Sticky rice in a strangers home

Host families, there is nothing that I love more than the awkwardness of staying in a complete stranger’s home. This is my life and I love it! Samara and myself had the honor of staying with Mae Lai and Pa who were in their late fifties early sixties. From the get go, I knew that they were going to be one amazing family for us!

Mae Lai and Pa

Every morning, Mae Lai would wake up around 5 am to go get food from the market for the day. She would begin to make breakfast and have it ready by 7:30 am for us to eat. Even though I did not physically ever get out of bed until 7:10, I always woke up to their son, Ohm, talking or crying at 5:30 am on most days. Ohm is this precious little boy who is around the age of 2, just like my nephews. Ohm was the son of Mae Lai’s great niece; however, now he is their son. Ohm’s biological father is in prision and his mother is remarried with a new life that does not involve Ohm. My heart breaks, but God uses all situations for His glory.

Pa and Ohm

Now, when it comes to food in this village, it is all family stlye; meaning, they would give us a bowl of sticky rice (can make rice balls) and big bowls of other dishes for all to eat. No plates and typically no silverware-just our hands and the food. Perfect! Every time, I would dive in I felt like a little kid again because I got to live their dreams…no silverware and all hands!

meals every day

There is this saying and truth out there that says breakfast should be the biggest meal. Let’s just say, Mae Lai and Pa live by this truth. Needless to say, we had a thanksgiving dinner for our breakfast every morning. If that was not bad enough, whenever we would finish our sticky rice, Pa or Mae would plop another handful into our bowls. Because there was so much food, by the end of the week I began to sneak my sticky rice back into the container so my insides would not explode. Had to try all measures in order not to feel like a beached whale before the day even started.

 

After breakfast, Mae Lai would pack our lunches, make sure we wore the appropriate clothes to the rice fields, and then send us off. Let me just say she is such a mother. The first day of rice field sensation, I attempted to rebel by not wearing this head covering because I was overheating. Mae Lai was not having that. She came over to me and put this head covering on the right way. Being covered from head to toe, working in the scorching heat is not fun. I don’t mind a little tan on my arms, but they are anti-tan because white is beautiful to them. The rest of the week, I contiuned to turn into that rebel of a teenager. I never wanted to keep my sleeves down and all the women working in the fields would keep miming to me to put them down. It was quite enjoyable.

 

One day when I was sitting in the rice fields, I had a revelation about Mae Lai, Pa, and Ohm. Biologically speaking they had 2 sons. One is currently 24, but their other son died in a moped accident while at school about 10 years ago. Now they have the blessing of Ohm. One son was taken away about 10 years ago, and now God has given them a second chance with little Ohm. Even though the death of their first son was not from God, he has chosen to use that situation for His glory. Everything we go through in life good or bad, God uses. This is something that I am seeing more and more in my life, especially here on the race. Experiences that I have gone through in the past, God is redeeming as I get to walk alongside others who are going through the same things.  What a beautiful thing!