Alright so despite previous promises and desires; I have not written something new on here in more than a month. A month is a long time and a lot has happened. I also have been very busy (lame excuses). School has started, my internship with Wesley has begun, I went to Alabama for a week, I am continuing to prepare for my trip to China ( I leave in a week), I joined the Mission Society and I have been teaching myself Motion (computer program).
You have heard this before but, I am going to start blogging more often. So people supporting me can read about what all I am doing, and so I can process all the stuff I am doing and learning, while living here in Orlando.
Right now, I have China on my mind. Last week I met up with the other people who are going with me on the trip and getting to talk to them about the trip was very valuable. The best part was getting to see some pictures from the last time one of the girls went to China. Where we are going actually looks a lot like California. Foothills/mountains with lots of low bushes and trees. Just seeing the pictures took away a lot of the tension that was building in my mind about what this trip was going to be. I also saw some pictures of the people there which was equally great, because I was able to put some faces to the people I have been thinking about the past couple weeks.
I also have found out some important and some interesting facts:
- We will be hiking via GPS, and we will be hiking straight through rather than there and back. So we will dropped off by public bus on one road and then approximately 4-5 days later emerge on another road (hopefully close to a bus station).
- We are going to be eating a lot of hiking food, but the local people are also very into feeding visitors so I look forward to lots of rice and potatoes. I however look less forward too large chunks of fat (which is considered the best food gift to welcome visitors).
- While we are not hiking we will be staying with a western family that lives in the region.
- Just over 30 years ago the Nosu people still practiced slavery. With ‘black’ Nosu enslaving ‘white’ Nosu. to a westerner and even to most Chinese people the difference between black and white Nosu is almost impossible to distinguish. Because this is so recent there is still tension between the two and they do not live near one another.
- The Nosu villages are more often than not run by a ‘Bemu’ who plays a witch doctor type roll in the village. Using magic to bless and curse people in the village, and performing rituals for the entire village. Sometimes the Bemu play a lesser role and are more like the other people in the village. However, in some villages they can be a little over zealous and be involved spiritually with the village on a daily basis.
- The weather will most likely be rainy, but at least nice and cool during the day.
- It may get to around freezing at night (Don’t worry I have a sleeping bag rated for this).
- The Nosu often wear very brightly colored hats!
All in all, I am extremely excited to be going. I leave in one week and will return on October 6th. Please keep me in your prayers both now and while I am gone.
