This Wonderful Life....

I sat there, a rooftop in Honduras. Gathered around me were brothers and sisters from Honduras, Ukraine, and the States. Spanish prayer ascended into the clear, star specked sky above us and to one side the silhouettes of mountains rose majestically in the dim night sky. In the opposite direction lightening danced through the distant layers of clouds performing an ode to the Creator. The temperature was perfect at day's end. I thought to myself, 'Who lives this life? How can everything be so perfect?'

It is me. This is my life. I'm treasuring these moments because in this place of an uncertain future, I need perfect spaces like this where I can be indisputably reminded of God's goodness and kindness. I'm thankful for the blessing of fellowship with other believers, and the grace of a time of rest. May the God who has given me this beautiful time, be glorified.

I'm Dying....

.... And so are you.

It's been that way since I was born. Because life is a terminal diagnosis. We're all dying, some just faster than others. I just wish we would live a little more that way. Like the dying people we are, savoring moments,  speaking kind words, and making decisions count.

Dying people tend to consider eternity in their decisions.  They make choices to maximize their time and money. They take risks because risks seem less risky when nothing is sure anyways.  Dying people do things now, because later might not come. Visits and conversations are ended with care just in case. Even to those who categorize themselves as 'living' rather than 'dying' there is nothing sure in this life... we must each realize that we're dying.

Do you know what else we should realize? That everyone else is dying too. You don't tend to focus on the faults of dying people, you want to stay positive and uplifting. That habit would benefit every relationship we have. Zoom in on the good things and let the ick around it all drift out of focus. The picture book of our lives would be so much more lovely. As would our speech.

If we really understood that there is no cure for death, how would we live differently? Would we invest more in people than things? Would we take time to tell the dying people around us about eternal living? About LIFE and that more abundantly? Would we focus more on appearance or on character? I think we would fit more living into life.

Maybe if we knew we were dying, church would become Christians loving Christians, and we would tell other people our life story in order to introduce them to the LIFE in our story. Because if we were dying, we'd realize that we have a finite number of minutes to share the Joy and the Truth, and that at any time our meter might be up. And we'd understand that if we ever plan to change the world or the way we interact with it, this is our chance.

Would we prioritize the important over the urgent? The needs of others above our own? Would we be slower to speak unkind things and more sincere and timely in apology when we did? Would we give sooner than taking? If we really comprehended the inevitability of dying, which issues in our lives would we shift to the 'No Big Deal' list?

We take care of dying people, and we usually cut them some slack.... if we realize they're dying. We cherish them and try to make their lives easier. We look after the well-being of their souls. We make sacrifices on their behalf and give up our comfort for theirs.
Essentially, we give them the best of everything we have. And we listen to them too. Because they're dying, after all. And somehow the status of dying makes you more important.

So guess what. You're dying. And so is everyone else. Maybe it is time we start living that way.

Angkor Wat... Sequal to A Watery Adventure

There is this amazing place near Siem Reap. It covers over 400 square Km(248 sq miles). After housing empires, it was first a Hindu, then a Buddhist temple. Currently, it is both a historical site and a Wat, which is a Buddhist monastery/temple.

Angkor Wat.

For centuries, this amazing set of structures, temples, palaces, hydraulic systems, and canals was the headquarters of several different empires. Besides being massive, the place is filled with intricate carvings, statues, relief work, and architecture.

And everywhere there are the reminders that humans need God. On almost every surface there are images of different 'divine' beings. In many of the buildings there are shrines and idols. It is the largest religious monument in the world. It was erected in honor of deities, not in honor of the king or emperor.

Giant lion-like creatures guard the entrances to many of the buildings. Much like the ancient temple of Solomon would've been, every single surface of wall, ceiling, pillar, and porch was intricately decorated with stone carvings and embellishments.

This was all constructed in a time where heavy machinery was synonymous with an elephant. Yet there is still some mystery to how it was all constructed and has stayed together so well. Stone joints are carefully carved, and gravity is amazingly utilized to hold everything together. It is thought that bamboo scaffolds and pulley systems were behind much of the construction.

It is impossible to even comprehend the time and man-hours that went into this whole place. Some of the inscriptions indicate that 300,000 laborers and 6000 elephants were used in the construction of one temple alone. Massive stones, at least 5 million tons of them, were transported from a quarry about 25 miles away. They were bonded together with a vegetable compound, not mortar, making the joints almost invisible.

A common theme is the seven-headed snake god, Naga. This god represents immortality, energy, timelessness, and earth. This picture has men supporting the body of the snake god, which formed a rail along a bridge. This god is thought of as a sort of intermediary between man and the gods.

The temple below is an evidence of just how far man will go to try to reach God. There are several such temples throughout the grounds. It just speaks to the desperation we have to know our creator. To give worship to One that is Higher than ourselves.

As these structures are ancient, many are crumbling. Trees grow up through some of the temples, buildings, an walkways. The jungle-feel adds an additional element of incredible awe to the whole place. One of the palace areas has an elephant gate, and an entire walkway supported by identical columns, which goes on for hundreds of yards.

In the end, I stand awed by what men can do. At the same time, the ruin of it all... all the years, manpower, planning, work, and lives that went into this incredible place.... and now it is just ruins of what used to be. It is a reminder of human mortality and limitations. The visit reminded me once again of the vapor of our lives. While it is awe-inspiring to see what amazing things men can build and do, it is equally as awe-some to realize what humans cannot do. Despite our best efforts, we are mortal, and our physical labor ends in ruin.

While I may be over-spiritualizing the whole thing, I just felt once again how important it is to invest in eternity. How incredible it is to have a God who allows us access to Himself. It is all just a reminder to let our biggest efforts go toward things of eternal value.

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that really don't matter." - Francis Chan

A Watery Adventure (part 2)...

This is about the people. Lovely, dark-eyed, people with skin the color of perfectly creamed coffee. People from two very different places, who live alongside each other, melding customs and ways. People who work together to make life happen.

The Kami are from Cambodia originally. They have long lived on and around the lake, drawing from its many resources for sustenance. The other group is the Vietnamese. They came here as refugees, but they've stayed and built a life here. Though the communities have remained separate, intermarriage occurs, along with the borrowing of various customs and skills.

And faith. Faith seems to be similar in both groups. Buddhism, ancestor worship, and a strong fear of spirits and ghosts. Everything is seen to have spiritual origins, and those who've preceded us in death are seen to greatly impact our lives. Altars are erected in even the smallest homes to appease these spirits. Life operates on a basis of fear. Consequences. Superstition.

But there is Hope, and it is being offered. Offered by those from the outside, working alongside these people, and offered from the inside, from those who've seen Hope and Life and Light.

This little fella was about 8-9 months old. His momma didn't want him, and twice, she attempted to abort him. After the second attempt failed, she accepted her pregnancy and is now raising her little boy. He is jolly, though slightly delayed in physical development.

And this couple. A school teacher and his wife. Our hosts for out time on the lake. This beautiful couple are parents to two, and gracious in hospitality. Both are hard workers. Their love of God shows on their faces, and through every action. It was an honor to get to know them.

Every morning around 7 am, between 30-70 kids show up for school. They sit on the floor with open notebooks, all ages and grades together. They teach each other and are taught by Anhai, the school-teacher above. The chatter and energy of these kids was what we woke up to every morning.

And smiling faces greeted us with hugs and carefully drawn pictures. They taught us to count and identify colors in their mother-tongue. They showed us their mad boating skills. And they invited us to join them in the myriad of games that seem to be universal to school-aged children around the world.

I so enjoyed these beautiful people. Hospitable, friendly, and so sweet. The types of things that communicate beyond language barriers. Together we enjoyed rice and fish for every meal, and together we squatted at the barge's edge and washed dishes right into the lake.

I spent quite a bit of time with these women, as we worked together on bringing maternal healthcare to the village. We learned from each other.... customs, ways of thinking, and care techniques. We combined our knowledge and offered it in a place where medical care is sketchy at best. We talked about strategies and opportunities. We used the opportunities that arose, and offered care where we were asked to.

What a beautiful opportunity we had, crossing cultures, languages, and boarders. We saw opportunity and need. Together, these ladies and I reached out to their own in the ways we were able. Three languages, three cultures, three groups of people came together for 9 days, and we worked together to offer hope.

More Sisters....

So after the trip to the waterfalls, we made a motorized tour of the island. We stopped at the home of our drivers where we were served fresh coconut. So fresh was this coconut that a long, bamboo spire with a knife on the end was employed to relieve the tree of said fruit before our very eyes.












 Machetes were wielded to facilitate the disembowelment of the coconut, and they were laid on the table before us.













 Early next morning, we took a small fishing boat out for a cruise. We snorkeled, saw giant clams over 1.3 meters in length, and each got a nice bit of sunburn to show for it.

 On the way back to our resort the heavens showed their hospitality by opening the windows, as it were, and drenching us.(hence my sisters' malongs).








 Following our days in paradise, I introduced my sisters to the peach-mango pie at Jollibee....













 Roadside fruit stands......










And the open market which was described as being simultaneously "The most fascinating and disgusting thing I have ever seen".









I have spared the pictures of freshly butchered meat, the smell of dried fish, and the sounds of pigs being led to slaughter.

 I introduced them to my Indian friend, Tareen.











These identical twins showed up at the primary health care outreach we did.












While I listened to hearts and lungs and checked rashes and fevers, my sisters made their own set of friends.















They made their way into a lot of little hearts.











And left with a large number of admirers.

 

 We tasted the goodness of Davao's best Frappe,















And learned the joys of public transportation. To top it all off, we went to the nearby mall for the fountain show. These fountains are choreographed to music, as are the colorful lights that accompany their dance. What a finale to a whirlwind, wonderful visit from two of the most precious friends a girl could ever have.

About the Sister(s)...

So I told you my sister was coming to see me. Imagine, then, my surprise when not one but TWO sisters showed up at the airport! The dear, weary travelers caught me completely off-guard and I must admit, I shed a few tears in my happiness.






A newly-acquired friend from the airport took us out for breakfast. Nothing says 'Welcome to Davao' quite like porriage with pig intestines for breakfast!







The next few days were filled with babies as my sisters shadowed me on birth-room shifts. I have never known anything quite like the first cry of a newborn baby to steal hearts and bring tears to one's eyes. I believe it was love at first sight.










The shifts were full and busy, which made getting over jet-lag a bit of a challenge. Post-partum hemorrhage and jet lag apparently don't mix well.







They were naturals at newborn care, and got to hold not a few infants when other hands were too full.








After our busy days of work, we were off to paradise. We spent four nights in this  little hut, the ocean creeping right up to the wall in front of us each night.














Oh, good evening, Mt. Apo. The harbor lights winked at us from across the bay.










Every morning, delicious fresh fruits and coffee as we watched the fishermen row home after a long night's work.








Sister moments.......











And starfish......












Sunsets......















and some of the most beautiful and serene moments you could possibly imagine.









Each day we hopped motorcycles and toured the little villages nearby. We enjoyed local foods, scenery, and the admiring gazes of hundreds of people.

I introduced them to this little piece of heaven known as Haggimit Falls. It is a series of natural waterfalls with pools, natural slides, and natural diving boards.








There, too, we had many gazing admirers. Peachy was far bolder than I, and took many jumps off of these perilous heights. I managed one, only after many false alarms, and much effort to turn off the rational part of my brain that didn't think striking my head on a rock was a good way to die.












Here's an example of Peachy's unparalleled bravery. There is more to this story, but for now, I will desist from my attack of photos. To be continued.....