First Walk

We could not stay inside anymore. The 3 days since Anna was born the weather had been beautiful (perfect fall like days in the south), and I couldn't take sitting inside while the sun was shining through my windows and I could hear kids playing outside. We needed out! So we took our first walk. 

The plan was to take a walk around 8 am. Perfect time. Kids were in school and the only people out on their porches were the older gentlemen who spoke zero english and ladies tending to their gardens (again, zero english), plus a few little ones half dressed here and there chasing one another with pine cones and sticks. 

We didn't get out until 2:30 in the afternoon. Basically, we're realizing this is how long it takes to get a newborn ready--what, with all the peeing (on herself), pooping (on her new mattress), spitting up (on her clothes and having to change them), and feeding her (OMG, is it really time again?) the afternoon rolls around and the day feels like it's already over. 

As we headed out we saw our first group of neighbors wanting to meet baby Anna. Four women from Nepal were sitting under a tree just talking. It looked like pure bliss and something I want to do every fall day this year. As we came upon them, all four jumped up and ran to the stroller. The only words we could understand were, "she's so big!" So big? She's tiny to us! The ladies continued to marvel at Anna and speak in their own language to themselves while the high school kids who just got off the bus came running up to us. They also just stared at her and exclaimed "she's so cute!" It's so neat how fascinating newborns can be across all cultures. 

We continued our walk knowing that first group wouldn't be the last. A few minutes later we heard screams from across our complex "COACH TRAVIS! JESSICA! BABY!" Two girls from Nepal came running toward us from 400 yards away. They wanted to meet baby Anna too. When they finally came upon us, they looked at her, said "she's so cute!" and ran away happy to have seen Anna even for a few seconds. 

We saw several more of our neighbors on our walk. The last group of neighbors we came across is a family we know well. Their son plays for our soccer team. Even though we couldn't understand his parents, his brother translated for us. He told us that his mother was saying I should be sleeping, not walking. He said in Nepal mothers don't walk at all for a week and babies don't come outside for 12 days! Whelp, in the Nepali culture I've already failed as a mother, ha!... He also said that his mother was saying that Anna needed a shirt to support her head. Agh, strike 2! 

All in all, our first walk was glorious! We got to enjoy the beautiful weather, push around our new baby girl, which is something I have been dreaming about for such a long time, and having our neighbors get so excited about meeting Anna blessed me beyond words.  

Lost in Translation

What do you get when you cross 2 Americans, 2 Nepali, and a Walmart? You get a language barrier!

Ok, maybe not the best joke, haha! But that's exactly what happened last night. It was a typical night in Birchcroft as we prepared to get ready for Bible Study. Travis was practicing for worship with a few youth girls who play the violin and cello, and Caitlin (who Travis and I live with) and I were trying to round up the girls in the neighborhood. Corbin (one of the missionaries living in Birchcroft) asked if Caitlin and I would be so kind as to take two women who needed a ride up to Walmart. With still 30 minutes until Bible Study started we hopped in the car with these ladies who hardly speak English and headed the mile or so up the road to the store.

"We'll meet you right here at the cash registers when you are done, ok?"

The ladies shook their heads yes and walked off on a mission to retrieve whatever they were after. They didn't grab a cart so we knew they wouldn't be too long. Caitlin and I moved through the grocery section (or lack there of) wondering what was for dinner later that night. After agreeing to the easy but hearty beans, rice, and corn combo we headed toward the check out in the hopes of meeting our fellow Walmart comrades. After about 20 minutes of browsing the magazines in the check out aisles Caitlin and I began to wonder where these ladies were. Did they get lost? What exactly were they coming here for? Did they escape unnoticed somehow? After three circles around the mega store and another 30 minutes we began to worry and wonder what we should do. We even had a Walmart employee helping us. We decided that Caitlin would stay and monitor the store while I drove toward Birchcroft seeing if I could spot these two ladies heading back to their apartment. So many thoughts were reeling through my mind as I drove that long mile, How do you lose two women? What is Corbin going to think? Is he going to wonder if I'm fit for this ministry? Please, Lord, protect these two women! I finally reached the apartment complex as Bible Study was letting out, and as usual the kids were running the streets kicking a soccer ball or just hanging out. I spotted Travis and waved him over to the car. After I told Travis what happened he grabbed Corbin and I relayed the story once more. I let out a sigh of relief when Corbin started laughing. He went to check the ladies apartment and I followed behind in the car. Sure enough there the ladies were, safe and sound at home! Luckily Corbin had a kid with him who spoke the same language the ladies do. One of the ladies told Corbin that they must have misunderstood us and walked home. I knew there were no hard feelings when I saw a huge smile come across that lady's face. She thanked me and we both apologized for the misunderstanding.

After picking up Caitlin from Walmart I finally was able to breathe and just laugh at the situation, a situation I was afraid was going to turn out bad. Language barriers are tough but I know that Christ can break those down; I saw it in the smile of those ladies who after they thought we left them still graciously thanked me.