Chinese Funeral

Late yesterday evening we heard the strangest sounds coming from somewhere outside. We looked out our bedroom window, across the way toward the neighboring apartment complex, and saw a large blue tent illuminated by electric lights and heard live, blaring, traditional Chinese music emanating from somewhere within or nearby. The sound was like that of crashing pots and pans, accompanied by duck-like quacks and squalls. We quickly realized, though we had never actually encountered such a thing before, that it must be a Chinese funeral.

Intrigued, but simply too exhausted to budge from the house, we went on to bed without any further investigation. But in the morning I regretted having not gone over to see and hear this unique event up-close.

Then tonight, on our way in from a late supper, we heard the sounds again! Determined not to miss this opportunity, we rushed in for our camera and then went straight over to experience and document this meaningful and peculiar service first-hand.

Watch the video, then read my final comments below:

sorry, can't get it to load! please watch here instead:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151137722039828

The lady who spoke to us, and some of the men who had been hired to play and pray for Mr. Yang's wake discussed the similarities and differences, as they saw them, between Daoism and Christianity and each faith's accompanying rituals. Of course, I wanted desperately to share with them the gospel, right then and there, yet... I didn't. I just listened and nodded and hoped that perhaps another time...

She was very kind and seemed to respect our curiosity, inviting us to return any time. She especially loved Phoebe, of course, and hoped most of all for another chance to see her. Phoebe, for her part, remarked as we left, "I like those people, each one of them. They weren't scary or mean or sick." (She'd been a little spooked at first and as we tried to explain what was going on and why.)

I don't know if we'll ever really have a chance to share the truth with Mr. Yang's survivors and/or any of the others in attendance. And of course, I must admit, I seriously doubt that they would be receptive or believing even if we did. Maybe that's a lack of faith on my part. (I'm sure it is.) God can, after all, do the seemingly-impossible.

I suppose then, what I need to do now is this: I ask you to pray. Seriously pray. That we would, this year, be enabled to do exceedingly beyond what we would ordinarily hope for - for the sake of the kingdom and for the sake of the Chinese people. Amen.