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I’ve come to love the feeling of being a foreigner, of traveling through a strange land where I don’t belong. It’s only in places like that when I finally come face to face with life’s most pressing questions. “What is life?†“Am I living it well, or am I living in resignation?â€
We rode down the long dirt road for many kilometers. The terrain was mostly flat and brown, a stark opposite to six months ago, during the rainy season when the vegetation had laden the countryside with green. Occasionally we passed a house here and there, each suspended in mid air, built on four 6 by 6 inch beams of wood. It was hard to imagine the need for it now, when everything was brown and lifeless. What would it be like to be on this road six months from now, during a torrential downpour, passing houses hung in the air to keep themselves from being swept away. The thought gave me a shudder.
Soon, nighttime came. The first day had come to a close. We had traveled to one of the outer villages still associated with the capital city. The leader of our small pack asked one of the villagers if we could tie up hammocks on the large beams beneath his house. He agreed warmly, and even invited us to sit by his fire until sleep came to steal us away. We took showers at the town well, which was quite a sight. It was the only place for miles around where water could be found, and it was free and abundant for all, even us, who were just passing through.
Once night had fully descended, we sat around the fire and watched the night world come alive. We sat together around the fire and laughed and told stories. Again, the familiar questions of life began to fill me. When one lives and work in the same familiar places, life always seems to be just more of the same of what one has always known. For me, life was always just work, fun, friends, and the Lord. But then I went to a different place, one where the familiar was swept far away and the new was all that remained. It was then that I first seriously pondered the question, “What is life?†on a motorcycle in Cambodia, traveling to the jungle.
Why do I strive so hard after the things that the rest of the world doesn’t even seem to need? Why am I more content sitting around a simple fire and sleeping outdoors in a hammock, than I have ever been sitting on a comfortable couch watching TV? I felt immensely thankful, in those moments, just to be alive now, in a place like this. I thought of the words of many famous men. Of Thoreau who said “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say let your affairs be as one, two, three and to a hundred or a thousand… We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without.â€
And I thought of the words of Jesus:
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you?â€
8 Comments
Another great installment to this great story. Thank you!
Thanks Jodi!
Holy smokes, did you really live this experience because it sure sounds like it, like your thoughts are right there in the moment. Although I’m trying to picture a motorcycle riding on the seemingly rough terrain- hmmm?
I recently moved and decided that I did not need or want a TV (for now), too much negative stimuli for me. So I can relate to that piece. Cool descriptions- It would be exciting to be perched up in one of those houses in a storm. I would like to hear more about the native people, what they are like, what they eat and drink. Nice writing- thanks for sharing!
As a matter of fact I did
I spent almost a whole year over there. It was an absolutely amazing place. Thanks very much for reading and enjoying it 
The native peoples were both courageous and content. They went through a genocide about 30 years ago and it left their country tattered, but they’re pressing on.
Ben - great continuation of this story which leaves me wanting more. you put us right there with you. a great question (and your answer) to leave us with as well to ponder. we can get pretty comfortable in life and complain at the slightest hinderance. humbling. thanks man.
Thanks Brian! It’s really fun to recall my time over there and put it down on paper. I blessed to have people reading and enjoying it. Thank you very much for your comments.
Hi Benji!
Wow, the last couple years, God has been calling simplicity to my ears. I was like what does that mean? What to do? How does that look? I have been taking gradual steps and making a lot of mistakes along the way. I realize each day more and more how much I don’t need and how his ways are not only not the ways of the world, but not our ways. I know I need to learn more of the small still voice, but on important directives such as this the urging becomes intent upon my heart and the need to move out the way my life has been and into simplier circumstances that I might further be of use and need nothing that more might be given. The longing to be obediant and the prayers have not placed me in the most comfortable circumstances, mostly based on listening to advice of although united thoughts just too used to the ways of this world. I have learned very humbling facts about His ways and ultimately, no matter how wise the people turning to him alone for al things. Ethiopia was another blessing, yet shocker I was apprently ready for since all is filtered through hands that knit us and know us and long for the best in us. I agreed with a lot of your sentiments about watching and curiosity and… soo much more. There seem to be times in our life when the blessings and lessons though hard come so fast we need as many post its as in bruce almighty to get it all down and let truth richly dwell in us. He has blessed me beyond measure and yet not at all in anyway I would have thought. Being with people who have no access to clean water and all associated in that and yet so eager to be transformed, puts things in perspective. I love your writing,it like sitting down with an old friend, or like when you meet people and you just know them (like deep cries to deep hearts knit)or an nonverbal unity. Keep up the good work, for those of us who seem to think on the same lines but seemed stumped as to how to put things into words.
Right on Heidi! I’ve been called to simplicity my own self. Another thing that Henry David Thoreau said that greatly impacted me was “For my greatest skill has been to want but little.” I truly think it’s a skill, one that I want more and more in my character.
That’s funny about Bruce Almighty. I know exactly what you mean. You realize your blessings a lot more when in a different, not as blessed country. I still am eager to hear about your trip. I hope to talk with you soon.