tuesday photos

I'm blaming this one on my friend, Jen. Because she told me that you guys would like it. 

My intention was to capture the taxi playing chicken with the cow, but I got a little more than I anticipated. Obviously.

My friends. Their names (roughly translated): "Blacky," "Whitey" and "Whitey's mom." 

Blacky's mom was across the street. 

And this is what happens when you walk to church during monsoon season. 

This. child. is. hilarious. 

Everyday he asks me what grade I am in at school and then tells me that he is in grade 100. 

Congrats, Sundesh! You are in the highest grade in the world. 

Joo

The other day Cynthia and I were sitting in our friend's house drinking tea and the kids were roaring around the room telling us about all kinds of wild animals. All of the sudden all five of us had a burning desire to go to the zoo together. That was on Monday and the coming Friday happened to be a holiday, so we set the date for Friday. 

Most Nepali words are not at all like English words, but sometimes, English words make their way into the Nepali vocabulary. Words like computer, doctor, and zoo. But there is no "Z" sound in Nepali, so it ends up being "joo." And I don't know why, but Cynthia and I really got a kick out of it being called a joo.

We talked and talked about the joo all week and couldn't sleep last night because we were more excited than we are for Christmas Day (that is a true statement).  

The kids woke their mom up at 5 AM because they needed to shower and get ready to go to the joo. 

When Cynthia and I walked across the street this morning to go pick them up, they dragged us inside the house, pulled a small suitcase out from under the bed, and rummaged around for a beautiful dress for Sarala and some nice pants for the boys. 

All of that to say- we were excited. 

We arrived at the joo right when it opened and the police officer outside the gate took this nice photo of us. He made sure to get the "in" sign for us. I promise, the kids were excited too... they just don't smile for photos (you will see what I mean). 

We saw some reptiles who just really wanted to get out and play and some amazingly colored birds! 

We even got to see an enormous tiger roaming around his habitat! He was our favorite. 

  

Our other favorite was the elephant! Especially Sundesh... can't you tell? (No, but seriously, he was super excited. This kid just won't smile for the camera.)

The boat ride was nice, but so hot! Poor Sundesh in that sweatshirt!

Sweaty lovey boat ride. 

Then, as we were getting out of the boats, we saw the elephant walking down the path!  Those ladies on the right in the photo had just put some money in the elephant's outstretched trunk and did a quick puja to the elephant. The trainer (blue shirt) is pocketing the offerings. 

I'm telling you, Sundesh loved that elephant. Look at him starting to run away!

At one point, it started coming for Sarala and me because we didn't do the puja! 

Once the elephant was gone, we got Sundesh to smile! Ahh, sweet relief!

So we celebrated by walking past the "Funny Temple" and playing on the swings for a while.

I will always remember my first trip to the Nepali Joo with my friends. 

The End. 

tuesday photos

This Tuesday's photos brought to you exclusively by Sunday's hike... because the picture of the cow pooping in the middle of the road just didn't seem appropriate and the photos of the sister in the tea shop were not flattering at all. 

temple bells

For the past two weeks, the temple near my house has been blasting Shiva music every afternoon. Cynthia and I keep  planning on joking about how nice it would be to go break the speakers. So yesterday, when I heard the first round of Shiva songs spilling out of the temple, I ran inside the house and grabbed my hammer and tried to stick the memory card in without falling down the stairs on my way out the door. I decided that it would be better to use my "hammer" for good and take this opportunity to learn about this culture rather than to break their stuff. 

When my friend saw me with my camera, she insisted on taking me up the hill to the temple. She grabbed her baby. I grabbed my camera. And up we went. 

There wasn't much to see; just a bunch of bells and a few guys waiting for the rest of the worshippers to arrive. We did a little photo shoot as we waited for the shenanigans to begin, but suddenly the sky opened up and and drenched us with all of its bounty. The three of us huddled under my umbrella and laughed our way into the cover of my friend's room.  

My field trip ended as quickly as it had started and I was left with nothing more than soggy shoes and a good memory.  Mark this as gift number 5 of 1,000.

hammer.

It happens so fast.

I never get a warning. 

There is never a count down. 

I don't even get a chance to dip my toes in to feel how cold it is going to be- it's just a jolting push from behind and suddenly I am falling into discontent. Before I know it the melancholy is surrounding me and all I want is to catch my breath. 

It hasn't happened in a while. 

I've been trying to stay away from the edges (comparing myself to others, isolating myself, skipping the Sabbath), you know, so that I am less likely to fall. 

But this week has been kinda... cold and breathless. 

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My roommate recently challenged me to use my camera as a hammer "to drive out the nails of discontent." She is reading 1,000 Gifts, and the author, Ann Voskamp, is teaching her how to be thankful for the little things- how to see them all as gifts and to use those gifts to drive away discontent. 

I decided to take her up on the challenge.

Here are my first four gifts. 

Yugus. 

This boy. It seems fitting to start with him because he gets really, really excited about all of the little details of life. He helps me notice how amazing this world really is.

Yesterday my bike tire got punctured so Yugus, Saron, and I walked my bike up to the bike shop on the main road so that we could get the tire tube patched. Each time a big truck passed us, Yugus threw his arms into the air and exclaimed, "WOW! OHMYGOSH! THAT TRUCK IS SOOOO BIG!" After he did that for the third time it finally hit me: giant trucks that move really fast are actually pretty amazing.

I am thankful to live in a culture where polka-dot pants, flowered tops, and sparkly bracelets are completely stylish. Especially when you wear them together. 

For when the sounds of the chickens are too early and the sounds of Nepali verbs are too many, I am thankful for green moss and brown instant coffee. Side by side.

I am thankful for Iesma and her mom. I am thankful that I can hang out with them and not feel like a foreigner. Even when I have white skin and carry a giant "hammer," they are starting to feel like friends. 

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I am finding that thankfulness really does drive out the discontent. 

What are you thankful for today?

when the monsoon sweeps through

Monsoon season is coming to an end. The heavy mid-day showers have decided that it is best to visit in the evenings only. For that I am thankful. I have only been rained on once this week. The evening showers blow through leaving a few silky white clouds by morning. Instead of 24 hours of gloom, we are seeing blue skies! 

This morning I looked out the kitchen window just before the sun made the trek up and over the mountains. The silhouettes of Ganesh and Himalchuli beckoned me, "Come up higher! Get a better look!"  

It was already 5:45- which is well into the morning in my neighborhood. However, the world below my roof was unusually silent- as if every creature was being obedient to God and he was telling them, "be still. This is a holy moment." 

I stood on the roof, alone in the silence, but so very not alone. God was there, his Presence as real as the mountains that stood before me. 

The sun finished its climb and drove his warm rays onto the silent creatures below. As the silhouettes became real mountains I realized:  those mountains are always there. They have been there during this whole season. I just haven't seen them.

Then, like a child being reminded that her dad is not gone, he is just in the backyard mowing the lawn, I was reminded that my good Father is here with me. Just like the mountains, he is always here.

I am always here. I am always with you. 

The mountains behind my neighbor's clothesline.

Even when the monsoon is so thick

that I haven't seen Him in months.

Even when the rain is so heavy

that I think it will knock me over.

Even when the waters rise and the darkness looms. 

He is there. 

He is like the mountains, He will not be moved. 

The sun casting rays in our valley.

And monsoon season always comes to an end. 

The skies always clear and the mountains once again show their beautiful faces. 

If you are in the midst of monsoon right now, hold on! Better weather will come...

Tuesday Photos

Hey guys, 

So... I have been really behind on e-mails lately (I blame my language homework) but I just spent some time and read through and replied to the first half of my in-box. You guys! I can not say thank you enough for your support. You make the hard days bearable. 

Also, this month we are not going anywhere or doing anything, so it is like, super intense language learning month. You'll see what I mean...

Meaghan, Cynthia, and I are going trekking next month. We couldn't possibly live in Nepal for a year and not visit the Himalayas, so we will celebrate our one year anniversary of moving to Nepal by taking a trek into the BIG mountains- you know, those big snowy white ones on the calendars and screen savers? Yah, we are going to climb some of those. 

What does this have to do with a rock that is painted like an elephant? Well.... this elephant rock lies near the top of a really big hill. A big hill that Cynthia and I walked up. Because in a few weeks we are going to walk up the HIMALAYAS. So if we don't spend our weekend mornings climbing big hills now, we might die next month (that's hyperbole, Mom, don't freak out).

This is how I see the world after I've been studying Nepali for a few hours. 

It hurts, guys. I don't suggest it. 

The grass is always greener on the other side. 

Unless you live in Nepal. Because we don't have any grass. We have rice. 

Beautiful green rice that loves being ricey.

The rice is always greener on the other side. 

Top secret club sign making. I would tell you, but then I'd have to, you know...
Also, I have no idea why in the world my computer is forcing these words to be blue and it won't let me do anything about it.

Those are not llamas. They are alpacas. 

Ignore the message from "Cheeta Bear."

If you want to text me, I have a number. 

It's free.

Hit me up.

Girls only.  

Yesterday was SUNNY!

Gloriously sunny and not monsooney!

I didn't get rained on all day! 

Wonderful. 

Also, God gave us this thing called the Sabbath. 

I decided to be obedient this week and you know, rest.

Do you see that flower on the bottom right? I made a little art thingy out of the toilet paper rolls that I have been hoarding (I had to proove to my roommates that I am not a real hoarder.  I am a purposeful hoarder. There is a big difference.).

Sun + toilet paper art thingy = picture of my wall. 

Happy Tuesday!

from seeds to sprouts

                   Dear B, 

Remember, you are still in a season of tilling. 

Keep chuckin' rocks, (even the heavy ones)

pulling weeds, (even the prickly ones)

and getting ready to plant (even though it is the dry season). 

Cultivate the land well for those precious seeds. 

Soon then monsoon season will rain life from above onto those precious babies, 

filling them with love and truth.

Sure enough, the Good Lord will give them growth

and the harvest will be surrounded with shouts of JOY!

*I don't know who should get credit for this photo, but it made my day!

Tuesday Photos

I only took one picture this week. It didn't even make the cut. 

Instead, here are a few that never made it to the internet.

Cute kid in the village. 

Pratibha lighting fireworks on our roof. 

Me holding a baby bird. 

Laundry.

Asmita. 

Lately...

God is good.

The internet is too public to talk about the past couple of weeks, so here is a bullet list of random things that are allowed to be public:

• Last night Cynthia and I stood on the roof and watched the most amazing tree branchy firework lightning ever!

• Yesterday I prayed for someone and today he asked me if I have supernatural powers because apparently the prayer worked. 

• In Nepali, the words for "big-bellied" and "wounded" are very similar. Just sayin'.

• The other day after class I went on a walk with my neighbors for over an hour. We talked the whole time and I understood about 90% of what they were saying to me. I'm still not good at talking back though.

• I just finished reading Sold. I cried myself to sleep last night near the end of the book. It is super accurate. Read it and be moved.   

• My neighbor is the one who let me borrow Sold. She is a super awesome Nepali woman who does yoga and works for BBC. She will probably help us stop trafficking in Nepal.