Africa Cries Out Report 2023010 Chinese team defeated Brazilian team
Author Xu Jun, March 25, 2023
Mr. Nielsen has been leading the Brazilian church members in New York to work alongside our team for over a decade. Together, we have shared many touching stories, been through thick and thin, and faced incredible challenges. One such challenge was crossing the jungle in Senegal to reach villages in need of medical aid and food. We also navigated through Guinea-Bissau during the civil war, where each of the 21 checkpoints felt like a gateway to hell, demanding money or thoroughly searching your luggage on the side of the road. Throughout it all, the Brazilian team provided unwavering courage and support, and we have become close friends, bonded through life and death experiences.
This year, they brought 15 members to join our large team of 86 (registered as 91), making them seem small in comparison. We jokingly called them the “Brazilian team,” while we became the “Chinese team.”
The Chinese team and the Brazilian team each bring their unique strengths to the table – the Chinese team excels in medical work, while the Brazilian team is skilled in logistics. Despite the healthy competition between the teams, there is a deep understanding and willingness to help one another. Throughout the duration of the project, there were no conflicts or misunderstandings.
Every morning, the Brazilian team took the lead in ensuring that breakfast was prepared and that sandwiches were made for everyone to take along for lunch on the road. In the evenings, upon our return to the base, the Brazilian team had dinner ready for the group. While not particularly abundant, given the difficult conditions, with two teams and translators caring for 150-160 people, their efforts were truly appreciated.
Unexpected events can bring people together and create opportunities for kindness and generosity. After a few days of eating sandwiches, everyone felt like they could relate to the crude phrase from Lu Zhishen, “there’s an ‘X’ taste in my mouth.” Meanwhile, Professor Jiang’s surgical team stayed in a hotel in the city and received free meals from Minghong, a kind-hearted member of the Chinese church in Dhaka. Minghong was aware of the team’s selfless service to African patients, and she made sure to prepare delicious dishes and fresh soup for them as a gesture of gratitude.
Upon learning of Minghong’s generosity, the entire staff felt overwhelmed with gratitude. They expressed their appreciation, and Minghong and the Chinese team discussed the idea of inviting everyone to a Chinese feast. Despite the long drive and heavy traffic on Fridays, Minghong agreed to host the event, demonstrating her strong and heroic nature.
After discussing the menu, the Chinese team kindly offered to treat all the base personnel, including translators and students, to a Chinese feast on Friday evening as a gesture of appreciation for their hard work. They also offered to temporarily relieve the Brazilian team of their duties so that they could enjoy the meal.
Although the Chinese team’s intentions were good, the Brazilian team felt that they were being overlooked and underestimated. They felt that the Chinese team’s offer was a direct challenge to their skills, especially after the effort they had put into preparing the sandwiches. They were determined to show the Chinese team that they were not to be underestimated. the Brazilian team sent Pastor Nelson to Dhaka to purchase fresh Senegalese grass-fed beef from a specialty supermarket for foreigners. He then prepared a traditional Brazilian barbecued beef dish to showcase their culinary skills and demonstrate their expertise.
As the charcoal stove blazed, the Brazilian team’s mastery of the art of barbecuing was on full display. In Brazilian culture, grilling meat is often considered a man’s domain, and the team’s skills and confidence were evident in the perfectly crispy and tender beef, seasoned with coarse sea salt. The aroma and flavor of the dish were reminiscent of the heroes of Liangshan Mountain feasting on meat and wine.
After a week of subsisting on sandwiches, the Chinese team was overjoyed by the delicious meal. They savored every bite, their spirits lifted by the nourishing food. As Sister Minghong had said, good food is vital to our well-being, and the Chinese team felt grateful for the Brazilian team’s hospitality.
Despite their initial doubts and fears, the Chinese team regained their confidence after their satisfying meal. They called Sister Minghong, who assured them that she was ready to help them face any challenge that might arise. With this support, the Chinese team was ready to continue their work with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.
Sister Minghong immediately added more dishes to the menu and launched a preemptive strike.
- Fruit salad
- Fried spring rolls and pumpkin cakes
- Fried fermented rice and eel
- Pan-fried dumplings
- Sushi
- Orleans grilled chicken
- Beef fried rice
- Seafood fried noodles
- Baby bok choy
- Stir-fried deer antler mushroom
- Cauliflower stir-fried with squid ink
- Braised beef brisket with potatoes
- Isolated lamb
- Stir-fried bacon with bamboo shoots
- Duck soup with cordyceps flower
- Large fish ball soup
The next day was Friday, and Sister Minghong prepared a lavish spread of 16 dishes, which were delivered to the base in three cars at 5 o’clock sharp. Our Chinese team was determined to prove their culinary prowess and defeat the Brazilian team, seeking redemption for the recent loss of the Chinese men’s football team. We were eager to face them head-on and show them what we were made of. We had instructed everyone to gather for dinner at 6:30, but by 7:00, we were still waiting. A phone call came in, “Traffic jam.” At first, we didn’t think it was a big deal and waited patiently. In the meantime, we donated computers, phones, and shoes to the students at the base, hoping to make a positive impact on the community. But as the clock struck 8 o’clock, we received another call with only two words, “Traffic jam.” That’s when the Chinese team started to worry, “Something’s not right. We might lose to the Brazilian team now.”
the Brazilian team was overconfident and thought that we might be preparing sandwiches by now. However, they were proven wrong when, at 8:30, a loud cheer erupted: “They’re here!” We all rushed to the long table, following Sister Minghong’s lead as she arranged the large food trays. Unfortunately, she had to leave a gap, and with a sad expression, she said, “One car hasn’t arrived yet.”
Everyone’s stomachs were rumbling with hunger, and the sight of the delicious food made it hard to tell the difference between the 12 and 16 dishes. As we said a prayer, everyone lined up eagerly to get their food. We enjoyed a frenzied meal and felt mostly full. However, suddenly, we heard a shout: “Sorry, we passed the base and had to turn back and got stuck in traffic again. Our last truck arrived at 9:00.”
Despite already feeling full, everyone couldn’t resist trying the new dishes. After all, there were four more dishes to taste. We hurriedly lined up again to get more food. The Chinese team felt victorious, and Dr. Han Yuqi and Dr. Chris Liu exclaimed, “This is the real feast!” We had waited four hours for this feast, and it was worth every minute.
Nelson’s son Andrew from the Brazilian team shrugged and said, “China won this year. What about next year? Who knows?”
Editor in charge: Liu Hui, Guo Yuanchun
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