The lady’s voice rose and held pitch at a dangerous height, “Aah, Aah, Aah, Aah-EEE!” then fell and trailed off, “Bu hao ma bu hao yao!” Trying to hide my surprise, I quickly glanced around the room to see how everyone else was responding. A group of us from our organization were on a trip to one of the poorest provinces in Asia to see the work of a long term missionary among the people in the country side.
We were being hosted at a minority Asian person’s house for dinner, and she was now singing a worship song the Lord gave her to write herself in the ethnic style of singing. I had never before heard ethnic singing. Actually, I’ve never heard anything like it before in my life! The words of her song translated:
“He has sent the good news to every place and every people.
We can talk to God and have relationship with Him.
Our hearts receive His comfort.
Our Heavenly Father is the greatest.
We shouldn’t worship idols or be with other gods.”
The next day we traveled three hours by bus along switch-back mountain roads that barely had enough room for two vehicles to pass. Though this province is poor, the land is breathtakingly beautiful! The driver of the bus graciously stopped many times for me to capture the land’s beauty. We arrived at this sister’s hometown and met her family: her father, her sister, her sister-in-law, and a few others. Minority people are known for being amazing silver smiths, and her family showed us their items for sale, hoping we would buy some. Our host put on her family’s silver in the traditional way; there was so much sliver, it almost looked like she was wearing armor! In the end, I think she was wearing about 5 head pieces!
Since being introduced to their unique culture through this sister we just met, I have a much greater appreciation for minority people and an even greater understanding of what it will look like when all the Redeemed celebrate together at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. Our minority sister will be there dressed in her culture’s formal attire, singing with a heart abandoned before the One she loves her “new song unto the Lord.”
Beloved, when we are all together before Him on that day, Oh, how beautiful it will be!
Dove