"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 that he had learned to be happy in whatever circumstance he was in. I’ve always marveled at the idea of Paul being happy even while he is in prison, it just doesn’t make sense. However, I am beginning to understand what it is like to be content with where God has placed you in life. The sun is currently going down and Sabbath is approaching and although I miss my family back at home I am so glad that I am here in Bangladesh. I feel like “content” is the only word that I can use to describe how I feel about my current condition.
I have been sick these last few days and one night while I was laying awake in my bed, feeling miserable, I started thinking that if my sickness got worse I might have to be sent home. It shocked me to realize that that is the last thing that I want to happen. In the morning when I went on my typical walk I noticed how beautiful it was outside. The fog was beginning to lift off the earth and the sunbeams were beginning to light up the rice fields. As I was walking I felt like God wrapped his arms around me and reminded me that this is where I am suppose to be at the moment… not America. God showed me that there is nothing for me to do in America at current time.
Today we went into town after breakfast. It was so much fun! I am beginning to realize that I am getting use to most of the sights around here. It doesn’t bug me that people paint their animal’s highlighter colors to mark which one is theirs (have you ever seen a bright pink chicken?), the men wear skirts, or that people stare at us everywhere we go. However, there are still some things that I will probably never get use to. For example when anyone needs to get flem out of their throat they are not quiet about it at all. They carry the chickens to be eaten by their feet in groups of 6-8 (all of them alive and upside down). The woman just let their urine flow down their Shari’s and the men go wherever they please, not matter whose around. There is this dog that lives by the school whose front leg looks like an accordion because he has been hit by something (all of the dogs are so badly treated here). And the last thing I will never get over are the bugs. They have a saying that when you’re in Bangladesh and you think you feel a bug on you… you have a bug on you. It is so true! I have a green bug net over my bed but the bugs still get in so I have to fumble around at night and pick them off in the dark. My grandma finds it hilarious that I have to pick dead ants off of my cough drops before I eat them.
Something I could definitely get use to is the food cooked by our chef Shati! In the morning we generally have Dahl and rice (mixed with wheat for nutrition). Dahl isn’t very good in other places because they make it extremely watery because they are so poor; but when Shati makes it, it is nice and thick. Dahl is a bean they cook and mix with spices. For fruit we get fresh pineapple, pomelo (which is like a huge sweet grapefruit), bananas, pomegranates, coconuts, and the occasional orange! Shati has somehow come to the conclusion that I don’t like her cooking and she always asks me what she should make for dinner so that I wont starve. She doesn’t understand that I have a small stomach that is always stretched more than it ever has been after every meal I eat. I might come back to America fat because the food is so delicious but here fat=healthy!
The people are also amazing! The kids have stolen my heart and so have the other teachers and workers! Bani came into town with us today as our translator. She is a fun person to shop with because she knows everything about the stores in Hili. I bought a shari today and she taught me how to put my hair up using one chop stick! I definitely could get use to the people!
I may never get a chance to live in another country for 6 months and experience its culture again. So why would I not be content? I’m ready to live life to the fullest and before I know it I will be home telling all of you about the amazing Bangladeshi people and culture!
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 that he had learned to be happy in whatever circumstance he was in. I’ve always marveled at the idea of Paul being happy even while he is in prison, it just doesn’t make sense. However, I am beginning to understand what it is like to be content with where God has placed you in life. The sun is currently going down and Sabbath is approaching and although I miss my family back at home I am so glad that I am here in Bangladesh. I feel like “content” is the only word that I can use to describe how I feel about my current condition.
I have been sick these last few days and one night while I was laying awake in my bed, feeling miserable, I started thinking that if my sickness got worse I might have to be sent home. It shocked me to realize that that is the last thing that I want to happen. In the morning when I went on my typical walk I noticed how beautiful it was outside. The fog was beginning to lift off the earth and the sunbeams were beginning to light up the rice fields. As I was walking I felt like God wrapped his arms around me and reminded me that this is where I am suppose to be at the moment… not America. God showed me that there is nothing for me to do in America at current time.
Today we went into town after breakfast. It was so much fun! I am beginning to realize that I am getting use to most of the sights around here. It doesn’t bug me that people paint their animal’s highlighter colors to mark which one is theirs (have you ever seen a bright pink chicken?), the men wear skirts, or that people stare at us everywhere we go. However, there are still some things that I will probably never get use to. For example when anyone needs to get flem out of their throat they are not quiet about it at all. They carry the chickens to be eaten by their feet in groups of 6-8 (all of them alive and upside down). The woman just let their urine flow down their Shari’s and the men go wherever they please, not matter whose around. There is this dog that lives by the school whose front leg looks like an accordion because he has been hit by something (all of the dogs are so badly treated here). And the last thing I will never get over are the bugs. They have a saying that when you’re in Bangladesh and you think you feel a bug on you… you have a bug on you. It is so true! I have a green bug net over my bed but the bugs still get in so I have to fumble around at night and pick them off in the dark. My grandma finds it hilarious that I have to pick dead ants off of my cough drops before I eat them.
Something I could definitely get use to is the food cooked by our chef Shati! In the morning we generally have Dahl and rice (mixed with wheat for nutrition). Dahl isn’t very good in other places because they make it extremely watery because they are so poor; but when Shati makes it, it is nice and thick. Dahl is a bean they cook and mix with spices. For fruit we get fresh pineapple, pomelo (which is like a huge sweet grapefruit), bananas, pomegranates, coconuts, and the occasional orange! Shati has somehow come to the conclusion that I don’t like her cooking and she always asks me what she should make for dinner so that I wont starve. She doesn’t understand that I have a small stomach that is always stretched more than it ever has been after every meal I eat. I might come back to America fat because the food is so delicious but here fat=healthy!
The people are also amazing! The kids have stolen my heart and so have the other teachers and workers! Bani came into town with us today as our translator. She is a fun person to shop with because she knows everything about the stores in Hili. I bought a shari today and she taught me how to put my hair up using one chop stick! I definitely could get use to the people!
I may never get a chance to live in another country for 6 months and experience its culture again. So why would I not be content? I’m ready to live life to the fullest and before I know it I will be home telling all of you about the amazing Bangladeshi people and culture!
Be content with where God has placed you today! He has a plan that is far better than we could even imagine! Whether you are at home with babies, about to head off to work, or even unsure of what the day holds for you, be joyful for what God has planned! 
This is Heather and I on a Rickshaw ride in Dhaka (Heather, Lauren, and I just swapped pictures so I decided to put this up even though it doesn't go with the post)!
This is Rice (with wheat) and Dahl! It is so yellow because of the turmeric spice. Mrs Waid. always says, "Turmeric is the spice of Bangladesh."
Grandma thinks that it's funny about the bugs because we can't imaging you doing that a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteBugs are gross. Amanda and I freaked out because there was one in our room the other day. it was HUGE and creepy. :(
ReplyDelete