Rising to the task

10/26 Here's the challenge: your host family is hosting a big to-do luncheon for a distant relative of your host mom (called 'sisters', in fine Micronesian fashion), your whole family's there, as is the complete campaign crew-- my 'auntie' is running for a seat in the senate, cool huh? Moments before the meal begins, your host father let's you know that you'll be performing the blessing. Here's the kicker, you don't share their faith and you aren't willing to pretend you do. What do you do? What do you say? I'll tell ya, you deliver a damn fine blessing, evoking appreciative nods, without a single mention of a deity. Bam, what's up? That's how we do it in Houk.