Photograph credit: Solon Johnson

The World Feast is one of the most unifying aspects of World Reach Week. Thirteen countries, ranging from Colombia to China, coming together and sharing something special from their home is a great joy. There is such beauty in people expressing themselves through making the signature foods of their cultures. Food and eating together is an excellent way to foster community. It is a beautiful thing to share pieces of our hearts with people through sharing our food with them. It reminds me of the communion which the disciples experienced while dining with Christ around small tables. 

I was able to glean a little into the heart of my friend, Cornelia, as I asked her questions about what she chose to make for the World Feast. I loved hearing how unique the experience of making her food was to her. 

Cornelia is from China and she chose to make dumplings. Her reason for choosing to make them is because they are a quintessential Chinese food. She called them a “well-known internationally-acceptable food that people enjoy.”

It was her first time making them herself, which is an exciting achievement! It is a pretty long process as it takes about 1.5-2 hours to make them and then she freezes them overnight and cooks them the next day. Growing up, her mom used to make them for her family. She told me they taste different for everyone, especially depending on region, and they taste better when you make them yourself because of the accomplishment you feel after making them. 

A popular table at the World Feast was the Korean table where Yerin made Kimbab and Tokpoki, which are both traditional Korean snacks. These two dishes are cheap, quick options, which make them common options for students in Korea throughout their school days. 

Yerin chose to simplify the traditional Korean version of Kimbab. Kimbab consists of seaweed, vegetables, and meat. She chose to include seaweed, rice, carrots, red peppers, and fish cake in her rendition. The sauce she made consisted of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a little sugar. She mixed all that together, made a thin layer of the mixture on top of the seaweed, and rolled it. Tokpoki consists of rice cake, fish cake, and the Korean traditional sauce, Tokpoki sauce.

Hearing Cornelia and Yerin’s experiences in cooking for the World Feast allowed me to connect with the World Feast in a more personal way than usual. I was able to see more of the depth behind what was made, rather than simply attending and enjoying the food. It is delightful to witness the joy that flows out of people as they partake in an activity which conveys part of their identity. I hope the Cairn community as a whole can partake in more fellowship like this throughout the school year so that we can get to know our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ more intimately.