Thursday update from Central Asia

Thursday, May 14, 2009

We are now back in the big city. Today we have been out and about with Z and M in the market shopping. That was a lot of fun. We bought big cushions that will go on their floor. That is what most everyone sit on here….both for meals and social time and then at night that is what sleep on.  Anyway, we came over here to the V’s house earlier this morning. Enoch brought us and it was really hard to say goodbye to them after such great time together…..we will dearly miss them. They are in town for another day or two and then they head back to their little town tucked away in the middle of no-where. Where they live, one can honestly say that culture has been preserved and time had stood still.

There has been very little time to write for the last few days. And no place close to internet either. Therefore no updates.  But here we are again…..

So, we came here to the capitol on Monday and arrived here early in the evening. That meant we were on the road almost all of the day on Monday ….and after that we have been up in the mountains for a retreat with the two families the last two days..

Yes, it was a long (close to 8 hours this time) but extremely fascinating trek over those rugged mountain tops again….this time with a lot more traffic. We were stopped so many times for one reason or the other….the Chinese are building on the road over the mountains and they have all kinds of interesting things going on ….some that make no sense at all…but the traffic gets stopped…and cars ( most of them loaded to the hilt)  accumulate quickly on this very dusty and most of the time very narrow road…not in a nice one -lane fashion….no it is more like a crowd of people (this time cars) trying to find their way to the front. The question is what do you do when you have four lanes of traffic waiting to go in one direction and four lanes waiting to go from the other end….well, what you get is a real mess….but it was interesting to see how time after time patience was truly exercised  and everything kind of worked itself out after all. Amazing!!

At the second place where we got stopped a big Chinese truck came our way….and Pat, bless his heart, was out there directing traffic and because of his grey hair and impressive stature (he is a tall man in this country)….well, we found ourselves first up in line….kind a cool.

The views were once again amazing…. the sun was out and it was breathtakingly beautiful. The tunnel experience was cool…..again….the water puddles still there…the ice blocks still there and the potholes still there….full of water. But everyone behaved and we got through the tunnel fine. The kids even sang “there is a light at the end of the tunnel” to cheer us on.

Coming down from the pass was beautiful and Pat, sitting up front, took lot’s of pictures….yes, we do have lot’s of pictures….At the end of the trip E’s car was quite a sight…..It was dirty!! But the interesting part is that in town you don’t find any dirty cars, because you are not aloud to come back into town with a dirty car!!  Along the way before the city were all these little car washing stands…..we stopped and had our car washed, and soon  arrived in town and the apartment  E and J have in town….sort of like a guest house for them to stay when they come to town…and to host folks coming and going.  After a delightful evening together with the R’s and the V’s we slept well….and were up the next day getting ready for our little retreat outing. E took the V’s and us up to the mountains to the place where we were staying….and then he brought their family later.  It was like a small hotel high up a green valley with a creek running right through it. The air was fresh, the sky was clear….the housing beautiful….and the creek refreshing. The kids (and the adults) played and played and played all afternoon…the kids even swam in the cold swimming pool ( which had just been filled up that morning with mountain water). A delightful place to hang out and have grand fellowship.

Later on in the evening we had dinner by the creek…on a typical cot….sitting on mats with the food on the floor in front of us….it was awesome. Such beautiful families! Then the kids watched a movie in one of the bedrooms while we, the adults were in another room, just talking, sharing and praying. Hanging out was such a delight. And in the morning we once again had breakfast in our room….all of us….and then the kids played their hearts out….It is fun to watch E and Z…..they are such brothers…and really enjoy each other’s company…. The kids also enjoy being together and have lot’s of fun.

As we returned to the city we all joined up at the V’s for Indian dinner….a fun time sitting on mats, eating and just having fellowship. We sang a little bit together and then had a traditional group photo before we headed over to the R’s later on.

Tonight we have also enjoyed fellowship with several other friends of our friends and that was precious...it is now raining out there and lightening.....

We will be here at the V’s house until we leave on Monday morning. Time is going way too fast and we have so enjoyed and appreciated our time here with our precious friends. Thanks for remembering us.