The food in the picture looks simple enough, but it was part of a special day. Members of MANNAM opened their home to me and several international friends. We all made song-pyun 송편 (a sweet rice-based traditional snack) and fried pumpkin and sweet potatoes 고구마 & 호박 튀김. The snacks were sweet and oily, so the host served savory baked chicken as well.
The food was great, but what made the evening special was the interaction and conversations. People from five different countries talked in four different languages as they shaped the song-pyun and fried the vegetables. People patiently broke through languages barriers to share stories about themselves and their countries. As one guy was leaving, one of his new friends invited him to play soccer together tomorrow. The two guys were only able to communicate through a translator, but they expressed warmth through facial expressions and gestures. They seemed excited to get together again in the future.
Interactions like the one described above are steps toward peace. Being able to put a friendly face with an otherwise disconnected country goes a long ways. That interaction was possible thanks to MANNAM. I am always glad to be a part of stuff like that (and enjoy a nice meal in the process).
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