Laos part 1

i think i use my watch as much for the DATE as for the TIME. in this case, it was about visa expiration and our trip into laos was due. packed like sardines in a 'minibus' we ventured out from our latest hometown of pai. 9pm - 4am on the windy roads brought us to the border along with several other confused travelers, "what is a good price?' "where do we get the boat?" what is UP with the exchange rate?" (8700 kip for $1). the plan for us (despite my hesitance) was the 2 day "slow boat" down the mekong river to luang probang. we were delighted to agree with our new formed motley group of travellers that we had gotten the best seats in the house - atop bags of rice in the front of the boat atop a platform where we could sprawl out, hang out, share stories and play games. we consisted of Nadine - australian seasoned vagabonder\Continent jumper and like-minded discoverer; nate - L.A. college funny-man, a novice traveler with great responses and easy laugh; jean baptiste (J.B.) - french policeman concentrating hard to keep up with our fast english but up for any adventure, a natural athlete; brad and mirium - aussie couple with fun and interesting travel stories including a week of bonding with elephants; and pablo - quick-witted argentinian with a way of saying things ('don't say my name, i want to forget who i am right now," he says after getting a bum-deal in the village of pak beng), on a journey to find airplane crash remnants in northern laos and vietnam. we bonded for a few days in luang probang, then scattered. different combos of us joined and rejoined throughout our 3 days there. together we experienced a magical turquoise waterfall, mobs of soliciting tuk-tuk drivers, good food (delicious "mekong weed"), pick up soccer with hard-playing lao kids, surreal bowling, and new friendship.

pai in the sky

we've been savoring a humble slice of pai for the past 4 or 5 days, launching from our modest, riverside bamboongalow into the surrounding mountains and villages, creating and discovering adventure. "pai is what chiang mai was ten years ago," is the refrain repeatedly sung by the growing chorus of tourists we meet. it feels pretty local here. we know a few of the neighborhood shopkeepers by name, and continue to accidentally make friends with others afoot. it's hard not to start feeling like old friends when we keep turning up in the same places as these other travellers, and keep sharing the same experiences with them. it only takes a few days in a place like this to start experiencing community. some friendships are destined, however brief.
unlike chiang mai, we can walk the streets of the whole city before breakfast, if we want to. we don't want to, though. we prefer motorbikes - for only $2.50 a day! we've buzzed giddily around to sink our heads into all of the local wonders: great, foggy waterfalls with slick, smooth rock slides that drain into deep pools; a sprawling canyon with trails winding in every direction, and with a dazzling sunset view; expansive, terraced, water-filled rice paddies with bright green strands beginning to emerge; deep, cathedral-like caves with dark rivers bubbling through them, thousands of swallows swirling at their mouths, and centuries-old coffins tucked eerily into dark corners. we could almost hear the distant sounds of dwarves singing and of their hammers ringing in the deep - "we must awake ere break of day to reach the pale, enchanted gold..." i'm pretty certain gollum tried to pinch my wallet, my precious wallet, while we were floating on our bamboo raft through the darkness. it was otherworldly. it was middle-earthly.

we're now preparing to pull up the shallow roots we have sunk down into pai, and travel through the night, like refugees, to the border of laos, where computing the exchange rate will require greater math skills than we've had to employ for some time. we are still growing.

new vision

we met someone who knew someone who believed strongly in the value of the good work being done by someone in a small village in northern thailand. each connection, we are certain, was ordained in another sphere. brother lek is the kind-hearted, english-speaking son of the someone last mentioned: pastor chet sirikiatkit, a joyfully hard-working servant of God, who shepherds a small church in baan khai with the tireless support of his kind wife. we travelled with lek and his fiance, jum, up to baan khai, where we were immersed in the grace of his parent's hospitality.
they quickly and affectionately adopted us as their own children, insisting that we call them ohpa and oha, their laho tribes' names for dad and mom. we were glad to do so, for even despite the language barrier, we felt very much at home with them. lek and jum were exceptional translators, to our benefit and delight.

oha spared no energy or expense in preparing superb laho and thai dishes for us, serving us their own home-grown black chicken, bamboo, sugar cane, rice, and a variety of herbs and spices, along with a host of delicious local specialties. the laho words we spoke most frequently all related to the preparation, consumption, enjoyment, and completion of meals - "meh ja. bv uh ja!" we spent a lot of time laughing, eating, talking, gesturing, and praying together. did i mention laughing? yeah...much laughing.
we were also introduced to the great work they are doing - the great burden they have - for the poor and orphaned children of the region. drugs, alcohol, HIV, and a variety of other things have broken families apart, leaving many children destitute and without hope. lek's parents are earnestly, generously sharing what little resources they have to begin to meet this need. they have taken a great and courageous stride of faith in starting this orphanage, and have a broad vision for it to be a self-sustaining entity at some point in the future.
they were very hesitant to share the needs of this place with us, not wanting to "put a burden on your shoulders," but tracy and i were overwhelmed with the appropriateness and goodness of this pursuit, and feel compelled and eager to come up under this burden with them; to share it with them. there are countless needs and opportunities for service and partnership in mission around the world, but we are particularly moved by the personal goals and sacrifices made by these servants, and feel strongly led to contribute our resources to their work. we are committed, in prayer and in material resource, to this partnership. we also joyfully invite all who feel similarly led to join us in this. ohpa and oha extend their generous welcome to you as well!
"dachimahe - you are welcome!"

more chiang mai

for the last week or so we've been getting ourselves acquainted with thai culture in chiang mai and around. one thing this means is local (street) food for which we've had to learn the phrase "what the heck do you call this?" deliciously questionable things wrapped in banana leaves and roasted for 10 baht - can't beat it! to quickly summarize what we've been up to:
-- walking, sampling, walking, sampling, walking... diarrhea medication.
-- bartering and laughing
-- trekking into n. thailand hill tribes, swimming in waterfalls along the way, sleeping in bamboo huts, and playing the dice game "farkle" with our thai tour guides, neung and singha, who absolutely LOVED it (thanks to grandma and grandpa R.!).
-- squatty potties and mastering the sprayer method.
--showering more in one day that we did in any given week during our travels in the U.S.
--clambering through a jungle on a steep muddy trail -- atop an elephant.
--late night talks with our brit and frenchman fellow travellers, tom and kevin.
-- zipping around on a moped on streets filled with whole families on motorbikes, and where stoplights and roadlines are optional.... on the superhighway... in a monsoon.

**this is where we thank the moms for their prayers.

--visiting cornerstone christian counseling center and gathering food for thought regarding mental health in missions. helping their on-site maintenance/security guard, thop, paint his living quarters, which was in great need.
--celebrating the mark of the beginning of the 28th year of ADAM we wish we could have had you all here to eat his favorite Mediterranean cuisine and mosey about the night bazaar.

for now, we are off to near chiang rai to help with an orphanage that is just getting off the ground. we think of so many of our friends and family here and are growing fonder as we are absent from you!