Thank you!

When I meet a Chinese person who can communicate with me in English they usually ask the proverbial question: "Why a do you come my country?" I usually answer with my heart felt answer, "Because I love it here." The response is always, without fail, no matter who I am talking to - Thank-you. They take it personally as though I am addressing just them. For the Chinese, to love their country is a high compliment.

It had me thinking today after a Chinese girl named June attended class. I have to admit, June was the greatest breath of fresh air I have taken in since I have been here. She literally bounced in the room in her faded orange pants, worn out sneakers and perpetual smile that covered her face. I had missed the introductions and when she and I were teamed up as game partners I leaned over and quietly whispered, "Hi, I'm Robin." She excitedly smiled back and almost shouted, "Hi, my name is June. I'm Chinese!" It just cracked me up!

Class was wonderful and I got to teach today. The one young lady I was teaching is apparently one of the biggest TV stars in China! Go figure. Martin informed me after class, and I never would have known. All I knew was that I needed to help her with her English (and still have a looong was to go). But all in all it was a good day and interesting lessons floating throughout the room.

I got to thinking after my interchange with June. It made me think back to every person who has asked me why I am here. With each one that I give my answer to they all - ALWAYS - follow it with a very humble, slight head bowing - thank-you. I find it endearing that they take such attitudes towards their country rather personal. I thought about the country I live in and began to ponder how we feel about America.

Rarely anymore when I say something positive about America does the average American say thank-you. It is more like, "What the hell? Our country sucks." (I also wondered if that sentence was harsh, but I don't think it is). Sadly the prevailing attitude in the USA now is that we are not a good country but a very evil nation. I hardly find that to be true.

Maybe having been given the opportunity and the freedom to disagree has also bred outright disrespect and ignorance? I know the Chinese are aware of the atrocities of their government and I know they are not proud of many of the things that have transpired over time, but they are still proud to be Chinese and thankful any outsider would find value in their country or it's people.

For months before coming, every time I spoke to my father he would say the same old thing. "Why would anyone in their right mind ever want to visit such a terrible country? I know what they do to their children, how they treat their own and how they dictate to young and old." I tried to remind him that the people are not the higher level of government and that it is the individual I value. He replied with more of the same. A couple of days before I left I had a friend at church say, "I wish I could just look past the government and see the people, but I just can't do that."

It saddens me. Over the past couple of weeks I have seen a people draw closer to me. I have extracted smiles and courtesies and thank-yous. I am seeing warmth and exchanges I will always remember. I am finding small warming acts of kindness in a very chilly atmosphere. I just pray that everyone would give the people they meet on a daily basis the courtesy of "seeing" them as an individual apart from any regime, government or dictatorship. See them for the unique individual God created them to be.

I also pray that the people who are blessed enough to live on American soil see our great country for what it is. It is unique, and wonderful and good. Tides may be changing, we may not like our government, our officials, our neighbor even for that matter, but we are all Americans and we do live in the greatest country out there. Look deep into our history and see what we are made of, what you don't like, work for change. But for heaven's sake - stop bad mouthing her.

I had a girl in my class say she thought America was the greatest country on earth. She turned and said to those listening, "I am sorry if it is not what you want to hear, but it is true." She is not even American. I know such a small majority of Americans who would say that. I smiled at her and said all that I could, from the bottom of my heart. I simply muttered the words, "Thank-you."