April 4, 2007
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some
people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Hebrews 13:2
Dear Friends,
This isn’t exactly an Easter story, but it represents much
of what makes being here meaningful. Nathan has fully recovered
from his appendectomy and the entire Vermeer Johnson family sends
its wishes for a blessed Easter and hope that spring is bringing
new life to your neighborhood.
The Cook Parade
Our cook Sadiq had to retire in early February because of his
wife’s declining health and a recurring arm injury. Within
two hours of his phone call to tell us of this decision, we had
people coming to the door seeking the “post of cook.”
They all came with letters from previous employers, rarely in
any logical order, telling of their good character and cooking
skills. Most are illiterate but have learned their trade by observing
others and carefully discerning what their employers like to eat.
Some came with handwritten menus, others with salary slips showing
their previous wages. No resumes. You’re left to sort out
if they are employed, when and where they worked, and who to trust
as a reference. We decided to use the “trial and error”
method: we asked them to come to cook for us for a day as a trial
and then looked to see how they worked with our housekeeper and
how clean the kitchen was when they left. We’ve called this
the “Cook Parade.” We’ve had some great food;
they want to show you their best, of course. After nearly four
weeks of cook trials, we made an offer and were glad the process
was over.
The morning after the Cook Parade ended, a man rode up to the
door on his bicycle. He had come from a distant suburb, surely
taking over an hour in heavy traffic to come to our house. He,
too, was seeking the “post of cook.” We felt that
he deserved a hearing considering the distance he had come. He,
too, had a stack of papers. We read through them all, then listened
as he told us how he was trying to support his family. He was
carrying a plastic shopping bag filled with small packages of
bread crumbs. He and his wife make bread crumbs every day; he
then goes door to door in wealthier areas, selling his bread crumbs
for 10 rupees a package (approximately 16 cents). He told us that,
on a good day, he could make enough money to buy the flour needed
to make two chapatis for each of his children. That would
be the only food they would have for the day. On a bad day, they
had nothing. He had been seeking work for over a year and seemed
unable to find a suitable position.
We bought all of his packages of bread crumbs, hoping that would
give him enough money to feed his family for a few days, and told
him we would call if we heard of any employment opportunities.
When he left, Marianne had tears in her eyes.
Monday comes and our newly hired cook does not show up for work.
No phone call, no message. After several attempts, we finally
reached her. She was not well and had decided there was not enough
salary to cover the cost of taking a rickshaw to our house every
day. We were secretly relieved and immediately called Wilson to
ask him to come for a trial day. He was glad for the opportunity
and promised to come the next morning.
We honestly were not sure what to expect. Why had he been unable
to find a job? How would someone so poor react to cooking for
a family eating fresh vegetables every day and having leftovers?
The word “disparity” doesn’t even come close.
Silly us.
Wilson started on Tuesday (his trial day) and before lunch was
over, he had the job. We’ve had the best meals we’ve
ever had in Pakistan. Each evening’s dinner is better than
the last. He is punctual, accommodating of our schedules, and
has clearly put more calories on the table than the adults should
be consuming! We’ve sent him home with leftovers for his
family and made him know how much we appreciate his delicious
meals.
Wilson is an answer to many prayers. First, because we need a
cook who can make both Pakistani and Western food that is enticing
for our underweight children. Second, because we continue to struggle
with how we can have an impact here and sometimes need to have
tangible evidence that we are truly helping people. Third, because
cooking is a time-intensive process here, and we were struggling
with the demands it placed on us after a long workday.
You just never know where those answers will appear. A poor,
thin man on a bicycle bearing bread crumbs? Who’d have thought?
Robert, Marianne, Nathan and Peter
Lahore, Pakistan
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
111 |
