Thursday evenings I enjoy a free dinner in exchange for English practice with one of the pastors at my church who needs to improve his English for leading summer mission groups. This week, I met him in front of my school and he asked, "Do you have any plans tonight." Now, I should know by now that this phrase is Korean for "I have a plan that I didn't tell you about yet, but you can expect to be out until late tonight."
Since my plans included things like practicing music, doing a little schoolwork (which are completely flexible in their timing) and then going to bed at an earlier-than-decent hour, like an idiot, I told him I didn't have plans.
One of the praise teams from our church was giving a concert that evening, so we went. It was on the other side of town, so we met up with the group and shared a snack before heading outside to advertise for this concert that would start in an hour! They opened a big box full of promotional Kleenex packages with all our church information on them and we tucked a ticket for the concert in each packet. Then we loaded up with all the packets we could carry and spread out to the surrounding intersections and sidewalks to give them to anyone who happened to be passing by. It took almost no time to pass out 250 of these Kleenex invitations as the area is a popular/busy place and we were there at rush hour. So while the band went back to get ready, Pastor Kim and I grabbed some dinner before the show.
The "concert hall" was like a tiny place you might find in an artsy part of Portland tucked away as a place for small groups to gather for little concerts. It had a trendy/utilitarian feel with the concrete walls painted black and chipped concrete floor with pipes running all directions across the ceiling.
All the music was in Korean, but there were a few songs that I know in English, so I got the gist of the whole thing. Loud, talented, loud, lights&smoke, loud, and generally fun! It took about an hour to get home again at 10:00.
If I had known what I was in for, I probably would have answered that I did have plans for the evening; but I would have missed an adventure that helped me see more of the Korean side of my church and take part in a piece of (possibly evangelism?) encouragement to believers in a surprise mid-week praise time.
So, once again flexibility is the theme of the week (this was just one snapshot in a whole week of "surprises"). Still, I'm so glad this week is over and I can start again next week with a renewed delusion that I have some control over my schedule.
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