Family Culture | 3 of 16

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I remember the first night at dinner we sat down at a large, round table for a delicious family meal (surprisingly we ate every meal together). I was already feeling very much welcomed but couldn’t recall when the last time I had such an amazing meal experience, that so greatly emphasized a communal, family-oriented vibe like this one. 

Before every meal, it was customary that we all placed our chopsticks in the middle of the table and yelled out "Family!" ​This built instant community and no one felt left out. Some other customs we were introduced to were: no one person ate alone, you drink with at least one person, if not the entire table, you shared communal dishes that were in the middle of the table, and you must always ask to be excused. Practicing these customs, and literally being able to see everyone seated around the table, I believe, played a pivotal role in establishing this sense of community.

Pablos at a local Cafe near our training facility 

One of my brothers I met during my stay was a man named Pablos. We would have great conversations after dinner, and a particular one impacted my life tremendously. When discussing relationships, family culture and what we see for our futures, I shared how some of the family values that I read about in the Bible were not always modeled by the people who associate with the same faith that I do. Pablos then shared with me a governing principle that he attempts to live by with all people:

“To give and not expect back is love. To give and expect back is work.” 

I am not sure where he got this from, but I agree. Building genuine relationships with family, friends and significant others should never be about what you may obtain; you should love them inspite of. Easier said than done. But here is where it hits home for me. I had to travel halfway across the world to a communist country and break bread with non-believers, from multiple countries, to experience more family-based Christian values than I have ever experienced in the modern day American church.

For the first time, in a long time, I witnessed lifestyles align with scripture. It gave me hope, that one day, my future family too, would live out these principles and be able to share life around the dinner table.

Talk soon & God Bless,
MG

Editing By: DJ Williams
Graphics By: Hand-Ability