Awkwardness and angst!

Last weekend Basil joined the "boys" he works with for an afternoon out...lots of barbequed meat and whiling the afternoon away with hearty conversation over multiple glasses of tea.  All was going well until one of the guys turned to Basil and asked if we would give permission for our daughter to marry a Turkish Muslim...  Very much put on the spot, Basil answered a cautious "no" only to become aware that everyone present seemed now to be tuned into only the conversation he was a part of!  It was clear his position had not gone down well and negative comments followed including judgements of narrow mindedness because he would allow religion to influence such decisions (because of course the more progressive position is to keep religion on the margins of one's life).  In spite of several attempts to approach the subject from different angles, Basil was forced to leave the situation unresolved and his "audience" unsatisfied by his explanations. 

The next day we were out on a picnic with friends who were treating us to 'Chi Kofte', that is, raw rissoles...rissoles made with raw mince and bulghur wheat as well as an assortment of spices etc.  My friend had made them there before us and we were sitting down to eat altogether.  Her non-meat eating young daughter was already having trouble getting her kofte down and when she learned they contained meat she began to cry with distress.  At this her mother and others present sought to allay her fears by telling her that they didn't in fact contain meat.  The problem was that she turned to me for confirmation!  I'm sure my blank stare was not what she'd hoped for and I remain most curious about just what she made of my silence.  If she was upset with me she didn't let on so I was saved further awkwardness.  Having said that, I wish she had pressed me for an explanation of why I couldn't lie - I would gladly have given it.

Chi kofte in the making

Our hope and prayer is that moments like those above, so loaded with potential misunderstanding and cause for angst, (not to mention exceedingly awkward) would be used by God as a springboard for the seekers in our midst.  We can live with the embarrassment, shame and misunderstanding only because we have confidence that He's at work, turning our worst moments on their heads and somehow working out good.

Chi Kofte