Point America!

Actually, if you want to get technical about it, we won 3-1 tonight, but I'm not talking about soccer or hockey or any of those excrutiatingly low scoring games. Let me explain.

So all the men from church are coming here on Mondays for a big Bible study. The Shark (a national) showed up first to help me a little with the language. Then the Mexican came (a Mexican worker) to be followed by a new character in the blog, the Dirty Brit (who is, yes, British). I have no reason for calling him "dirty" except that whenever I think of British people, I was think of "those dirty Brits" for whatever reason. So anyway, you have the four of us and my roommate, Special K, all sitting around talking. They're talking Turkish and I can only understand part of what they're saying. I could understand enough to know they were talking about how lazy and undisciplined Americans are, because my roommate was complaining about the Americans he is teaching now and how they won't do their work. I couldn't understand all that was going on, but I knew that all the snickering they were doing was about Americans. The thing was, all of them were in on it. The Dirty Brit and the Mexican both were cracking jokes about Americans. Usually I don't even get involved in a discussion on the merits of America as a nation and our politics and such, but I just couldn't stand to see a British man and a Mexican guy running down my country to these guys that already dislike America thanks to their Islamic heritage. So finally the Dirty Brit says to me in english, "Do you understand what we're saying?" I said, "No, not all of it, but I get the impression you're making fun of Americans." He says, "Do you agree with it?" It was at this point that I had a decision to make. I could do what I normally do and dodge the question. Say something like, "Well, we're not all the same" or "I don't really keep up with politics" or whatever I have to say to get away from talking about America with Muslims. But I remembered, these men aren't Muslims. There all solid believers. So do I have to dodge this question still? Call it defending yourself or pride or spite or whatever, but tonight I decided I didn't have to dodge the question. It was time to fight for my country. So with a sly grin I said, "You know, some of it may be true. We may be a little undisciplined and we might not carry ourselves in a way that is demanding respect and honor a lot of times, but you know what? Even with all the faults you guys have mentioned, I am pretty sure we've beaten every one of your countries in a war." At that point there was much laughter and I went around the room pointing, first to the Dirty Brit, "American Revolution, a bunch of undisciplined savages beat the best army in the world," the Mexican, "Mexican American War, beat you guys for Texas and decided to take New Mexico and California too," and finally to my roommate, "Oh yeah, and that little thing called World War 1, where we dismantled the great Ottoman Empire." At that point there was a great uproar of laughter. When it finally died down, they were looking at the floor and slowly shaking their heads from side to side and mumbling "You're right" very quietly.

So things to pray for (Shea). Pray that these guys will continue to pursue holiness (which is what Bible study was about) and that they continue to study the Scriptures on their own. Pray that I can get the paperwork done that I need to get done. I have some business stuff to take care of before Friday and I have to apply for my long term visa before the end of the month.