We encountered this group of "rain warriors" on their way to school yesterday in Tien Phuc. Hello, all--
Just when I think I am accustomed to days of rain without a break, we spring a new leak. Quite literally. I awoke this morning to find that the slow, intermittant dripping on the 2nd/3rd floor landing has now developed into a steady drizzle of its own. So much so, that the little puddle gathering on one of the steps spilled over, ran down the underside of the stairs and proceeded to drip, drip, drip on the stairs at the first floor level. Water and floors are not a good mix in any setting. Because everything is marble tile and concrete, there has not been damage, but it is a treacherous walk between floors. In addition, I have discovered a couple other places that are penetrated when we have the combination driven by a typhoon to our south--wind and rain. The rain falls in crescendos, quieter, then louder; quieter, then louder with every gust.
In my American mindset, I asked Duc if Mr. Bo could do something about the leaks. He shrugged a little. "Perhaps," he said. But I could tell that the answer is that in Vietnam, the tenant is pretty much on his own for repairs. A lady in our church shared recently that there is a leak over the bed in her house. She and her husband have hired workers to repair it five times. It is still leaking. They plan to find a new place to rent. They have lived in Danang for about 10 years. So, I guess it is nothing unusual.
This is the kind of day that makes me happy to stay home. But today, we actually ventured out. It takes a lot to get me to brave the inevitable shower. But, tomorrow is Bee's birthday and I cannot let it pass without some fanfare. Bee does so much for us. Her family struggles and we help them out with extra money occasionally. They are trying to build a home that will be water-tight themselves, but it takes time. Any way, Linh took Jillian, Anna Mei, Elizabeth and me to buy a gift, then to Big C to purchase a cake. After much discussion, we decided to buy Bee some nice fabric that she can take to her seamstress (everyone here seems to have one) and have a traditional Vietnamese aoi-ai (pronounced "ow-ee-i") made. Many women wear them to church, and Linh said that at Christmas they are very popular. Some time ago, Bee told Linh that she had one, but it is very old. So this year, she will have a new one.
Fabric stores with resident tailors/seamstresses are everywhere here. Linh takes us to the Han Market. I love it there. It is an authentic Vietnamese market, with row after row of cubicle upon cubicle selling everything from food to housewears to towels, shoes, clothes, and most everything else. The smell is pungent and overwhelming. I have learned that it is the smell of a popular fruit here that has this distinct odor. The aisles at the market are very narrow. In a couple of places the people who work there have put wood sheets on blocks and made a low table. They gather around it on small plastic stools and eat fish, rice, and vegetables that I do not recognize.
My first shopping trip for the house in Danang was at the Han Market. It was where I first encountered the large spiders that are common here, and rats that scurry in the daylight. I saw only one or two rats on that first trip, and I have been to the Han Market several times and not seen any. Not today. You may wonder why we would continue to shop there. It is simple economics. Things are significantly less expensive. For example, the bedspread/sheet/pillow/dust ruffle set I would buy at Big C would be about one million dong. The same set at the Han Market is half as much. Linh has a friend who has a fabric booth; she offers us an even greater discount. So, while looking at fabric for Bee, I didn't think much about it when a rat scurried across the aisle and disappeared under the table of a tailoring business. But soon, I saw another, then another, then another. I told the girls later that I am not sure if I saw 12-15 rats or if I saw one rat 12-15 times. It was interesting to me that all those ladies sitting up there sewing didn't even give the rats a second glance. There they sit with their feet under a table all day, and seem completely unconcerned that a rat may run across their toes at any moment. I couldn't help but curl my toes under my feet in my sandals.
Rain and rats; rats and rain; it's raining rats and rats. Hmmm, I think the day has gotten to me. :)
Yesterday, one of the fellows from CBN asked me about the differences between living here and in the US. Most of the things that popped into my mind to say were negative: the rain, the heat, no hot water in the kitchen, no dryer, no shower separated from the entire bathroom..... In my own mind, the obvious next question arose. Then, don't you want to leave? The answer, surprising more to me than anyone else, is no. While the list of negatives has many more items on it, there is one positive on the other side that overcomes them all: I am experiencing a walk with the Lord here that is more precious than I have known in many years. My heart is full of joy and thankfulness. I am at peace, settled, content. I would not trade this place for anywhere.
May you live in the joy of the Lord today, knowing His Spirit leads you, confident in His love, blessed because you are His child.
Grace and peace!
