My Father's Joy Weblog

Tong Mi, who goes by the english name of Charis, has been in my life for as long as I can remember. She started working for my family when I was little, and then eventually started living with us. Because she has esentially lived in our house since I was just a wee lassie, she is just like a sister to me and my siblings. My entire family considers her one of us. Charis was the daughter of the village prostitute, and had no idea who her father was. She had no desire to follow her mother’s footsteps, even though her mother persistently tried to marry her off the rich families. She started living with us when she was 13. Whatever village we moved to, Charis moved with us. When we went on home assignment we tried to find good schools for her to go to, so that she wouldn’t have to be in her village. Charis was a hard worker, and was the one my mother always refered to as an example when she talked to me about work and efficiency. Charis was also patient. It was her job to teach me how to do embroidery, and at the time I wasn’t in any way interested. I wanted to be out playing, not sitting in a chair sewing. Despite all that, she was very patient with me. If there was one thing I allowed her to teach me, it was how to read and write Hmong. She taught classes on how to read and write at our local church, and I went to them. Charis is a sweet, loving person who is just fun to be around. She is now married and has two lovely little girls. She named them Paj Zaub (vegetable flower) and Paj Ntaub (embroidery). Paj Ntaub just happens to be my Hmong name

Charis has definetely been a big influence in my life.