Bamboo

I decided that I like short titles, just so everyone knows.

Yesterday was a very busy day in which I was on my feet almost the whole time. Mrs. Epley and I walked to the school, which is probably a mile and a half away.

On our way to the school, we passed this little old man who said to us as we went by, "You are so tall!"

It made us laugh. I had never considered myself tall before coming here.

I spent the morning in the office shelving books in the library and trying to organize it all. It was a fun job and good practice for my future job as a librarian. We ate lunch at a very tasty Chinese place, I guess.

After that I got to go help out in the Kindergarten room. It was very loud, very fun chaos. So many cute, mischievous little children, most of whom spoke English as a second language.

This one little boy ran up to me and said, "Wow, you are really really tall! How old are you?" When I told him, he replied, "Wow! You are taller than my dad and he's thirty-four!"

So apparently I am considered tall here.

~ ~ ~

This morning there was nothing we had to do, so Mrs. Epley took me on a nice long walk to explore a beautiful bamboo grove. It was so lovely--all shaded and carpeted with the leaves. The shoots were thicker than my arm, and towered above and made a mosaic out of the sky.

I don't mean to tell another story in a trite manner, trying to be all cute and relevant. But there was this older gentleman at the grove who really amazed me.

He might have had a stroke, for it appeared that one half of his body didn't work. His leg was stiff and in a brace, and his arm unable to move. But with his cane and so much determination, that old man was slowly going up and down the steep, uneven steps and across muddy, uneven ground. How amazing it is when we see someone who defies limits and strives to break expectations. I hope that I can follow his example--again, not trying to be cute and spiritual. But really, the simple things in my life are the ones that are often most amazing. And it is by no means a simple thing for a human being to overcome so many odds.

The rest of day will be slow like the rest of it, which is fine with me after the hustle and bustle of yesterday. I got to eat my first rice ball, as well as a chocopan (a pastry). I am so glad not to be a picky eater.

Blessings to you all!

In Him,

Mercy