Sunday, January 31, 2010

14 Jan 10


Peace be Still

Five a.m. may be extremely early, but there is truly no better way to begin a day than spending it in worship. The village of Thar Pyan Gyi had only two copies of their hymnal in English, but most of their hymns were familiar anyway, and they sang in Burmese while we sang in English. Listening to the same song in two different languages was unique and truly a blessing.


David spoke about the message of Jesus- welcoming and helping each other. He also spoke about hope of a new community. He used the analogy of a rooster crowing at 4 a.m. as we had heard the past two mornings- even though the sun is not up it knows it will come, so he crows anyway.


We were asked to sing for the service this morning so we sang “Peace be Still and Know that I am God.” I love this song for its peaceful melody, beautiful harmony in the round, and its simple but valuable message. It is one that speaks to me and while I find that to “be still and know” does not come easily for me, I find it comforting.


“Peace be still and know that I am God,

Peace be still and know that I am,

Peace be still and know,

Peace be still,

Peace be,

Peace”


The language barrier is so frustrating. I want to talk to these people, to be able to relate to them but we can only exchange a smile, a nod, or a handshake. I understand better the story of the Tower of Babel and what it meant for the world.


After leaving Thar Pyan Gyi

We fall into the rhythm of our lives so easily. Sometimes it hits me as I sit on this boat that I’m in Burma. How many days at 8:30 a.m. have I not been rushing to school, or sleeping in or making a list of tasks for the day. Instead I am sitting on the bow of a boat wearing a bamboo hat, surrounded by pole boats and coconut palms. It feels like the most natural thing in the world.


I am fascinated by the incredible balance of the people here. I love the bamboo pole bridges and I want to try crossing one=) I also want to acquire the skill of balancing things on my head and go to class with my bookbag on my head- wouldn’t that attract some strange looks on campus!=)


Lunch in another Burmese-Chinese restaurant was accented by the Asian music videos on the television above us. The music is not unlike popular music back home.-I am so having the BC Dance Team do a dance to Southeast Asian hiphop!=)


After lunch we traveled for an hour and a half by bus before stopping only to find we had only traveled twenty miles. So are the road conditions in Burma.


“I love goldfishes ‘cause they’re so delicious!”

I find that in most of my travels, there usually comes an instance which includes loud singing in the back of a bus. Such happened tonight, which I guess is expected after seven hours. Around sunset, our group began to get rowdy and our repertoire came to include commercial jingles, Disney classics, and much more……good times!=) I love our group! I think our Burmese escorts were glad to arrive in Pathein though- crazy Americans…..


We ate dinner in the Karen Baptist Center, which heads fifteen ministers and 279 churches. The ministers continually travel to different congregations to check on things and see how they are doing. As Emily points out, it’s a much more hands-on and personal approach than most church hierarchies. The church also sends missionaries to many parts of the Delta Region.

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