I am currently living in a small village surrounding the Cambodian rain forest. I met a man of 24. He is tall and lean who is full of gentility and generosity. After spending 2 weeks with him, I discovered his original identity. He is the jungle boy you read about raised by bears and tigers. Maybe you even saw a movie about his life. He is all grown up now living in this village with a lovely family. They gave him a new name. He goes by Utry. He has learned English so well that he is actually teaching classes now. You might be surprised to learn that Utry has more swag than Justin Timberlake could ever even sing about. I asked him about the way he walks once and he told me that his friends always tell him he walks weird. I told him, it's called "swag" not weird. Nothing phases Utry since he's seen it all. You'll never know when Utry is happy, sad, angry or surprised. It all looks the same.
Not everything has changed for Mowgli. He still enjoys stealing honey from bees and climbing trees. I've never met or seen anyone free climb like Mowgli. First he climbs up 20 or so feet then uses a ladder to go up to the next branch well over 50 feet. No big deal if you are Mowgli. All just for a bit of honey. And then he still prefers to still sleep outside in the rain storms or over a swamp with the bugs.
Funny thing is that Mowgli is no longer a vegetarian. Sorry fans. He's a meat eater now. Some of his favorites are chicken feet and pig ears.
But my favorite thing about Mowgli is that this jungle boy has been called by God to go spread the gospel to China. He is praying for God to give him direction and he is spending all of his free time in the Word and in worship. There is no sweeter sound than waking up under my mosquito net to Mowgli singing praise to Jesus out on the porch.
Jesus in the jungle is the sweetest part about Cambodia. I'm so glad I found Him here.
Look way up high. You can see Mowgli. Check out the ladder in the tree too.
*No need for alarm in my comparison of Utry to Mowgli. Every day I joke with him about how he is the most Mowgli man I've ever met.
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
