Chinese New Year's Visitors

Chinese New Year brought some new visitors to church yesterday but not in the traditional fashion....

They came carrying baskets of food.
They came carrying candles.
They came carrying incense.
And they walked straight past our seating to the back of the room. 

With a double-take I recognized the building's owner's family.

"These people can come any time they want, especially if they are going to bring roasted duck, fresh fruit, and other delicious looking plates...But wait, they aren't sitting down with us and the food isn't landing on the refreshment table.  Actually they are trying to move the table...the one with the floor length tablecloth that just happens (or not) to be right in front of the building's spirit shrine."

As the Chinese New Year's rituals began, so did our worship.

"Glory to God, glory to God, glory to God forever..." The sound of our voices and a lone guitar echoed through the room, mixing with the smell of incense lit by the unexpected visitors.  Plates were shuffled and candle stands rearranged as our singing ended and Chris began sharing. 

At one point, extra somethings were needed, so Grandma was left to wait while Niece hurried out the door.  Grandma settled herself in an open seat as she listened to Chris speak.  "We are not just a creation of God's, but we are his masterpiece..." 

God's timing is perfect.

If our visitors had come an hour earlier or an hour later, if the holiday had fallen on any other day of the week, if the spirit shrine had been in any other room, the building's owners wouldn't have heard what was shared.  On top of that, this is the first week everything has been translated into Thai.  We even got to extend grace when the coffeepot was broken as the refreshment table was moved.  How awesome is God that he lined all that up for one day and a few people who crossed our path!