Bethany Well

 

The home of a pastor of a church in Laos.

 

Poverty and Prostitution
I’ve sent the UMC an article discussing the ministries in Laos, featuring the new English and Computer training center that will be launch this summer.  When it’s published, I’ll include the link or the text (depends on how the article is distributed) on this blog.  In short though, my provocative sub-header sums up the two elements of my trip that most deeply struck me. Other than that one article that had a deadline, I haven’t had the time to document my thoughts form this trip in writing…but I’ll try to start now by providing a rough sketch of what I saw.

While in Laos, I spent most of my time in Vientiane, Laos’ Capital, but I flew 1 hour north for one to day visit the province of Luang Prabang. It is a most unimpressive, unprogressive place, but this impoverished province is home to a stronghold of UMCs that are thriving, influencing, and reaching a village of lost. 22 of Laos’ 77 UMC congregations are in this area.  There are unpaved, dirt paths, where stray chickens, pigs, goats, dogs roam the streets with man as one.  Children are generally clothed only to the waist…they’re too poor to even buy clothes and shoes.  We met with the UMC province director who is partnering with province officials to improve health clinics, schools, and food supply. I was pleased to see the Church providing leadership and financial support for much needed village development.  I roamed this rural area with reckless abandon, willing myself to completely forget my Western concepts of hygiene.  I trekked through the woods in capris and flip flops, forcing myself not to worry about ticks, mosquitoes, or weird rashes that comes from weeds, to examine their local water supply – a tiny trickling stream of water making its way through its dirt surrounding. When we got back to the village, we had lunch.  The food, prepared by the Pastor’s wife, may have been the best meal of my entire trip…but it only tasted good after I forced myself to forget that I hadn’t washed my hands, mainly because I didn’t want to appear rude when no one else had bothered to.  In any case, it wouldn’t have made any difference because we all used our hands to grab a wad of sticky rice from the same communal bowl, before kneading it with our fingers to make a bite-size rice ball.  Tasty…really it was, just not so hygienic. 

Anyhow, I’m alive and well.  I really really loved my time in Laos, I was so encouraged by Tsuchue and Joua Vang, the missionaries there, and I was so moved by the growth of the Church inspite of such trying conditions.  One experience, however, that haunts me each time I think of it, is what I witnessed after hearing  a rustling in the woods.  I was startled by a little girl who appeared to be about 7 years old. She was fully clothed, but her oversized skirt and long sleeve shirt hung on her skinny body.  Her skin was darkened not just by the sun but also by the layers of dirt and dust that had settled on her unwashed skin. We stood for a moment, just staring at each other, until she bent back down to continue foraging for food…plants andleaves that would likely be boiled in water to make some kind of broth.  What haunts me was her eyes…they were just vacant, distant, hungry.

Thailand was a different experience.  Due to some schedule changes, I had more time to do touristy things, but my first night, the female missionary and I made trip to Pattaya, the notorious area known as the heart of the sex industry in SE Asia. Because much of their work ministers to women trapped in a destructive trade and the orphans that come as a result of mothers who die of HIV and fathers whom they’ll never meet, they felt it was important for me to witness first-hand what the scene was like. 

Had I gone there as a tourist I may not have felt the way I did, but when I returned to my hotel room that night, sleep evaded me.  The heavy oppression of an area saturated with sin left me feeling, quite literally, suffocated.  Sorry to sound dramatic, but I barely slept an hour that night and for the first time I think I really felt the suppressive weight of a fallen nation. It’s complicated of course…poverty and endless needs lead to desperation…and desperate people do desperate things.   Something the female missionary said really struck me… at the corner of the streets in Pattaya, you see jewelry shops with ads showing a a bride and groom getting hitched. She said the girls on these streets, sometimes as young as 12 years old (yes, I saw pedophiles shamelessly walking the streets), are really no different from any other girl who hopes one day to fall in love and have their “happily ever after” story.  They live each day going about their nightly routine hoping that they’ll cross paths with that one nice guy who’ll be different.  For a lucky few that may be the case, but for many more, their fate is uncertain.  They can do this until time and age takes its course, if HIV doesn’t get to them first.  I was told that in some of the poor villages where most of these girls come from, there are children and seniors, but the entire middle-aged generation has been wiped out by AIDS.

Children in Sunday School at a local church in Laos.

 These ramblings don’t do justice to the full scope of what I saw and experienced in these two fascinating countries.  I’m still trying to make sense of it all -the ocean of poverty, the seemingly hopeless cycle of prostitution…and still, I guess a 3rd “P” should be added to the sub-header -there’s reason for Praise.  God’s work is being done through the hands of selfless missionaries who find a sustaining joy in their daily work.

 
Yangshuo Liu Sanjie Li River Show
From 3/27-4/3 I traveled the southern region of China.  I went to Guilin, Yangshuo, Xingping, Nanning and Shanghai.  I went primarily because of a series of trainings IBJ (my internship site) was hosting, but spent the weekend prior to traveling.  I floated down the Lijiang River, saw dozens of beautiful mountains, rode a motorcycle for the first time in my life, met with various law professors at universities in Nanning and Shanghai…but the highlight of the entire trip was definitely the Liu Sanjie Li River Show. Read below:

“This famous water staged-show in Yangshuo had its premier in 2004 and is billed to be the largest natural stage in the world. The Liu Sanjie (The Three Liu Sisters) was created and choreographed by legendary Chinese director, Zhang Yimou, who also created and directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics.

The outdoor amphitheatre is located about 2 km from West Street and the show is performed on the Li River itself. Twelve karst hills are illuminated, highlighting the area’s natural geological wonders as a backdrop to the stage. The show can appear different each performance, as mist, rain, clouds and varying moonlight naturally alter the set of the stage. The show features more than 600 local people, who are mainly farmers, fisherman and young children from surrounding villages to perform to an audience of up to 10,000.

Liu Sanjie is a love story about a woman named Liu Sanjie, which means “third sister Liu”. Her voice was so beautiful that it moved everyone who heard it. Born in the town of Liuzhou andworking on the family farm with her two sisters, the legend is that a warlord falls in love with Sanjie but she is already in love with a man from her village. The warlord does not accept this and kidnaps her, but Liu Sanjie’s lover and friends from the village set out to rescue her and the couple escape, living happily ever after.”

Scene from the Liu Sanjie Light Show. For more pictures, see link included in text.

Zhang Yimou is just genius.  It’s incredible what he can do with light, reflection, etc.  It was just a stunning performance.  For more pictures visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yangshuomountainretreat/sets/72157603691601779/ 

Looking Ahead
I’m heading back to the States in exactly 4 weeks.  Hard to believe, huh?  I’m eager to return home, but my experience here has been one of a kind.  It’s been challenging, liberating, thought-provoking… I know my time here isn’t over just yet, but I can’t really pinpoint what God wanted me to do out here or why He led me out here.  There’s a lot I’ve done, but there’s a lot I didn’t quite get around to accomplishing.  I’m hopeful that in time He’ll reveal His purpose to me, but I guess the important thing is that I’m able to say that I’ve seen more of God and how He works in different places.  I’ve experienced more profoundly what a holy, loving, merciful God He is.  And I’ve been reminded, in so many ways, that He truly is a God of infinite provision.  Btw, Beijing is getting really warm.  The weather today was beautiful.  But warm weather means danger for me – the streets are lined with ice cream vendors, bubble tea stores, fruit stands, etc.  Uh oh…

Before I head home, I’ll be taking one last trip…SEOUL.  My dad decided last minute to go to Korea for 2 weeks, in time for my grandpa’s birthday, so I’ll be in Seoul from 4/15-4/19.

I should also mention that I’ll be returning to Columbia for school this August.  I’ll start at the School of Int’l and Public Affairs for 1 year and during that time, I’ll decide if I want to get the 2-year MIA (Master of Int’l Affairs) or get a dual-degree by taking my 2nd year at the School of Journalism, which I also gained admission to.  I’m excited to stay in NY (and the Well!) and am looking forward to rejoining two familiar communities.

I hope everyone’s doing well~!!

Written by: bethanywell on April 5, 2009.