whirlwind of cultures

So we signed up for taekwondo classes.  We have never done anything like this before and were so excited to try something new - something cool.  We had our first lesson on Friday night, but it wasn't nearly as simple as it sounds.  We had made plans to meet with this taekwondo instructor (Pastor Peter) at his home on Friday night for what sounded like a private lesson.  We had dinner with some friends before our 7:00 lesson and then they were going to drop us off at his home...but we didn't know where that home was.

To remedy the situation, our wonderful friend, Peter (who is fluent in Thai) called the phone number on our information sheet.  He began speaking in Thai only to quickly realize the woman on the other end of the phone didn't speak Thai.  So then he switched to English, which she also didn't seem to fully understand.  Peter handed the phone off to Bret so he could focus on driving, and Bret took over - obviously speaking in English.  After much back-and-forth and a few U-turns and lots of giggling from the rest of us in the car, it was decided that instead of meeting at the instructor's house, we would be picked up in front of our school.  Great.

So we park in front of the school to wait for our ride.  Only a minute or two after we arrive, a man in a taekwondo uniform drives slowly by on a motorbike.  I quickly wonder if we are both meant to hop on the bike, but go ahead and flag him down, saying "Taekwondo!  Here we are!"  He stops and we head over to him not realizing that he is looking at us suspiciously.  We thank him for coming to pick us up, but he responds by telling us the lesson is over; it was from 4:00-5:30.  Bret explains to the man, though, that we made plans to have a lesson at 7:00.  He kept saying we were too late, but we kept insisting that we needed to go.  Another girl in a taekwondo uniform then walks up and we continue the conversation with her as well assuming they were together (I mean how many people in taekwondo uniforms could possibly be walking around our neighorhood at 7:00 at night?)  Peter is trying to be helpful by hanging out of the car translating our English into Thai - until we realize they both speak Korean.  Eventually we find out that it was only coincidence that the man on the motor bike drove by at that time, and that we were supposed to get into the car with the girl.  So the whole way back to the instructor's home, Bret and I were cracking up in the backseat.

Once we arrived, all was well. We met the instructor and found out that the girl is also an instructor and a "taekwondo missionary" and this is their outreach.  The evening was incredible.  We began by stretching (not incredible - very painful).  This girl and another (who majors in Modern Dance at the University) were leading us:  splits, stretching so our heads were to be touching the floor, 100 stomach crunches at a time, etc.  Not a typical Bret-and-Lindsay routine.  After the stretches we had a Bible sharing time.  The girl who picked us up, Rachel, shared her testimony with us and we read through a passage in James.  To start her time she handed us The Four Spiritual Laws and began talking about how she met Jesus in college through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.  I of course cried through her testimony, and then she asked us to share ours.  What an awesome way to begin  our lesson!  After that we started the taekwondo - we learned kicks, commands, breathing strategies, and more, and we can't wait to go back next week.  We'll bump it to twice a week so we can progress through the belts quicker :) After the instruction, we ended by the other girl showing us a dance and then attempting to teach it to us....that was funny.  I think the best part was when another member of the family appeared from upstairs and began laughing and taking pictures of us.  Modern Dance and the Hardins don't go together too smoothly.  Who knows where those pictures will end up.

At the end of the night, the 3 instructors and the family (all of whom had been watching us, translating for us, laughing with us), gifted us with two beautiful taekwondo uniforms and our white belts. The last of their inventory.  What a picture of generosity - we couldn't believe it.  As we were leaving we asked them how we went about paying for the classes and the uniforms.  They explained that they don't take payment and wouldn't take payment.  They have an incredible ministry and as Rachel said, "They have so much love in their hearts that they have to give it out."  Amazing!!  A night that started off on the rocks, ended up being such a blessing!  Please pray for the ministry of Pastor Peter, his wife Sarah, and the other instructor, Rachel.