Dateline: HongKong
In a multi-racial conference, such as the Publishing Forum 2011 of Media Associates International (MAI), which I am attending, there are always two sets of laughter.
The first set comes from one part of the room immediately after a speaker has made a funny remark. The second set comes from the rest of the room only after the interpreter has translated what he said.
“The Tower of Babel is to be blamed for this,” I joke Aleks, seated beside me.
“The Tower of Babel is to be praised for this,” he jokes back, snickering. He, too, is as fascinated as I am with this double soundtrack, akin to delayed telecasts.
(A quick Bible background: At one time, all the people of the world spoke the same language, but when they began to build a great city with a tower that tried to reach the sky to make them famous, the Lord made the people speak different languages so they won't be able to understand each other and therefore can't do more than they were doing.)
Genesis 1:8-9 (NLT) says, “In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages.
Speaking in different tongues in one conference hall seems difficult for everyone to understand each other. But when you share the same faith and all believe in the saving grace of Jesus, there is understanding deeper than what our ears could hear. Our heart would feel what our mouths could barely say.
Breaking bread and praying with fellow believers for four consecutive days now, have been grace beyond comprehension. And hearing two sets of laughter each time, well, that's grace overwhelming.
Despite the sudden dip in temperature (freezing cold wind has assaulted us!), the warmth of fellowship remains.
4 comments:
Hi,
My kids have most of your books. Lately, my daughter has taken interest in writing stories. As my Christmas gift to her, I want her to meet you. Do you have any scheduled book signing activity before the year ends? Or do you hold any sessions for kids on writing? Would love to my kids to meet you in any event.
Thank you.
Jo Ann
Dear Jo Ann,
I am really honored that your kids read my books! I would certainly love to meet your daughter. OMF will have AUTHORS' book signing in all bookshops in Metro Manila (early part of December). Please check their website for schedules. See you then.
If not, I could meet you and your daughter somewhere in the Alabang area. Please write me a PM on FB for arrangements.
Oh my dear Lord! I can not contain my excitement that we will finally meet you in person. I asked my daughter to read your reply and she was ecstatic! Kaya lang shy po kami to disturb your schedule. So ang agreement namin is we will watch out for the authors' book signing c/o OMF.
Pero even before we see you, thank you, thank you so much for responding to my comment! This alone is already a wonderful, amazing advance Christmas gift for us all.
Jo Ann
Jo Ann, there is a scheduled book signing on Saturday at Pergola, BF Paranaque. I will be there in the afternoon from 3 PM. Will I see you and your kids there?
Post a Comment