Mongolian Meal

Mongolian cooking is a little different than having Fondue in America, even though it might look somewhat the same from a distance. Regina took us to a genuine Mongolian restaurant because she wanted us to experience the kind of cooking style and food that is served in Mongolia, that part of China that is far north and where she was born and raised.

Each of us were given our own "boiling pot" into which we were to place various elements of our meal. There were two kinds of shaved beef and one platter of shaved lamb for meat. Then there were many, many kinds of vegetables, mushrooms, a few slices of potato, and some kind of fish paste (I think) we were to squeeze into the boiling broth.

Each pot had flavored broth. Mine was flavored with mushrooms, Debbie's was fish broth, and Regina's - well, I don't know. We added each sliver of meat, tons of vegetables, a little slice of potato, and other "stuff." I used my chop sticks to pick each item out of the pot...ok, I tried to use chop sticks, but when my slice of potato hit the floor, I switched to a soup spoon, and then to a soup spoon AND a semi-western style fork.

It was an enjoyable evening of cooking, eating, and most importantly getting to better know someone from this land called, China.

Regina said that in Mongolia, when they had visitors, they would set one large boiling pot in the middle of the table. Everyone simply tried to follow the items they placed in the pot. It was an easy meal for her mom, because the guests did the cooking. They sat and talked, and took a long time to finish the meal, because the object was not just to eat, but to be together, to fellowship.

There is something inherent in each of us to want to be social. Other emotions of inferiority, shame, or fear may keep us from it, but still we want it.

Ultimately, there is also a part of who we are at our core being that also longs to fellowship with the One who made us and paid the price for us to be one with Him through Christ.

"Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” - Revelation 3:20 ( New Living Translation)