Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Why buy toys?

In the last two weeks, I've come to realize that it is almost totally unnecessary to buy toys for a toddler because the simplest things are incredibly interesting to them. From straws to locks to bottles with caps, our little girl enjoys them all. She's fascinated with trying to lock our trunks using straws and other random objects shoved down into the lock hole. How she figured out they need locks, we have no idea. These fascinations, however, pale in comparison to one of her most recent interests--poop.

Last week, she was playing in the backyard and discovered a pile of poo left by our neighbor's cat. When she saw a green fly land on it, she walked over, squatted beside it, and exclaimed, "Ooooohhh," as she pointed excitedly. If this were to happen on just one occasion, we might not find it as funny. On Tuesday, we were visiting a historical site in the city, and a few feet from where I stood, there happened to be a pile of dog poo. She slowly approached the nastiness, pointed at it, and said, "Oooooohhh." Why the fascination, I don't know. Maybe she was trying to tell me, "This thing is in the wrong place, Mom." Whatever her motivation, we both had a good laugh at her expense for sure!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

What!?!

Living in South Asia is full of surprises... especially on the roadways. The first time you see a a bus full of people with another 30 people on the roof it's a bit of a surprise, something to laugh at. We see families of 5 all on one 100cc scooter sitting comfortably, two guys on a bike with a full sized goat in the middle, and two guys on a motorcycle with a full 4'x 8' sheet of plywood standing on end in between. All of which are pretty routine these days. We get desensitized to the comedy of it all. We don't even laugh anymore when we see a 60 lb. Labrador riding on the front of a scooter. A guy on a motorcycle holding three dozen chicken by their feet driving down the road? No, not that funny these days. It's common everyday stuff. But, every once in a while we see something new. Something that breaks away from the ordinary, if you can call it that. Yesterday I was riding down the street on my bicycle. A motorcycle began to slowly pass me on the right, and then I saw the white butt laying horizontally across the passenger's lap! No, no it's not what you think. I am not sure how exactly they transport mannequins in America, but in South Asia they do it by motorcycle, one at a time. As the motorcycle pulled in front of me, I began to laugh as I rode my bicycle. Two South Asian guys on a motorcycle, and the guy in the back has a white, naked mannequin lying across his lap driving down the road. It doesn't get much better than that. Sometimes I feel sorry for all of you back home with nothing to look at while driving to work but the same old cars and the same old trucks. The next time you are sitting at a traffic light just picture a few motorcycles beside you. One carrying 5 people, another with a sheet of plywood or maybe a goat, and a third with a naked mannequin. It will make your commute much more interesting!

Friday, February 5, 2010

What Would You Do?

Imagine you're driving to see a friend when you cross a bridge. On the bridge a large crowd is gathered, peering over the sides and pointing into the river below. Out of curiosity, you stop to see what the fuss is about, and find that the object of all the attention is an unborn baby that has been thrown from the bridge, discarded like a piece of trash not worthy of any dignity. What would you do as everyone stood there staring?

This happened to a friend of ours this week, and he sent a message louder than any words could have said. He walked down to the river bank and waded into this body of water that is scarcely more than raw sewage to pull that little child out of the water. He buried the tiny baby on the river bank to give that lost life even a semblance of the dignity he or she deserved.

These are the things people live with every day here. In the U.S., it's almost a hidden horror because we do not see that loss before us, but here it is laid out in the open for all to see. Is one really better than the other? Of course not. Let this be a reminder for us to lift up those everywhere who are struggling to realize the value of human life. They need to know there is a loving One who created them and has a plan for every child. This view of the life of the unborn child somehow being less important has even permeated the local fellowships here and needs to be broken by the only Victor who can.

This awful experience our friend had just reminded me that no matter what happens here on Earth or how messed up humans can be, every one of those lost children will have the very best Parent of all for eternity, and to Him they are treasures in whom He delights.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Relationship Building

Whenever you move to a new place it is important to make new friends. Luckily we have moved to a very friendly country, and for the most part, making new friends is easy. But, for one of the three of us, making new friends is even easier. The other day we were in a shoe store buying new shoes for Nay. I had just put on a pair of shoes for her to try out, and she took off walking down the aisle in them. Just then another little girl, about 2 years old, came around the corner. She looked at Nay walking down the aisle and immediately walked up to her to give her a hug and a kiss! In the course of the next two minutes these two little girls hugged 2 more times. It was one of those times I really wished I had a camera with me. They were very cute together.

Now it is very common for random strangers to smile at me, say hello, even walk up and ask my name or where I am from, but no one has immediately hugged and kissed me. Come to think of it, I get the most smiles and hello's when I am carrying my little girl. There is a very good possibility that if we didn't have her we would actually have no friends. So I guess she really does pull her own weight!