From a Chaperone's Perspective

You’ve heard from the students, and they do a great job of telling you what all we’ve done during our time here. But I thought some of you parental types might want to hear from someone over the age of… let’s say 25. ;) I can’t think and look at a video camera simultaneously, so you’ll have to just read this particular entry.

First of all, everyone is healthy. Tired, but healthy overall. They have earned the right to be tired. They’ve worked hard. After digging up and paving (without the luxury of a cement truck or a spade) a long driveway at the orphanage, I think it’s safe to say that none of them want to work on a prison chain gang. You should be extremely proud of them. They worked hard, cared about doing the job well, and wanted to work until it was done.

You can also be proud of them for stepping out of their comfort zone in a variety of ways: sharing their testimonies with laborers, interacting with orphans while not understanding their language, speaking in front of groups of people, trying new foods (and we’re not just talking random vegetables… fried boiled eggs, pasta for breakfast, and lots of curry), encouraging each other, and pointing people to Jesus. Charlotte and I were talking yesterday about how very different this trip is, because there is NOTHING familiar about the culture. Sights, smells, foods, language, driving, and manners are all different. And your kids have risen to the occasion like champs.

Yesterday, we learned more specifics about what it looks like to share Christ within the context of a Buddhist culture. That, too, is very different. The students were brave, asked good questions, and listened intently to the answers and advice of Ricky, the head of the orphanage who was once a Buddhist himself. Honestly, in many ways the students who take these lessons with them into the future will be miles ahead of any of us when it comes to reaching out to people from different faiths.

Keep praying. We head to the mountain village today, and I don’t think any of us know quite what to expect.

Tiffany
*all grammatical errors are the result of sleep deprivation and should not be held against the author.