Starting Over

This past week has been a very exciting one. Each day I leave Shawna and the kids and walk to work about 1 hour each way. The walk is great because I feel like it is the best way to start acclimating to this new culture. I walk past buddhists burning incense, beggars asking for money, garbage burning, butchers cutting on a goat, and armed soldiers. The sights and smells are almost overwhelming.

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Several times throughout my day I am struck with the reality that I am starting all over again. I know hardly anyone here. I am learning a new job. I cannot even speak the language. I feel like I am a child again.

A few nights ago I struck up a conversation with a 12 year old named Om that I met on my walk home. He is from a very low caste and he was hoping to persuade me to give him some money. I started asking for help with my Nepali and after about 30 minutes I picked up a few more words. It seems ironic that I am asking a 12 year old who has already dropped out of school for help learning something.

At the end of our conversation I asked Om if I could buy him a Coke. He was excited and eagerly followed me to the nearest restaurant. My heart broke as I opened the door to the restaurant. I had accidentally chosen a restaurant that he was not allowed to go in because of his poor caste. He looked terrified when I asked him to go in and have a seat.

The caste system is something else that I am learning about. A persons caste is chosen at birth and one cannot upgrade to another caste in this lifetime. Hindus and Buddhists believe that the more they suffer in this life the better chance they have of being reincarnated into a better caste in the next life. Please pray for freedom for these wonderful people like Om.

Posted by Shawna at November 15, 2003 10:35 AM