This story was provided by Valerie Merrill. They were missionaries in Belarus for fifteen years. They invited my husband and I to Ukraine to work establish the church in Nikopol from contacts they made in Belarus.
One of their traditions was to invite their Belarussian friends to Thanksgiving to experience an American holiday. The dishes of Thanksgiving are very interesting for Slavik people because of their German and English origins, which are similar to Russian flavors.
Early in their ministry in Belarus, turkeys were hard to come by, and so they usually substituted several chickens. Valerie had for many years wanted to serve an actual turkey. One year they heard about a farm that had fresh turkeys. She was intrigued because she had never experienced a fresh turkey before. What Stuart brought home, was certainly fresh! He handed her a large bird that still had the neck and head with glassy eyes staring at her!
Without a word, Valerie took the bird to the kitchen, she had her son cut off its head, basted, and buttered it, and in a few hours pulled out of the oven the most beautiful bird you’ve ever seen.
Holidays are magical for us as kids, the pumpkin pie, turkey, gravy. When my husband and I first moved to Ukraine, it was the first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I never had any idea what moms go through every holiday! Holidays meant a fun and family, but I knew how many hours she spent on her feet in the kitchen! I just thought the pie magically appeared from the fridge!
Valerie’s children remember the year “Dad brought home an actual turkey,” but they were spared the shock and distress Valerie experienced trying to figure out how to prepare it. They just remember how good it was.
Whether holidays or just regular occasions that are made special, parents do the unpleasant, tiring tasks that make these moments have magical in our memories. Eventually, our perspective changes and grows, and we find out how much they went through to create that magic for us. I suppose one day our kids will grow up and they will be hit with the same reality, but for now, enjoy the magic with them. One day they’ll know the truth.
You can let the kids wash the dishes this year though.
I love your writing. I remember the times I came to Ukraine to visit you all and to worship with the Christians there. But the more I read your writings, the more I learn about you…the wonderful woman God has been building in you all this time. And I can see he continues to grow you into a woman of wisdom and understanding of the things that are most important. I just love your writing and look forward to the next one…and the next…and….:)