Especially Moving

Well this post is a little different since its simply an account of a conversation I had with a man that lives here at the church.

I was walking around this church where im staying at in Sri Lanka and this man wanted to talk to me, so I was like alright. He started telling me about his life and how he was born Hindu and worshiped many gods in his life, but it didn't matter what God he prayed to he always felt (the way he described it was almost bare and always burdonsome) you know like incomplete always struggling to live and make do with what he had. Anyways, he said he accepted Christ and inside felt whole and that ever since he has had a joy he cannot explain. He remarked that u know sometimes "no food no eat its ok I sing and praise Jesus Christ for he has saved me" Quite amazing I was practically in tears by this point. By the way this man was diognosed with polio and can barely walk. His feet looked clubed as his ankles seem to be disattached but not. I have never met a more cheerful an joyous person in my whole life. Thinking back to my own life when I complain about friend problems and family issues and ocasionally money problems, I wanted to slap myself for at times growing angry and not understanding God when he only makes us suffer to pull us closer to him.

Tea Time and Kricket Anyone?

Ok well yesterday, I didn' end up going to that flower garden thing because some church pasters and office people decided they wanted to talk to me about well, America, and especially American politics. Its amazing how the res of the world worries about the presidential elections. I had no idea how much who the president is actually affects the rest of the world. It seems as if the rest of the world is completly dependent upon the actions of American politics, well atleast third-word nations. Anyways, what a better way to discuss myself and America then over a hot cup of milk tea, especially when its freaking cold outside. I've never felt pompous in my whole life until that moment. We just sat there sipping tea and discussing the world. It definitly gives T.V. a run for its money. Around four they bid adue, and Laurence convinced me to play a little Kricket. Hey guess what I actually enjoyed the British sport! It was odd hitting a tennis ball with a flat wooden bat, but I wasn't half bad. The strange part was, was that there are no strikes! You keep batting until the pitcher either hits the home plate with the ball or someone catches one of the balls you hit. Sidenote: The home plate is set up vertically not lying on the ground like in baseball. What great fun, until one of the guys hit the ball too far and we spent like 10 minutes looking for it, but it was all good. Haha Sheila (the lady of the house) told me not to go buy shirts and jackets in town until Paster Yoganathan could go with me because she said they always raise the prices for tourists, and you need someone that knows how to barter with them in their local language:). Anyways, more and more adventures are always around the corner in a foreign country so there is no telling what might happen next! This trip is turning me into an adrenaline junkie!

The Food SUCKS!!!

OK whoever invented eating rice smothered in curry with your fingers should burn in a fire. Truly representative of the uncivilized culture. For example, the servant Laurence asked me this morning, you bathe every day?! I was like ugh sometimes *shifty eyes* So foreign and so strange. Growing up my whole life in America I didn't realize what third world truly meant until now, living in shacks an eating with fingers. Hmm talk about a culture shock. OK OK maybe I'm making seem a little intense but i do rather miss home. Later this afternoon I am to visit this flower garden park. The funny thing is the pricing. For tourists Rs. 100 for locals Rs. 30 Sidenote: one dollar equals Rs. 106. Still cheap none the less, I can't wait the sites definitely make up for the bad food.