So, the last eight days of my life were spent living among rice farmers in a small village about three hours out of Chaing Mai. We had a pretty once in a lifetime experience that involved living in the homes of three incredible families and working right along side of them in the rice fields. So, here you go–
Lessons Learned in the Rice Field
Rice harvesting is quite the job. Oh my gosh. My team only harvested rice from 8am-12pm Monday-Saturday; the people who we were working with, are on the fields from 8am-5pm, seven days a week. These are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. Fair Trade rice, here I come.
Rice comes in many shapes and forms. We’ve experienced many this past week. My favorite is definitely sticky rice, but another exciting form is the ‘rice stick‘. This is a stick of bamboo filled with sugary rice and maybe three or four red beans closed off with a cork. Pretty nuts, but I don’t hate it
(photo by amy nicole duncan)
Eating with your hands is not inappropriate or rude; neither is loudly burping or pulling down your pants in the middle of a rice field to relieve yourself. They’re all just a part of life. Oh and smoking large pieces of bamboo filled with pot on your break is also pretty normal. 🙂
More seriously, I got to see what true community looks like. I have never seen community lived out in such a real manner. The families that were hosting us were not related to one another, but they live their lives together, working together, eating together and holding all of their ‘possessions’ with an open hand. It was inspiring.
I learned that I can worship without a band, an ipod or fellow worshipers. The Lord has been challenging me to learn how to worship without the crutch of my ipod; this week in the rice fields was the testing grounds. It was beautiful.
I was reminded of His faithfulness. Be it with showing up to hang out with me in the rice fields, taking over when it’s time to share about Him to people who haven’t heard before or providing a family to celebrate Thanksgiving with, He’s faithful.
This past week has been one that I will remember forever, the Lord is on the move in that village and I believe without a doubt that once one family experiences His glory and makes Him their Lord, the whole village will follow shortly. We were the first World Race team to go to this village, with two more following in the next two months. We were not there randomly or by accident, the Lord wants that village. Your prayers for their redemption are huge and eternity changing.
On another note, team gozo is spending the night at Dave Eubank’s home outside of Chaing Mai. Dave is the forerunner for the Free Burma Rangers and just an amazing man. He and his family are actually in Burma right now, so they’re just letting my team and I stay here, by ourselves, for free. They have ponies, a lake, hot showers, beds and just everything wonderful. Being here is kind of random as I don’t know the Eubanks (thanks Caleb and Tracy!), but it has been just another one of those gifts from God.
Love you all!!!
