I am home in California...though I have not quite settled in yet...sleeping and eating still seem to be a problem, but that will go away soon enough!
I want to start this part off with a quote from a book I was reading while I was in Bangladesh...
"'The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die,' he said, laying his hand warmly on Mortneson's own. 'Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be undeducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survided here for a long time.
...Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them." -Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson, p. 150)
...Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them." -Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson, p. 150)
This quote speaks volumes of the lessons God has taught me over the last several years of travels and continued to teach me (quite literally in regards to sitting down and having tea) on this trip to Bangladesh.
As I mentioned in the last entry we were suppossed to start officially working on building, but of course things changed. We left the hotel early and drove for an hour an a half to the World Vision Office in the area we would be working in. Upon our arrival we were served coffee, biscuits and 
mango (let me tell you the mango is amazing here!). We also were briefed, in a little more detail, about the families we would be helping and what our time in Bhanaderia looked like. At the end of the meeting we were informed that we would not begin construction that day because the supplies had not arrived from Dhaka. So we went to the village to meet the reaminder of the families...or so we thought. Upond our arrival we walked out to a clay foundation (raised) and we were introduced to a widow and her mother whose home was completely destroyed by the Cyclone...i nfact all that was left was a pile of debris that had most likely been sitting around for the last 7 months. Then we were told to work and clear away the debris. The
team went to work-sweating incessently. In the process many frogs, centipeds (which a woman crushed with the heal of her bare foot, cockroaches, and large spiders came out of hiding. The villagers just laughed at us. I was able to bond with some of the children by taking their picture and showing them the picture on my digital camera. The children interacted with us by giving us beautiful flowers-which we proudly wear in our hair. After about an hour and a half we had cleared the site and we headed back for lunch at the Office and then drove back to the hotel to get ready for church.
mango (let me tell you the mango is amazing here!). We also were briefed, in a little more detail, about the families we would be helping and what our time in Bhanaderia looked like. At the end of the meeting we were informed that we would not begin construction that day because the supplies had not arrived from Dhaka. So we went to the village to meet the reaminder of the families...or so we thought. Upond our arrival we walked out to a clay foundation (raised) and we were introduced to a widow and her mother whose home was completely destroyed by the Cyclone...i nfact all that was left was a pile of debris that had most likely been sitting around for the last 7 months. Then we were told to work and clear away the debris. The
team went to work-sweating incessently. In the process many frogs, centipeds (which a woman crushed with the heal of her bare foot, cockroaches, and large spiders came out of hiding. The villagers just laughed at us. I was able to bond with some of the children by taking their picture and showing them the picture on my digital camera. The children interacted with us by giving us beautiful flowers-which we proudly wear in our hair. After about an hour and a half we had cleared the site and we headed back for lunch at the Office and then drove back to the hotel to get ready for church. On Monday morning we headed out to the villages and really got to do some work. The supplies began arrivin
g to the village. The measurements for the home were taken and three foot deep holes were dug by hand (and coconut shell) for the concrete pillars that would serve as the supports for the first home. During the afternoon some of the team continue work on the first home, while the rest of the team started demolition on the second site. Some of the orginal home was still standing and the woman was still living in it so we had to clean it out and then tear it down. Once again...the big critters came out, by this point I was so over them it didn't even bother me anymore! By the end of the day the first home had a frame and the second home was measured and ready to get going the next morning. After a long day of work we were ready to go home, but it was time for tea. So we were invited into one of the villager's homes and we had tea (which by the way is amazing here!) and biscuits in our very sweaty clothing...I am sure we all smelled wonderful.
g to the village. The measurements for the home were taken and three foot deep holes were dug by hand (and coconut shell) for the concrete pillars that would serve as the supports for the first home. During the afternoon some of the team continue work on the first home, while the rest of the team started demolition on the second site. Some of the orginal home was still standing and the woman was still living in it so we had to clean it out and then tear it down. Once again...the big critters came out, by this point I was so over them it didn't even bother me anymore! By the end of the day the first home had a frame and the second home was measured and ready to get going the next morning. After a long day of work we were ready to go home, but it was time for tea. So we were invited into one of the villager's homes and we had tea (which by the way is amazing here!) and biscuits in our very sweaty clothing...I am sure we all smelled wonderful.Tuesday was ve
ry similar to Monday. The team was working in groups on several sites. One group continued working on the first home by helping put the tin roof on. The second group dug holes for the supports at the second home. And the third group...well we got to deconstruct a clay home! Cockroaches, termites and rats!! It was actually pretty fun! At 11:30 am it was time for tea and then we headed to lunch. After lunch we continue work on our sites. The Third group used the clay from the demolished home to level out the foundation for the new home. Around 5pm it was time for another round of tea and then we went back to the hotel.
ry similar to Monday. The team was working in groups on several sites. One group continued working on the first home by helping put the tin roof on. The second group dug holes for the supports at the second home. And the third group...well we got to deconstruct a clay home! Cockroaches, termites and rats!! It was actually pretty fun! At 11:30 am it was time for tea and then we headed to lunch. After lunch we continue work on our sites. The Third group used the clay from the demolished home to level out the foundation for the new home. Around 5pm it was time for another round of tea and then we went back to the hotel.Wednesday was very simliar to the two days previous...continued worked on the different sites. Late in the afternoon it began to 
pour! The ground turned into a super slippery mess! Working became almost impossible and walking...well, I didn't fall but I came pretty close...it was funny! We finished the first home on Wednesday which was great timing since it was my last day down in the village. It was really unreal to be handing over a brand new home to this family...there are really no words to describe it!
pour! The ground turned into a super slippery mess! Working became almost impossible and walking...well, I didn't fall but I came pretty close...it was funny! We finished the first home on Wednesday which was great timing since it was my last day down in the village. It was really unreal to be handing over a brand new home to this family...there are really no words to describe it!On Thursday morning my boss and I left for Dhaka. The trip was normal until we stopped at a dock. I thought we were going to put our van on a ferry like before, but we quickly found out that our driver was staying on this side of the river and our host was waiting on the other side of the river for us. So, to get to the other side of the river we had to hire a speed boat to give us a ride. I was so excited (though our hosts and several other people have told us how "dangerous" this is)! The boats were not anything super amazing, but they were seaworthy...so we hopped in! All I could think was...I should be wakeboarding right now...but the ride was incredible! We got to the other side and they pulled the boat up to the muddy side of the river and we had to hop out with all our luggage...we really stuck out! After about another 2 1/2 hours we were back at our hostel in Dhaka (about 1 1/2 hours of that was stuck in traffic in Dhaka...LA traffic has nothing on traffic in Dhaka!). That evening we had one last dinner with our host family and then I was headed to the airport for my 1:30 am flight to Hong Kong. Thankfully all my flights were failry on time and I got home on Friday afternoon as scheduled!
Adjusting to time differences, food, and life have been a little easier this time around...though I am still tending to wake up at 3 am and not being able to go to sleep!
So Bangladesh...I am still processing! It is beautiful, hot, crowded, and definitely a place that I have been blessed to get to serve! I am thankful to all of you for your prayers and support as I continue to explore what God has in store for me all over the world as I continue to chase after Him and His heart for the world!
2 comments:
Welcome back girlfriend!!! So glad you got to go and have that experience. You're so brave and adventurous.
Awesome post, Erin! It was so fun for me to read it and picture you there. Was the speedboat like the one we took to Laos? I can't wait to see you in person soon!!!!
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