Church service had officially ended, and even though I came 20 minutes late into a room filled with people with raised hands, watery eyes, and voices lifted up in praise—an obvious sign that I missed a powerful worship experience— I was filled with a blessed calm by the benediction. I was also filled with water after taking swigs from my water bottle during service, so as everyone headed towards the back for the lunch fellowship, I sped towards a single occupancy bathroom and closed the door.
Stationing myself in a good squat position, I relieved myself, swiped a few squares of toilet paper, wiped, and then flushed. My pants zipper and button weren’t hard to handle, but my classic hook and eye-hole belt was giving me some trouble. Still fidgeting with my belt, I walked over to the sink with its full mirror above a counter top filled with bar and liquid soap, cleaning agents, and small bottle of hand lotion in the corner. If it wasn’t for the mirror, I would not have seen her open the door. She wore wavy black hair with more than a splash of grey, soft wrinkles around the eyes, and black pants with a multi-print colorful long-sleeve blouse. Looking up, I motioned that I was still in the bathroom, and the 70-something Chinese grandmother nodded her head and backed out of the room. I thought I locked the door. Didn’t I lock it?
I looked back down at my belt to find the loop that gave me a my-pants-won’t-fall-down but I-can-still-breathe amount of tension. I glanced up only to see that the same little grandmother had walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her just as easy as if we were co-workers standing at the fax machine. She started by asking me whether I could understand everything said in the all-Chinese church service. Confused, I just went with it. “对,对” I said in a reassuring yes. I could indeed understand the service, but what I could not understand was the scene that was unfolding before me. She must know that I’m just about finished, is what I thought rationalizing the moment.
I reached for a pump of soap as she probed me with more questions about where I was from and how long I had been in China. Except she was seated. Nope, not happening, she’s not doing what you think she’s doing I said to myself while engaging her questions simultaneously. I looked over at her face, so sweet and curious. Then I looked down: smooth, white-peach colored thigh stretched atop the white commode. Oh Lord, she’s peeing right here beside me. Quickly looking back up to meet her eyes, I answered her next question, trying to act natural. I turned the water off as she took some tissues to wipe herself, pull up her pants, and flush the toilet. I stepped out of the way as she, too, washed her hands while gushing about how smart I was. Seconds later, she was done and patting my back saying, “And you’ve grown to be so pretty, too!” in Chinese while chuckling. Out of the bathroom, she made her way back into the crowd getting ready for lunch, and I walked back to where I left my belongings on a seat, eyes glazed over as I tried to process it all.
Psalm 133 begins, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity,” (NIV*). Now, I’m thinking she must have read this on that particular morning, because she took unity as brothers and sisters in Christ to a whole new level! I understand that you male readers may not get it given your communal peeing culture, but it’s not the same for us women in the States.
Of all of the things that I expected to experience in China, single-occupancy restroom co-habitation with a granny/(Christian) sister/stranger was not one of them! Still, I’ll cherish that memory all the same. Read all of Psalm 133 for yourself, and maybe you, too, will feel the shared spirit of living in unity ;)
Dear Lord,
Please help me through this vacation.
Love,
Kelicia
About This Series:
Every post is based on my true life experiences while living in Harbin and Tianjin, China during my Fulbright grant year in 2014-2015. I’m highlighting the happy, the hilarious, and the ‘help me!’ moments of my experience from an uniquely Christian perspective. I’m combining the stories with the scriptures, and I hope that you stick along for the journey!
*If you’re not familiar with this acronym, it means “New International Version,” which is a commonly referenced English translation of the Bible.
About the Author:
Kelicia Hollis is Detroit-born, Arkansas-raised writer,
speaker and educator. She completed her B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia
University, her M.A. in Higher Education from the University of Michigan.
Hollis, a 2014-2015 Fulbright Scholar, is currently President and CEO of
Polyglot International Ventures Inc. in Little Rock, a foreign language
services firm. Learn more at www.polyglotnation.com,
and connect with her at www.keliciahollis.com.
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Interested
in a graduate study abroad?
For more
information about the Fulbright Grant Opportunities and how to apply, visit http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs
For more
opportunities for funded graduate study & research abroad, check out this
article from Diversity Abroad: http://www.diversityabroad.com/guides/study-and-research-fellowships/study-and-research-fellowships
