Stand in the Gap
Just over a week ago, we were invited to an Ethiopian Christmas party being hosted by good friends of ours, their first with their son, Abe, who has been in the States less than six months. I took the time to caution Tyler and Trevor on proper etiquette for an occasion such as this, harkening back to a phrase taught to my college choir just before we left for a European tour. We were warned not to be rude American tourists, not to call things “weird,” or “gross,” but to address uncomfortable situations by thinking, “My that's different; I wonder why they do it that way.” I told the boys to take a similar attitude to this party. We were dressing up a little, because that's what they do in Ethiopia. There would be no gifts. There was a good chance there would be music and perhaps even dancing. And, of course, there would be food made just for the occasion, recipes unlike anything the boys had ever tasted. I told them not to be rude, but to try new things, and that if they d...