A few additional snippets inspired by discovered photos.

The week after Christmas, we went camping in the mountains about an hour outside of Mae Sot. It was a lovely four days of rest and–something we get so rarely–silence. I read three books.

We hiked, we took freezing cold showers, and we climbed waterfalls.

December is the month-o-babes in this community. Every single year we make more trips to the clinic with women in labor and have more birthday parties to celebrate than any other month.

This was at Na Le Ton’s birthday, who I believe is the most like a little Stephen in the community. Because of this, he might hold an extra special place in my heart!

And this little babe–also born in December–just keeps gracing our presence.

At 7am this morning, my cell phone rang. It was Si Hai, a Karen friend who lives in Tennessee. I had tutored her two oldest boys the summer of 2008, when Stephen & I lived in Smyrna, Tennessee, and worked with the Karen community there.

She asked if I was still in Mae Sot, because she was coming for a visit. I said, yes. And she said she’d be visiting on 11.

“The 11th of January?” I asked.
“No, 11 o’clock. I am inBangkok now.”
“Oh! Are you flying or taking the bus?”
“Flying. My flight arrives at 10:50.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll be there!”

And thus, our Sunday didn’t play out as we originally thought. Instead, we were able to pick Si Hai up at the airpot and enjoy a couple hours chatting with her, take her to the market, and then see her off to visit her family outside of Mae Sot.

As we talked, it was so interesting to see the pieces of America she has absorbed in the last eight years. She talked about her job in the county school system, medical insurance and how she drove her boys all around for sports and school activities. She mentioned how they were trying to find ways to make sure family came first, cutting back at work or different activities, so she could be with her boys, who needed her.

It just sounded so American. Even the very concept of family coming first–that’s an American idea. Perhaps for language barriers, but the Karen & Burmese families we know don’t talk about their family priorities–they talk about the community: what the community needs, what their people need. Family doesn’t really come first.

Just to state the obvious, neither is right or wrong–it’s just cultural differences; cultural differences that we’ve now swapped! I wondered as she looked around my house–what were the obvious ways we’ve kept our American culture? I think the Christmas tree might be the most obvious, but probably our matching set of plates and glasses would have made the list. Maybe our shelf of books? In what ways have we adapted, where she could pinpoint the Burmese culture seeping into our lives here?

As we swapped stories, I was struck by the similarity of our lives. In short, we do the same work–only I do it here, where she’s from; and she does it there, where I’m from. We both do our share of medical assistance–filling out forms and arranging appointments on her end; bandaging up wounds and rushing off to clinics that don’t offer appointments on my end. We both help with education–she works for the county school system to help with cross-cultural situations as the Karen students adjust to American life; I  am the local bus stop, English teacher, and after-school daycare system. We both have little businesses–she & her husband own an Asian grocery store, and my husband & I help sell Western-style bread all around town.

Our stories were shockingly similar. The cultural challenges we faced were so much the same: she was working to adjust these Karen & Burmese families into American ways, while I am trying to help these Karen & Burmese families despite my American ways! Both of us have gotten caught between the two cultures, with one leg in each, trying to help.

As I dropped her at the public transit station, I left with a smile. I had no idea she would come across my path this Sunday in January, and I had no reason to expect to see her any time soon. However, she was a gift to my day, which apparently God is willing to send from the furthest places.

We’re still pretending to be in the holiday season. This is mostly just because it gives us great joy, and we need great joy! Our tree still stands and lights our house beautifully.

Our neighbors, they are sort of newbies at Christmas. Most of what they know about Christmas is from us–what they see us do and how we celebrate. So if we keep our tree up until mid-January, they are going to think you do too!

I think it is more and more fun each year in the community. First, being the newbies they are, there aren’t any expectations. Really, they weren’t even expecting a tree, so having one in every room isn’t even thought of. A theme? Unnecessary. A fresh tree or hand-crafted decor? Never even knew it was a possibility, because I haven’t done it yet!

When we put up our Christmas tree a few weeks ago, each child would come home from school, peek in, and give a shout. We had the curtains pulled, but they could see the lights reflected in the tile, which still garnered oohs and ahhs from the door.

They gift us so many ornaments–including but not limited to–stuffed toys they like to hang from the branches and sparkly disco balls.

Really, it’s just Christmas through the eyes of a child; it just happens to be both children & adults! It happens to be an entire community enthralled with the lights and ideas and traditions, curious of why we do what we do.

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The kids often have small present exchanges at school, which they like to have the gifts wrapped for. One morning I saw a little girl with her box covered in wrinkled wrapping paper and then held in place by a few rubber bands. I asked if she’d like some tape, and maybe a ribbon?

Her present went to school lovely, and she was enthralled.

And per usual, I didn’t think through the consequences of such a small suggestion. Each morning by 7:30am we had kids at the door waiting to have their presents wrapped and tied up. They were thrilled at how well I could wrap–“She can do it!” they’d say over and over again as I flipped around the package and made nice little creased triangles on the ends or fancied up a bow.

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We went out one night for a community Christmas photo. They loved the one from last year and admired it for months, so we thought we’d try again. We just invite anyone who’d like to be in it to join; we used for our Christmas card, and then (soon I’m sure!) we’ll print it out and give one to each family.

With everyone mulling around, we snapped a few other photos, which I love. For all the great ones, photo credit goes to Stephen; the mediocre ones are mine.

Though it falsely looks like we have our own children’s home, I love this photo for so many reasons.

Nyein Nyein, one of the ladies who bakes bread each Thursday at our house, just had her baby on 1 December. He looks just like his dad, and here he is being held by his grandmother.I mean, really? Who wouldn’t love to him in your home every Thursday? I also love it that Stephen captures these memories so well.

Being the first week in January, I’ll try to let that be a wrap on Christmas–even if we sit by the tree and listen to Christmas music tonight!