One week ago, I was on a public bus sitting next to my roommate as we bounced along a pot hole infested road coming down off the "hill" (truly it was a mountain) where we had stayed for a week in a small, remote village with a team of college students from America.
Here's a glimpse into that crazy, adventurous, challenging week...
We started off with big smiles plastered on our faces as we hopped on the public bus at 6 am for a 10 hour bus ride into Dhobi. During that long, bumpy, smelly ride we slept, laughed, danced in our seats as we lip-synced and rested up for the long day we would have after a rough night's sleep on a rock hard "mattress."
There were moments on our 6 hour hike under the hot sun in the hills when my roommate and I weren't sure we were going to make it! Well, maybe just me. She's pretty tough. It was up and down, and up and down, and up and down. And then just up. And, man, was it brutal. I knew I was out of shape, but this really proved it!
I was given the responsibility of being Dr. Mags on this trip...and it's a good thing I was there! One of the students took a tumble down a hill and gashed open his knee. So there was a brief pit stop for some neosporin, bandaids, and the forced, slightly painful removal of small rocks and dirt. He was a trooper! And now he has a sweet scar to show off to the ladies. Our Nepali guide kept asking me if I was a doctor and was incredibly eager to watch everything I did that made me open the medical kit!
The first three days in the village we worked in the local school, which had maybe 70 students in it. My roommate, another expat, and I did the translating for the team. We taught about colors, body parts and geography.
These boys were so sweet! They are incredibly bright, and caught on to everything we taught very quickly. I loved getting to talk with them about what we were doing and helping them with their work in class.
At the end of every day we taught the kids a silly American song. Songs like "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and "The Hokey Pokey". The first time or two we tried the songs, they would just all stand and stare and the crazy white people wiggling around yelling words they didn't know. But then one of us would make them giggle and they were sold! Their favorite was a song called "Aroustasha" where we said made up words and did crazy body motions. Getting to translate for this part of school was by far my favorite!
One night, we caught the village ladies as they were grinding corn to fry the meat in for dinner. The other expat and I jumped in right away to "help." We soon gathered a crowd of snickering women as we valiantly attempted to grind the corn. To no avail. Apparently it's not an inherent skill for the two of us! But it did make for some good laughs and memories.
Since we only brought two outfits with us for one week, laundry was a necessity! My roommate and I found ourselves squatting down in the rain scrubbing our clothes at the public tap with a bar of soap and a metal bowl. One of the village ladies came over and asked if she should wash our clothes for us, seeing as how we clearly didn't know what we were doing. After we assured her that we were fine on our own, she suggested that standing up might be better for our weak backs. After our conversation, she stood and watched us for several minutes laughing to herself at the sight of the two of us!
What village trip isn't complete without snuggling a baby or two? This little guy, Nissan (yup, just like the car brand), belonged to one of the ladies who was in charge of our food and lodging while in the village. He's only 6 months old, but quite the chunker.
The village is situated on top of a hill (seriously, it's a mountain) so we were blessed with some of the most incredible, breath-taking views I have ever seen. Everyday was a picture and masterpiece made just for us. I loved just sitting outside our little room and looking out over the rolling hills as the clouds rolled through the village.
Saturday provided an opportunity for us to attend Nepali church in the village! The team got up and sang a few songs for the congregation. Little did they know they were being recorded for posterity sake by one of the villagers! The team leader, Chris, gave a message on spreading the gospel throughout the village. A sermon that could have very well gotten all of our visas revoked on the spot, and we would have been sent back to America. That's how you know it's good preaching.
This was truly one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. Exciting, frustrating, rewarding, breath taking, trying, energizing and draining at the same time, and body-aching. All for the glory of God. And all by the grace of God.
"And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed!)
Kid, you'll move mountains!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Alenn O'Shea
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!"
Dr. Suess, Oh, the Places You'll Go
No comments:
Post a Comment