What do you get when you combine 2 pairs of rollerblades and 4 children? 4 happy children having lots of fun! No, two of them don't stand by and watch the other two having fun. Being such a sharing people, you might expect them to patiently wait until the first two were finished having fun. But oh, no. Each of the four takes 1 rollerblade and zooms around the church compound having a blast! What a difference between our culture and theirs! They don't seem to notice at all that one person should wear both. And when some one of them comes into the courtyard with some food - samosas, mo-mo's, candy (theirs isn't as sweet as ours but they have a knockout toffee they call chocolate) - it gets shared all around. Westerners are noticed for taking their 'spoils' or treat and going and enjoying it themselves, without a thought of sharing it all around. After all, what's the point? Nobody would get enough, then. But that's not the Nepali way.
But I wouldn't have thought of them as an aggressive people, not until Sheri, Vanessa & I (Mom) encountered the 'beggar from hell' (no, not literally). We were innocently walking down the sidewalk and passed by the same woman who always lies on the sidewalk just before the main department store. We had dropped some coins on her mat before but, this time, didn't have any. Well, she noticed we were (rich) Westerners, I guess, and wasn't prepared to just 'let us pass', as Gandalf would say. She took her stick and whacked Sheri on the leg. Okay, that was a little rude. But wait till the return home. Of course, none of us was feeling very predisposed towards her anymore. But she employed the same tactic, this time meeting with Bonnie's exposed wrist with a vengeance. It literally broke the skin and left a bruise by the next day. Whoa! What was that? What did we do to deserve that? Be born in the West? So now we travel on the other side of the street. What to do? Maybe one day we can sit down on the sidewalk with her; if only we could speak the language. Such are the challenges.
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4 comments:
Hi Bonnie, Ken & Girls
We have been enjoying your blogs! Your descriptiveness has made us feel like we are there - especially the engagement ceremony & meal!! I have forwarded the link to Rachel who is in England now with YWAM, as I know she will enjoy these as well.
Take care and God Bless!
Val & Ron Wood
Hey Alana and Karina,
We've enjoyed reading your postings to hear how things are going in Nepal. It sounds like the Lord is using you and your family in great ways! We'll continue to pray for you and we'll hopefully talk to you soon.
Mike F
Hi Guys
Just wanted you to know we left some comments on the March 6 blog by accident. So check them out. Have a great day and again we miss you. Bye for now. Mike and I are going to Edmonton for a getaway for the weekend. Pray for our kids and our parents who are watching them and us, to relax. God bless.
Yeah, That's something, eh? I guess a lot of times we don't know other peoples motives, or their own prejudices. Some people are hard to love.
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