borrowed umbrellas and baby duck eggs.
Yesterday afternoon I went visiting a few of my friends, checking in to see how they're doing. It started raining while I was out driving from the first house to a different street where the rest of the families I was going to see live. Rain is a wonderful thing here these days because without rain it is so incredibly hot. The rain brings a coolness and a refreshing that you can only hope lasts through the rest of the day. It had not rained in several days, so this was a very welcome rain although I was unprepared for it and was hoping to make it home without becoming too wet.
There were multiple times a few years ago when it would rain really hard and we would go visit our families anyway. Just deal with the cold and the wet. It's okay. Just walk through completely flooded muddy streets and take a shower when you get home - or at least rinse your feet off. And watch your friends faces put on big smiles as you show up in spite of the rain. (Really though, if you have a busy week and you miss some visits because of rain you must find another time to see them in that week. Really though, when a baby is eating only formula and you do not go you might get that phone call saying all the formula is gone. And really though, sometimes the next day is Saturday and that's a different kind of day.) I like that they know though that we will come whether it's a good time to come or not. We'll show up in the craziness of the rainy season and we'll laugh with them and let them laugh at us as we tromp through the mucky water that tries to invade their homes.
Yesterday it was just a light little rain though and I found someone with an umbrella for me to borrow when I got there. I talked to a few different people making my way down the street.
Mat Yay who used to be so little when she was born several weeks early is thriving now at almost 18 months. She did not say thank you when I gave her formula to her, but she reached out for it with a smile and an "oooh" as she pulled it close. Her mom says she knows just what that can is and makes her way over to it when she's hungry.
Chealin called out my name with a smile as I walked by his house.
Foo's family gave me a watermelon to bring home.
I was invited to dinner at one house, but had to decline for the day. Maybe another time.
Neang asked why we hadn't come to teach the Bible to the kids that morning. I'm sorry, we didn't have enough people to come.
Srey Pech came running over and told me all about the cut on the top of her head. Doesn't look like the nicest cut, but I didn't have anything to clean it with. If she comes to my house tomorrow and it's still messy I'll clean it up for her. Apparently someone through a brick of sorts at her. She didn't seem to upset about it though. And while she is telling me this her mom starts telling me how Srey Pech (who is 4) fell in the neighbors outhouse the other day. What!? Yes. She climbed out though. When I asked how deep it was her mom said it was deep enough. Somehow this tiny little friend was able to catch herself on the way down and monkey her way back up with her hands and feet. I am so grateful she is okay. I am also grateful that her mom says and means, Jesus helped her. And as I was leaving her mom gave me three baby duck eggs to take home with me. I am grateful for the generosity really, but after all these years here I still cannot bring myself to eat one of these eggs. You see, there is a real almost baby duck inside. Real enough that when you consume these you sometimes know you are eating the baby ducks head. And they have feathers. I can't bring myself to do it. I hope I never have to eat one. My boys, they'll try most things. Three baby ducks gone.
And so I visited my friends in the twilight and left feeling grateful to be part of their lives. They make my life so much more full.
There were multiple times a few years ago when it would rain really hard and we would go visit our families anyway. Just deal with the cold and the wet. It's okay. Just walk through completely flooded muddy streets and take a shower when you get home - or at least rinse your feet off. And watch your friends faces put on big smiles as you show up in spite of the rain. (Really though, if you have a busy week and you miss some visits because of rain you must find another time to see them in that week. Really though, when a baby is eating only formula and you do not go you might get that phone call saying all the formula is gone. And really though, sometimes the next day is Saturday and that's a different kind of day.) I like that they know though that we will come whether it's a good time to come or not. We'll show up in the craziness of the rainy season and we'll laugh with them and let them laugh at us as we tromp through the mucky water that tries to invade their homes.
Yesterday it was just a light little rain though and I found someone with an umbrella for me to borrow when I got there. I talked to a few different people making my way down the street.
Mat Yay who used to be so little when she was born several weeks early is thriving now at almost 18 months. She did not say thank you when I gave her formula to her, but she reached out for it with a smile and an "oooh" as she pulled it close. Her mom says she knows just what that can is and makes her way over to it when she's hungry.
Chealin called out my name with a smile as I walked by his house.
Foo's family gave me a watermelon to bring home.
I was invited to dinner at one house, but had to decline for the day. Maybe another time.
Neang asked why we hadn't come to teach the Bible to the kids that morning. I'm sorry, we didn't have enough people to come.
Srey Pech came running over and told me all about the cut on the top of her head. Doesn't look like the nicest cut, but I didn't have anything to clean it with. If she comes to my house tomorrow and it's still messy I'll clean it up for her. Apparently someone through a brick of sorts at her. She didn't seem to upset about it though. And while she is telling me this her mom starts telling me how Srey Pech (who is 4) fell in the neighbors outhouse the other day. What!? Yes. She climbed out though. When I asked how deep it was her mom said it was deep enough. Somehow this tiny little friend was able to catch herself on the way down and monkey her way back up with her hands and feet. I am so grateful she is okay. I am also grateful that her mom says and means, Jesus helped her. And as I was leaving her mom gave me three baby duck eggs to take home with me. I am grateful for the generosity really, but after all these years here I still cannot bring myself to eat one of these eggs. You see, there is a real almost baby duck inside. Real enough that when you consume these you sometimes know you are eating the baby ducks head. And they have feathers. I can't bring myself to do it. I hope I never have to eat one. My boys, they'll try most things. Three baby ducks gone.
And so I visited my friends in the twilight and left feeling grateful to be part of their lives. They make my life so much more full.
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