Well, it’s been a bit since I pressed out some words on page. In actuality, I haven’t been too inspired to fashion words in this manner, since arriving back on ‘Merican soil from my winter saga in Nepal.
I was asked by one reader, after I had returned, to do a comparison of life in Nepal and what the feelings were about, as becoming normal here once again. The comparison is so stark, and generally after being re-introduced to white-throne-Bemis-seat commodes, electric light switches, hot showers, and sweet-smooth-riding cars and roads, I was quite non-plussed and uninspired to even thinking or writing anything remotely intriguing about America. It is all just too normal when compared to seventy-five percent of the world who don’t live this kind of life of ease. However, I always have more culture shock upon returning from foreign soil, than when I arrive there. I’ve been out and about enough to expect it to be difficult and harsh.
However in fact though, when we have been able to compare, this American heritage, foundation, and the basis of our Constitution, and our founding roots, is quite exceptional to the rest of the world. Our success as a country is quite an exception to all other political and social experiments around the world and through the many centuries of history. Much could be written about this grand-experiment we call America and the freedom we have stood and fought for. Freedom isn’t free, unless it’s fought for, as history has shown us.
Instead, I want to shift back overseas once again. My wife, Mary-Esther, is once again in Asia. This time for two months in Northern India, with a team of 6 and a large mule train packing in to a flood-ravaged cut-off remote village, medical and food and supplies to help stave off the approaching cold winter and the devastating effects it could have on their lives. Latest numbers tell us 10,000 folks died in the latest summer monsoon, when 13 inches of rain fell in a twenty four hour period. Flash floods collapsed entire buildings, mountainsides, roads, bridges, homes, trails of access to remote villages, buried villages, and destroyed food supplies for animals and people that they had stored up for winter survival. This area they trekked 18 kilometers into, is located in the high Himalayas around 9,000 feet in elevation. As we speak, they are doing medical treatments, hygiene teachings, delivering supplies, as well as sharing the good news of Christ to the Hindus, who had placed their hopes and worship into one of their 300 million gods, the “Snake god,” for protection, which incidentally didn’t work out too well for them.
After this Himalayan trek, then she is off for Nepal the end of November to teach for two weeks in a Bible School for the Nations, that our son Zach helped pioneer in 2010.
Pray for her and her sore, swollen-in-the-heat beautiful feet, as she brings the love of Christ in a tangible way to our brothers and sisters on our shared planet who were not fortunate to be born in our exceptional America.
hooleyfamily's Blog 