Welcome to our first visitor from Fiji.Somewhere, floating among the piles and boxes of papers I have accumulated is a Fijian worship booklet with the Holy Eucharist in Fijian. If I could lay my hands on it, I might add a prayer here. But, alas, it's not happening tonight.
It came into my hands when I was tutoring a wonderful Fijian gentleman preparing for ordination in the Diocese of California several years ago. We talked about liturgy and music in the Episcopal Church and about the customs involved in worship and culture. What a joy it was to spend some time with Jimmy.
Now that my memory has been jogged by our guest today, I need to add Fijian Anglicans to those Asian Christian congregations in the diocese of my canonical residence.
One of the first things that struck me after moving to New Mexico was the dearth of Asians compared to the San Francisco Bay Area where I had lived from 1981 to 2006 (or even Los Angeles County where I'd lived from 1964 to 1981). This was not some surprise as I was quite aware of the overall demographic of New Mexico. It was just somewhat striking to realize it on an everyday level of experience. I don't walk into situations where I can use my two to five phrases in various Asian languages and Albuquerque is not known as a mecca for Chinese food. Lordy, I'd love to eat my way around the Bay, savoring some good Hunan and Szechuan dishes!
Well, me rattling on. Again. As usual.
Welcome, Fijian friend. Come back again.
--the BB
2 comments:
No, Paul, Albuquerque is not known as a mecca for Chinese food. But, in fact, I heard a number of years ago, that the city in the US with the highest number of Chinese restaurants per capita is....
Los Alamos, New Mexico!
Unfortunately, I can't cite you a reference, and it's likely it has changed by now. Such distinctions are typically fleeting, no?
However, there are one or two really good Chinese places here in town. Perhaps Randy and I should drag you out of your house one of these evenings, and we'll try one... :)
Peace,
Mike C.
ABQ
LOL. Mike, I am eminently draggable when it comes to food.
I would guess that the key concept with Los Alamos was per capita.
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