Saturday December 5th, 2009
Inhaling Life
Life is uncertain and unpredictable. In a moment life can change. Why is it we miss what we do not have and take ‘it’ for granted until we lose ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ may be for you)? Sometimes coming to places where ‘things’ are not as easily accessible, what takes a second in another place takes an extraordinary effort to do in another, and ‘things’ are things not so important as it is to another. Daily I’m hit with reality in my own life and in the life of others. I see how a poor boy that grew up in an unstable home is now working hard to earn a little for his young wife by working on odd jobs. I see a hospital full of people, young and old coming in with various diseases, all dependant on human wisdom. I see a world of poor and rich, ethnicities, people, struggles, simple joy, extreme hope, revolving round and round; an unstable force heading nowhere in universe too far and too wide. Sometimes life seems unbelievably crazy but amidst the absurd and under the surface of the extremes lies a meaning, a purpose, a life meant to reveal a plan and beauty. It is not simple, not easy to understand, illogical at times but if you look hard enough you might just see something precious and breathtaking; the very essence of life. What you look for you will find. I hope you see God’s faithfulness, His power, His peace, His strength, His love, and the beauty and gift of being alive if even only for an instant. Today I was at a hospital and saw mothers and fathers holding and carrying their small children, some barely one month old, their palms firmly held the little one’s head and in their arms the child lay quietly and still. How precious we say life is when a baby is born, its first breath a miracle, isn’t that how we should view our whole lives? We are here on earth but for an ‘instant’ whether that instant be a second or a hundred years, we breathe a breath of life, experience and love. Today I became grateful again for this life God has given me, though I may still have a lot more to ‘attain’ and maybe I have to face challenges I would rather live without, I remain grateful for this breath I breathe.
Friday December 4th, 2009
Belong
Here in Sri Lanka there is one thing that makes this country feel like home, a sense of community. No matter who you are, where you are the sense of belonging and family draws the best out of and strengthens each of us. This is what I love about this island of Sri Lanka the hospitality, homey feeling, and family connectedness you are surrounded with. Here no man is an island.
Wednesday December 2nd, 2009
Growing Up
Yesterday was a Poya Day (Full moon day), a national holiday in Sri Lanka and each month people know and sometimes look forward to that extra day off during the full moon. The significance of this day eludes me right now but I was told that about 30 years ago or less this day and the day before the full moon, otherwise known as pre-poya, would be the Saturday and Sunday of the work week. Only when living in a culture do you get to fully experience the nuances of speech, thought, ways, character, the history and uniqueness which makes a country its own. I feel as though I am writing as if I have never lived here before but I am making a conscious effort to look at my home country with new, appreciate, thoughtful, and expectant eyes. I want to learn what I may have missed as a young girl growing up a teenager here in Sri Lanka focused on trying to educate and figure out myself. Figuring out myself will take a lifetime so I have now learned, thus I set out to just enjoy this life long education and experience the adventure of learning.
This morning or I should say wee hours of the day I was up sniffling and sneezing because the previous day I helped clean and dust the house looking through old albums and trying to help my mother organize this house of memories. I always end up with a fit of sniffles and sneezes because of the dust, fumes, smoke and what not in the air even from just traveling through the city, which is also another factor to why I am in the condition I am now. Anyways, life goes on.
Everything in life is a learning experience even in performing the most mundane tasks can teach a lesson on living. Taking on this challenge of organizing a health project has been a huge learning experience, after speaking with some people I have come to an idea of doing a simple first project for children who are in need. Working with people, locating people, helping people, speaking with people, everything you do is something you have to do together with others, participation and unification. We need others. Simple yet a difficult task because though we are alike we are not the exact same. It takes a visionary to bring individuals together.
Sunday November 27th, 2009
Imaginable
Woke up today to the water tank not working therefore washing up for Church is a tad delayed! Saturday I spent hours going through and researching nutritional and sanitation educational materials for children, which is needed for the project. After searching I ended up having to draw out some pictures myself and designing a small poster with a child covering her face with a tissue, and another coughing with his mouth wide open and in Sinhala writing ‘Cover your mouth’. Also had to draw up a little house and some open coconut shells and yogurt cups left out in the rain and then a little boy throwing those things in the trash (To make them aware about mosquitoes breeding in stagnant waters). I am also trying to get a short skit together; it’s more like an expressive lecture to teach the kids to cough into their handkerchiefs (here everyone still uses handkerchiefs, the little pre-school children have their handkerchiefs pinned to their tops, it’s cute.) Basic and simple knowledge but it’s a start.
On Friday my mom’s gum suddenly swelled up and we had to go to a dentist immediately (thankfully she’s ok but has to go in for a root canal in a week). We ended up going to this Christian hospital they have here in Sri Lanka because the other places we called needed appointments. The amazing part of going there is that they don’t charge much for the patients because they want to offer services for those who can not afford proper healthcare. The place was clean, nice, and up-to-date. Those working there freely donate their time and care. (It really is amazing to see how much people give of themselves and serve Since there is a lot of need in the north-east region of this nation; doctors, specialists, and various aid workers are there helping those in need. Even if some of those helping are being compensated, it takes an extraordinary person to go and give their lives to live in conditions which are not ideal.)
We went to the hospital and while sitting in the waiting room, next to us sat this cute small thin little boy dressed in a school uniform, which is a white shirt and blue shorts, dark green backpack still on his back; his head closely shaved and his big black eyes smiled up at us. He was quietly and patiently waiting for his family, kicking his legs back and forth and playing with a tiny piece of scrunched up paper. He showed us his artwork of a colorful home and design. Kids, they are so funny and manage to keep themselves entertained to no end with ever so little at hand and a great amount of imagination.
As we grow older we sometimes lose that ability to imagine and dream. Certain events in our lives though, bring about those child like qualities in which we dare to dream of future, love and hope without a care in this world! Everyday we should dare to dream and seek God’s wisdom for His will and way. Believing in a hope, love, and faith no man can comprehend seems foolish to some but when seeking greater things of God you are putting your faith in the unseen, the unknown, not what your mind can logically analyze. Though we have so little at hand we put our faith, hope and trust in something greater than anything we can imagine.
