林嘉怡 - Part 3

This is it. A third post dedicated to a woman other than my wife, my mom and my daughter.  Heh... 

嘉怡... is stunningly beautiful.  No... I'm not a horndog.  She is still my little sister... 10 years my younger.  She always stood out with her quiet charisma.  She glows with such radiance.  Her speech.  Her demeanor.  Her love for Jesus.  

We last saw each other 6 years ago on an unassuming day in the City.  Already then... I thought both she and Daniel were full blown adults and citizens of society.  This time around... they have emerged as... dare I say... peers.

During our first night at dinner... they paid for dinner.  Daniel tried to wave me off... cuz he knows this is his chance of playing host and perhaps.. repaying for what is a long list of thanks.  I didn't fight him.  Cuz I know... deep down... I would do the same. It's etiquette. It's manners.  It's the right thing to do.  And I told him... "You pay this time.  I will pay when you visit us in California." 

Then to hear their stories... how they're risen to leadership at church.  How they've been elected as church planters. (PAL!!!)  How they've submerged into the culture to learn Mandarin.  How they're now Youth Leaders for ABC's. How they're worship team leaders. 

It was an awkward time.  We never really hung out.  When they were growing up... we just had NN and then shortly after... SW.  We were new parents.  They were fledging students. Our social paths never crossed.  During dinner... we talked about nothing.  K-drama.  Traffic. Discrimination. Investment. Work. Church. Lots and lots of church. 

During our trip... Kayi would continue to text me places to go visit.  Did they want to hang out with us? I don't know. Did we want to have a host lead us around. I think so.  

Then...after our first dinner... they invited us to their home for dinner.  Normally.. this wouldn't be a big thing.  Especially after breaking bread together.  But inviting someone to their home in the midst of COVID is what you would call... special.  We entered their lives.  We stepped into their kitchen.  Their bathroom.  We ate their cooking.  Drank their soup.  And after dinner... we chatted for over an hour.  

If we were to ever move to Texas... they would be our only friends.  Yes... Ben and Kim are there.  So are Connie and Chris.  But those are just acquaintances.  And they're a generation ahead of us.  Just like we're a generation ahead of the Lam's.  But yet... I feel like... we can rekindle what was never there.  We can spark the fuse of darkness.  We can become... 前線同路人. It doesn't get any better than that.