure he told everyone what a wonderful visit he had with you folks!
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