Poka-Dotted Feet

Success! Another group of kids made it to Hili and back with a new pair of shoes, clothes, and ice cream. We have managed to take about 70 kids to town in groups of 6 to 8. As we head back from the fastest trip yet, I look down into the rice paddies submerged in water. The new rice grass is a beautiful, healthy green and only 7 - 9 inches tall. As it grows through the smooth, mirror-like water it seems that everything around is being reflected. I look past the green sprouts into the water and see the sun surrounded by big billowing clouds ready to close in on the shinning sphere. Its a magical scene. The once dry, barren ground just a few weeks prior is now covered in beautiful images of the sky. All I can hear is the excited chatter of the boys pointing out the new things that catch their eyes and the loud put, put, put of our wagon. It was a successful day in more than just one way. The boys held on tight to their bags with brand new shoes in them. And I held on to my bag with a new pair of shoes as well. This may seem like a minor accomplishment. But, I’m quite excited. You see, here in Bangladesh, women don’t have the same size foot as I do. Just last week we took a trip into Dhaka to spend a few days getting some supplies with the Waids. Mrs. Waid wanted us to have a chance to get a few keep-sakes before we headed home. So, as Mrs. Waid shopped for a pair of shoes for her daughter, I browsed around as well hoping I could find a pair for such a good price. ($2) We went into many stores and in each one, I came out of with no shoes but a new story that just made me laugh. In one place, the seller came up to me holding a big men’s dress shoe. He had this smirk on his face and I could tell he was offering this shoe to me cause my feet appeared way to big for any of the women’s shoes. I just laughed and went on to the next place. I quickly scanned the shoes trying to find one that might be able to match with my wide feet. I found one and asked if they had a big size and the man quickly sent a worker to look in their storage. He came back a few minuets later and pulled out the biggest size they carried. The seller carefully helped me put my foot in the shoe, as they love to do. My foot actually went all the way in, which didn’t happen very often. But, my toes stuck out over the front and my heel didn’t quite stay inside the back edge of the flip flops. He, however, thought differently. With a smile on his face he put his right had on my toes and his left on my heel and pushed towards each other till the shoe looked like a good match for my foot. He said with excitement, “Yes yes! Very good! It fits!!” I had to just laugh and tell him I wouldn’t be needing that pair of shoes. 

So now today, I’m holding a new, Bangladesh pair of flip flops. They fit just perfectly and I only paid about $2 for them. They have nice little poka-dots on them and you might not be able to tell that they are..... men’s flip flops. =)

A Lion in the Tunnel

It starts quiet. Then grows louder and louder as the minuets pass. A slow rumble. Then a loud explosion reverberates through the whole sky. Another burst answers the first and the conversation continues. I’d love to go up on the roof right now. It’s so tempting. But we’re by far the tallest building around and I’m not quite sure if they have a lightning rod. So, I decided to enjoy it at my window. I feel like I have a huge strobe light all around me. It’s constant lightning. When I see the lightning bolts, they seem to linger in the sky for a few seconds. After they burst, the remains look like embers glowing in a fire. The small glowing spots disappear as they fall out of the sky. The thunder soon follows. It sounds like a huge lion roaring in a tunnel. It echos through the sky and I feel it rumbling in my chest. What a fantastic storm. The lightning continues to flash, and then the rain starts to pick up. I hear the wind growing loader and loader as it howls trying to get through my windows. The rain comes with it. All of a sudden rain starts hammering my windows. Some manages to sneak through the cracks. My view becomes blurred as water pours onto the glass. With the rain comes a wonderful fresh smell. The dirt is being washed away and the scent comes sweetly into my room. The rain only lasts for a few minuets but then the wind grows stronger. Screaming at me to let it inside. I LOVE THIS!!!. Our door doesn’t have a latch on it so we have to shut it with a table up against it to keep it from opening. But this wind forces the door open making the table squeak across the floor. I go to shut the door and lean my whole body weight up against the door. And guess what!? The wind still pushes the door open!!! This is incredible. Can I just say I love storms. Well, maybe that’s an understatement! The wind lasts a while. But too soon after it starts, it begins to die down. The lightning goes away and the thunder follows close behind. The rain stops giving the plants a much needed shower, and the wind slinks away into the night. 

What a storm! Just like the rain making the earth fresh and clean, my soul has been renewed and my joy is heaping! Thanks for the epic reminders of your love, God! My heart overflows.

Slop, Splatter, Speckle

Splat! A glob of cold, yellow, and gooey turmeric gets smeared all over my cheek. I’m at, what they call, a turmeric party. It’s the custom here to have one for a couple that is getting married. Let me share how this glob of goop got stuck on my face. The turmeric party is for the families and friends of the bride and groom to give their blessing as they’re leaving their villages. So, typically, they don’t smile. (and even through the wedding they don’t really smile either.) Anyways, they decorated a booth made out of bamboo with bright orange and yellow colors. All the women wear bright orange and yellow saris too. Then, the women start the program by grabbing some big metal water jars and filling them up. But they walk all around with these jugs. When they come back they all gather around and pound a big nut like thing and break it into pieces. Only the girls get to eat this. Apparently if you eat it, you will get married soon. Huh. After that, they start crushing the turmeric and other spices until it becomes a paste which they put on a banana leaf as seen in this picture. 

 Then the bride and groom come in. But, they don’t walk in, they get carried in by a friend or relative. They get seated inside the booth and the party officially begins. A special dance and then a prayer were at the beginning. Then the smearing starts. First the mothers and immediate family members go up to the bride and groom and smear smooshed spices all over. Some people get braver than others as to wear they put the spices. 

Once you have taken a turn at putting spices on them you still have some in your hand so what are you gonna do with it? Well, that’s how people get yellow glop on their cheeks, arms and necks. The ones that want to get involved sneak up on people and smoosh it all over. It’s a lot of fun! If you know me well, you would know that I love to get messy and this would classify. I loved it. =) My face didn’t get covered as much as most people. I blame it on my height. I caught a few people even jumping to get to my cheeks. hehe. It was definitely a fun and memorable evening. 

Now, today was the wedding. They had it much like a US wedding. Mrs. Waid coordinated it and she let the bride wear her wedding dress. It must be super special for her because this is the fourth wedding her dress has been worn in. She is like a mother to so many over here. (They all call the Waids “Mom and Dad”.) 

The wedding was quite short and simple (they only chose the date two weeks ago) so not much time to get super elaborate. It was a nice wedding though. A few hours after it was done, they had the reception. Rice and curry was served and wow, was it tasty. =) 

These are their reception clothes.

Well, that’s how it all happened. There’s still a bit of yellow stains on my finger nails. 

WOAH! We just had an earthquake! It was small don’t worry! But it happened!

Anyways, I love you all and miss ya!