Tonight I had great experience with a couple from my small group, and another friend from my dance group and church. I have mentioned the husband of the couple before, but they need a better introduction. Both he and his wife are amazing people. Anyways, they had myself and our friend Gwen over for a dinner of food they are accustomed to eating. And they were good and gave us the real deal- fresh spring rolls.

Thearith Ung and his wife Daing are both from Cambodia. Daing grew up in America, but Thearith did not. Thearith grew up in Cambodia, under the shadow of Pol Pot’s emerging insurgency and ideological nightmare. Thearith and I are about the same age. The only difference between us is that by age 5, people in his country were being arrested, taken away, and executed. Thearith escaped from Cambodia with the help of family and an uncle who helped him to get to a refugee camp in Thailand when he was 11. When he was 11.

It was in the refugee camp in Thailand that he spent time in a church, heard about the love and forgiveness of sins offered by Jesus, and became a Christian. Thankful for God’s love and his life, Thearith has been a Christian ever since. In time, he would escape Thailand for France, and then bounce over to Australia to join his family. There he went to school and became a scientist. And then he ended up coming to America, participated in church life, and met his wife in Virginia.

Daing and Thearith are two of the most giving, most hospitable people I have ever met. I met them about two months ago when they visited Sagebrush Highland. They were ready to move their memberships there and to plug in. And they opened their home right away for a small group to use. Daing regularly makes food that they give away to neighbors without being asked. The Ung’s throw neighborhood barbecues by just going up and down their street, asking people to come over for a burger and to hang out. Thearith gives some of his rare free time to do construction and painting projects for neighbors that he barely knows. Daing and Thearith both clearly love Jesus with their lives. And because they do, they make you want to be more like them.

So, tonight they had Gwen and I over for a dinner of handmade, home cooked authentic spring rolls. Wow. That was some good eating. A real treat for the evening and the week.