Spider?
I woke up to Courtney’s frightened
voice, “Ah, there was a huge spider on my neck!”
I didn’t think much of it because I
am use to the big spiders, ants and even animals I have encountered. So I
sluggishly grabbed my headlamp and clicked it on. Searching around her bed I
look for the spider. We both locate huge creepy legs.
“That is not a spider! It’s
definitely a scorpion.” I said in surprised.
“Oh snap!” Liz wakes up and looks
over to the floor by her bed spotting the thing.
“Well what are we going to do?”
Courtney says. Well I know we can’t touch it because then we surely might get
stung. I realize we can’t kill it either because it is on her purple sheet. I
look out our door and see David wake up with eyes on us. I shine the light on
him.
He asks lethargically, “What is
wrong?”
“There was a scorpian on Courtney’s
neck.”
“Seriously?” He didn’t believe us.
He walks over and finally believes us.
“You want to kill it?” He decides
to get his shoe because there is no other option.
“Be careful his tail is up!”
Courtney warns. David smashes it and brings her blanket outside.
We both lay back down. Fear does
creep in because I don’t want to encounter a scorpion on my neck, next. I pray
away my fears and know that God will protect me. I also thank Him because
Courtney grabbed it once before swatting it off and it still didn’t sting her.
Parade
Phenom Pehn is one of the largest
cities in Cambodia. The capital. It was time to go to the mall on our day off
before we headed to our ministry sites. It is only a block or two away so we
head out. The neighborhood streets have a few cars and bikes but not too many.
We get to the main street and walk along the sidewalk. Tons and tons of
motorbikes line the streets.
“They are riding up on the
sidewalk.” Tash exclaims as she jumps past a few.
“This is crazy.” I say as I climb
over trees and broken cement so I don’t get ran over. We wait to see when we
are supposed to cross. Finally we give up and weave through the cars to the
other side.
“Hurry, the light might turn.”
Courtney exclaims as we are almost to the other side. I turn around on the
sidewalk to see another ton of motorbikes pass us. I pull out my camera to
interview our experience
“So Lisa tell me what the traffic
is like here” I interview Lisa’s experience.
“It is like a parade of motorbikes.
Almost like there should be something going on.” Lisa says excited.
“Where do they all come from?”
“The come from everywhere,
basically.” Lisa states as she finishes her interview.
But alas, we aren’t even there yet.
One more road to cross. There are high, white dividers on this street. After
finding an opening we wait for our side of traffic to slow. There is finally an
opening! We cross easily.
Now for the next side of the street.
This one clears a little faster. We start across the road.
“Wait, some bikes on the wrong side
of the road!” Tash yells as we start across the street. Finally we are able to
make it to the other side.
We are all cracking up so hard at
the almost near death experience that my stomach cramps. Traffic here doesn’t
stop for pedestrians like the Philippines.
4:00am The rooster crows three times, again. Usually
they never wake me up, but alas I am awake.
Behind
We walked through the crowded
market. A group of 7 white people from America can’t walk around unnoticed.
Stares line our group wherever we go. I don’t think these people have ever seen
white people before. As we make our way through the lines of vegetables, I spot
a lady who is smiling at us. She reaches over but I look away before I notice
what she was doing.
Lisa turns
around with a look I have never seen before. Her face reveals surprised slash
confused.
“The lady
just slapped me in the butt, really hard”
“Really?” I
am surprised as well.
“Yea I saw
her reaching over.” David admits.
“Oh, thanks
for stopping her.” She laughs nervously. How do you react to someone slapping
your behind? Much less someone you don’t know?
“I never
thought she would do THAT!” David says as he is laughing his head off.
and still laugh about it later. I wonder what do you do in that situation? Am I
allowed to ask the lady to stand so we could hit her butt? I think I might try
that on the next foreigner I find in America.
6:25am The rooster crows….Really? I just need to
sleep one more hour. Do roosters ever sleep?
