Out Numbered.

Yesterday one of my friends invited me to go with her to her work for their monthly Lucheon. I was a little nervous. She assured me everyone was interested in meeting me. I asked if I could bring my daughter because as long as she is there I always have a distraction. A very beautiful little ice breaker! She told me to bring my daugter and meet her at noon. So we got all dressed up in our dejellbas (traditional pretty robes for this counrty.) And waited below our apartment for my friend. When we first arrived I was a little surprised by how plain the office was. My freind works at the deligation of education here for the city. We went into the banquet room where there were a few women cooking couscous on single standing gas burners. We walked around and I met everyone. My little girl was a big hit. She starting screaming, "Mommy look couscous." as soon as she saw the plates. You would have thought it was candy or something. All the ladies were so pleased by her excitment. I felt relieved. We ate and had a good time of conversation. I only had a few minutes of akwardness when the majority of the women went to pray. I heard one of them say, "She doesn't pray." She was talking about me. In this culture that is a way of describing someone to be unspiritual. My friend looked at me to see if I had heard or if I understood. I know she knows all about what I believe. I gave her a look and she told the girl in my defense, as if I did not hear the comment, that that was not the case. She explained breifly I pray in a different way. And from there they began on their favorite thing to judge spirituallity by...their clothes. I could handle that conversation. We talked about that for a few minutes and then I changed the conversation to ask where one of the women bought her shirt. WHEWW. It can be a little nerve racking to be so out numbered. But praise the Lord we talked about many things and I believe I made a few new friends today.