pride comes before the fall (literally)

Man, if I got a dollar for every time I have made a fool of myself while here in Vietnam…I would be one rich girl. Last week was no exception. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I recently got a motorbike!!! Well I have been driving and practicing a lot on said motorbike over the past week. Its like learning anything new…riding a bike, driving a car…its awkward at first but improves with practice.

One of the things that is taking me the longest to get used to is the weight of the bike. It is so heavy!!! Once I am on it I am ok, but the weight difference between moving a bicycle versus a motorbike is quite substantial :)

So, the other day Christa and I were out and about. I was starting to think “Wow, look at me-I’ve got the hang of this motorbike thing!” Mistake number one…I was starting to get cocky. Mistake number two…as I was backing the bike out (while I was on foot-not while on the bike) of the parking area I somehow lost my balance and allowed the bike to fall over and subsequently followed. Don’t worry, I didn’t sustain any other physical injuries other than some pretty bruises on my legs…emotional bruises though, well…they sustained a little bit more damage. No, I am kidding, I am being melodramatic but I did manage to allow the bike to topple down for an audience of about 20 Vietnamese guys, cool. Yes folks, if the blond hair didn’t give it away-the motorbike handling skills surely did- I am a foreigner! :)

Later that day I was reflecting on what happened and a few things occurred to me. First…yes, pride comes before the fall. I was getting a little bit too confident in my driving skills-not that confidence is bad, but more confidence than skill warrants is just not a good idea. Second of all, I had to laugh at my reaction. Seven months ago if I were to make a spectacle of myself like I did, I would have just about died of mortification. Instead, yes…I felt somewhat sheepish but was over it within a minute’s time.

You see, like I said earlier-the incident last week is but one in a very long string of events where I have made a fool of myself here. I thinks it just a part of living in a different country, different culture, language, etc. I have learned to not take myself so seriously. Learned to laugh more when things don’t go as planned. Learned to not care so much what I look like. Learned to be more comfortable with who I am-flaws and all.

Yes, its a bit painful at times but mostly... its freeing.

Grace and peace and the third way,

Kait

Of course

This will be short (and I promise there will be more to come soon) but I just had to share. I think that this definitely falls into the category of best quotes from my time here in Vietnam thus far...

So tonight we began a new unit in one of my classes. This particular class is 9-12 year olds. We began to talk about hopes and dreams-I intro'ed the idea of a "dream job". I had the students get up and talk to each other about what their dream job is...while watching the kids interact...I was caught off guard when a student came up to me and turned the question on me! "Teacher Kait, what's your dream job?" To which I stumbled around a bit, for simple words that would convey what my dream job is...to which I finally came up with "Well, my dream job is to be someone who helps people." I looked anxiously at my student's face to gauge her reaction-did that make sense? Would that answer suffice?

My sweet little 9 year old student quickly nodded in acknowledgment. "Oh" she said. "Of course. You want to be a fairy."

To which I just had to smile and nod.

A fairy.

Of course.

:)

Grace and peace and the third way,
Kait

Expecting...

Don’t worry, I am not pregnant. As I wrote that title it occurred me how many different ways it could be interpreted, ha! Anyways, though its already over 2 weeks into the new year…I find that my thoughts remain in that wrap up of one year/launch into the next mode…that reflection and anticipation mode.

On the first day of this new year, I journaled pages and pages worth of the advenutres that encompassed 2009. There is a pretty broad spectrum-all within the 12 months of the past year, I was a social work intern at a girl’s group home, a Resident Assitant for on campus apartments, a student trying to finish up her last semester in college...and then came graduation where all of a sudden the tables turned. That benchmark that I had worked my entire life’s time up till, now had a check mark beside it! Oh the persistence of time! Then I moved home for 2 months, then moved overseas to Vietnam where I became a teacher and NGO worker. What a full year! What a full year indeed!

I find my thoughts reflecting on all of the incredible stories, relationships and new experiences that filled 2009. All of the reflecting leads me to be very expectant…expectant of all that the good Lord might have in store for 2010 (which has ALREADY proven to be eventful-two weeks in and I am a proud new driver of a motorbike!!! Watch out world!!! And yes mom, I will wear a helmet, I promise J). All of the reflecting has made me excited-not wondering about whether the Lord will do incredible things…rather, what those incredible things will be!!!

2009 was a great year and I couldn’t have fathomed even half of what ended up happening…so bring on 2010. Can’t wait to see what will fill my journal entry as I write on January 1, 2011!

Grace and peace and the third way,

Kait

Welcome 2010

My goal of writing weekly in this blog has dwindled, so I thought with the new year here...what a better time of a time to recommit to that goal.

As I look over my previous entries there are some missing pieces that I figured would be good to fill everyone in on.

First of all, the Christmas party was great! We ended up having 50-60 of our friends show up on Christmas eve. We served them a full course meal...including mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green been casserole, salad, rolls and chicken. We of course did not neglect the most important part of a meal (the dessert) as we had pumpkin pie, chocolate cake, gingerbread men and peanut butter cookies. We decked the house out with tables and chairs with christmas decor and tealights. It was truly a beautiful experience to have everyone there. It was truly a beautiful experience to look around and see so many different cultures, nationalities and backgrounds represented. So many of my friends came up to me and said "Kait, I am so happy because this is my first time to celebrate christmas." What an incredible experience indeed.

Second of all, I don't think I have properly introduced the other half of what I spend my time doing here. It has been a few months now that I have been working with an NGO called AOG World Relief. It has been like a dream come true to work with the team there. In a nutshell, the agency does everything from child sponsorship to medical surgeries to community development and beyond! When they invited me onboard it was with the initial invitation to start some research on human trafficking. You see truly, it is a world wide issue but Southeast Asia especially shows a large representation of the problem. When they first approached me with this, I could hardly believe my ears! You see, this is the issue that I initially wanted to be involved with before I even moved here...but hadn't been able to find an organization that worked in the area.

All that to say, for the past few months I have been working at AOG World Relief. I have been connecting and networking with agencies and individuals across the Mekong Delta. The idea is that is to first get a clear picture of the state of the issue, what agencies are already doing, what the need is, etc. We want to be a part of coalition that attacks this problem-not a lone agency wanting to play superhero and assert itself where there are already those doing good works. We want to collaborate...because collaboration is the name of the game when it comes to such a widespread issue like human trafficking.

My involvement at AOG World Relief is not limited to that area though...everyone helps out everyone else...we are a family and a team there. I have done everything from become a certified SHINE trainer (an INCREDIBLE program created to empower women and tell them of their worth) to hand out pigs in a village (as part of the child sponsorship program we help give families a means of providing for themselves. They are to breed the pigs with the promise that they will pass along 2 healthy piglets to a neighbor).

I absolutely love working at AOG World Relief. My heart soars there...and I feel so fortunate to be a part of the team.

On that note...cheers to 2010 and to more up-to-date blogging :)

Grace and peace and the third way,

Kait

joy to the world

It hasn't been till just recently that I realized that I am homesick. I didn't know that it was possible to be homesick without knowing it! Homesickness hasn't materialized as crying hysterically or pining to be home...it's materialized as a disconnection. About two weeks (or so) ago, I realized that in the state that I was in, Christmas could come and go and I wouldn't really be affected by it. I wasn't excited for Christmas- I didn't seem to have any interest in decorating the house, baking cookies, organizing a Christmas day celebration, etc. All of that just seemed like work to me...work that I wasn't interested in.

Suddenly, at a particularly low point...I had a multi-fold epiphany. First, it wasn't that I didn't care about Christmas. It wasn't that Christmas could come and go without celebration it and I wouldn't be affected either way...its that homesickness had invaded without me realizing. Like I said before, It materialized in the form of disconnect. It was easier to emotionally remove myself then to acknowledge that I am so far away from home and that this holiday season looks so much different than ever before. It was easeir to emotionally remove myself then to acknowledge that I am so far away from so many people whom I love.

Second-if a change of scenery, lack of tradition and familial presence was enough to make me not engage in the season-not really celebrate the birth of whom I believe to be the Savior of the Universe...what did that really say about what I believe? Taking it a step further....if a change of scenery, lack of tradition and familial presence was enough to make me not engage in the season...what had I been celebrating for the past 23 years?! I would throw around the phrase "reason for the season" and what not..but how much had I really, truly considered what the true reason is apart from the commercialization and tradition? Here, there is no illusion of Christmas- there are some trees and lights sprinkled here and there (apparently a lot more than ever before).

I am grateful that there is no illusion. It has really caused reflection on my part. And that reflection has led me to recommit to what this Holiday season was all about in its inception...recommit to the celebration of God coming in human form!

So guess what my housemates and I are doing? We are throwing a huge party...because you know what? We believe that if any birthday is worth celebrating...Jesus Christ's birthday is most definitely it!!! (I think we are even going to make a huge cake that says "Happy Birthday Jesus" with the numbers 2042 on it :)

Oh and please don't worry-I am no longer homesick. Sure, I would love to be with my family right now...but there is so much joy and anticipation in my heart for next week!

It is my desire that you (whoever might read this) would too know the glorious love, hope, joy and peace that can be found in engaging in the meaning of this season!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Grace and peace and the third way,
Kait

guns and love

This last Saturday classes were canceled so that all of us as a staff could travel to a village in the mountains surrounding Danang. Our mission was to pass out rice and blankets to over 300 families in the region. So, at 7am the adventure began with an hour and half(ish) car ride to the base of the mountain. The car ride was an adventure in and of itself as some of the terrain was pretty rough (there were parts that felt like the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland J).

Once at the base, we all piled out of the cars and onto awaiting motorbikes-I would proximate that there were about 15 motorbikes and drivers waiting to take us up to their village. The car couldn’t go any further, because as rough as the drive had been-from that point on it would be impossible for a car to pass through. So, we all got on motorbikes and started off on another hour-long journey up the mountain. The ride was absolutely nuts, we were all bumping up and down as our drivers nearly avoided 2 feet ditches and mud traps! Meanwhile, we were passing through breathtaking scenery as mountainous jungle passed us by. The guy who was driving me was very sweet-he even provided tunes for the ride J At first, they were his own tunes as he began to sing and hum. Then, he took out his phone, pressed a couple buttons and within seconds we were listening to Nsync and Celine Dion-ha!

Once up the mountain we stopped at a central location where people from all over the mountain region had gathered to receive the supplies that we had brought. Some families walked for as along as two hours from their homes. Introductions were made-and then the distribution began.

After we finished passing everything out-we went to go visit the local church building. To get there we had to wade half way through a stream and then ride the rest of the way in a boat. Up until a couple months ago they had a bridge that covered the water but it is now in the list of things that the typhoon claimed in its destruction.

After a short hike, we reached the church and gathered inside to all eat lunch together. It was there that we learned a little bit more about the significance of our journey. We were fortunate enough to be accompanied by the region’s pastor (he was actually the contact that our school’s director had to the village). This faithful man has been serving that particular community for over 20 years. Its hard to describe but this man’s face literally seemed to shine. I had no doubt that I was in the presence of an extremely faithful and committed follower. Anyways, it was then that he shared with us the meaning of our group’s visit. He explained how incredible of a trip it was as this was the first time that Americans had been to the village since the war. He said, as I choked back tears “The last time Americans were here, they brought guns. Now, Americans are here-but they are bringing love.”

Wow.

I was left speechless.

I feel so honored and privileged to have been able to be in this man’s presence and be a part of such an experience.

Some people in the group began to ask him some more questions. The pastor told us a little bit more of his story. There are too many stories to recount-but in a nutshell, this man has been thrown in prison numerous times for his faith and persecuted in many other ways. Yet, his faith remains. Despite circumstance, his faith remains.

What an awesome example.

Grace and peace and the third way,

Kait

23

I think I might venture to say that I have had the best birthday ever this year-which is saying a lot-trust me. My family has always done a phenomenal job at making my birthday a special day…so its not in the absence of a good birthday experiences that I say that I had the best birthday!

My birthday landed on a Wednesday this year. The actual day was going to be pretty hectic with work and the parent meeting that I had in one of my classes. So we decided to celebrate early on that Sunday. I have never liked planning my own birthday so Christ and Audrey took the reigns completely. All I did was show up J

And so it began. Sunday morning Christ, Audrey, Dawn and I went and got breakfast at a great restaurant overlooking the bay. From there we went to church-afterwards was when I received my first clue. Christa and Audrey had created a scavenger hunt all across the city. So, on my bicycle I went…from clue to clue…person to wonderful person…here was where the hunt led me:

1^st stop: Lunch with two of my friends from church. I met them at a vegetarian restaurant and had a wonderful time eating and chatting.

2^nd stop: Hanging out at a park with almost all the TAs from school. We talked, took pictures and laughed a lot J

3^rd stop: The sweet soup shop (a Vietnamese dessert that I absolutely love) with one of my closest friends (she is another TA from school) and her students (she teaches a few classes of her own on the weekends. Her students are SO wonderful. I hang out with them from time to time. They were some of the first people that made me feel so comfortable and at home). The lesson for that day had been translating birthday messages for me. So, one by one they went around the table and each greeted me with their own birthday wishes- “We wish you much happiness” “We wish you learn Vietnamese well soon.” “We wish you stay in Vietnam long time.” It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

4^th stop: Meeting Dawn to paint pottery. She brought coffee-thank goodness, I was fading at this point. We spent a relaxing hour or so, painting and chatting.

5^th stop: Eating at one my favorite places-an Indian restaurant with the APU crew. When I arrived and saw Audrey and Christa…I lost it. They hugged me and I just broke down. I was so overwhelmed. It had been such an incredible day-I felt so so so loved…

So after dinner-around 8pm…I thought the day was over.

Nope.

6^th stop: I had about half hour at home and then I followed my housemates to Dawn’s house. Where, about 20 some others were waiting for me! Once again, I lost it. People from World Relief, people from school, people from church…it was incredible. People had brought all kinds of yummy desserts. We spent a couple hours just hanging out and eating good food.

Then on my actual birthday I woke up early to skype Erin (my friend and HIS years mentor). She had sent a package that I promised I would wait to open on my birthday-and I promised that I would skype her in to experience me opening it. Before I could skype her though, two of my friends that live on the next street over came and sang happy birthday to me as I listened form the balcony. Then, with Audrey and Christa accompanying me, we skyped Erin to find that Becca and Ian were accompanying her! With a group of witnesses, I opened an incredible package. It was full of letters from friends and fun gifts.

Then Becca told me that she was coming for a month in June.

Then there was a celebration for me with the staff at school.

Then Audrey and Christa got me a special dinner.

Ok and that doesn’t even begin to cover the texts, calls, emails, e-cards, the cards from my parents, the cards from my grandparents and the other many gifts that I received. This would literally be too long of a post if I were to say everything that people did for me for my birthday.

I was so overwhelmed with love on my birthday. Thank you to all who were involved! I will forever remember my 23^rd birthday!

Grace and peace and the third way,

Kait