The Bus

"What happens on the bus, stays on the bus. But I'll tell you what happened"

Our trip to Nepal was quite an experience. Juts getting there and back was enough adventure to write a book. Instead I will chronicle some of the things in this blog. 

If you travel by bus to Nepal, many things could happen. 

You could first off chase down the bus 12 miles down the road via taxi like in need for speed, except the star is a super cool cool Nepali man. 

You could travel about 10 miles on the bus and then stop, and a man gets on the bus with a goat. The goat could sit in the front of the bus for the remainder of the 15 hour trip and poop everywhere. 

You could be stopped by cops and then let go. 5 min later, you could be have a large strange vehicle pull up beside you. Then 3 men could mysteriously begin throwing bags and bags of something into the back of the bus. You could think they're drugs and then think you're about to be a part of one of those heists that you hear about 3 months after the crooks get caught. But chances are, they are just bags and bags of bananas. About 30 large duffle bag size bags of bananas.

You could experience a lot of creepy night stops on the way there and back, featuring many creepy men who you secretly fear may jump you. But then you remember you're a tall black man with facial hair and you've been practicing your scowl. 

You could witness a really intense verbal fight between an old and a young Nepali woman discussing a bag, or at least thats all you can understand cause you don't know 50 languages like everyone else. 

Then you might lose your nice jacket to a big open window. Along with the jacket, you could lose you phone charger, your aux cable, your head lamp, a phone, and an Internet stick, which both contain phone sims that are harder to get than cable signal from an antenna back in the 90s.

You could befriend all the creepy Nepali men by peeing with them on the side of the road, in the middle of the night, still thinking they may push you into a ditch and leave you to star in the movie Rambo 8 or something featuring 70 year old Sylvester Stallone and a black man, me. 

You could witness a lot of spitting which only furthers your dislike of the act. 

You could witness a mass exodus of goats in the road going somewhere with their owner at 330 am. (I'm sorry but where could you possibly have to go?)

You might watch a bunch of strange Nepali music videos (84 to be exact, that are all on someone's thumb drive. Who wants to watch 84 of these things??) that involve men grabbing women forcefully by the hips and pulling them close. The woman will rightfully pull away. Then the man will gracefully grab her hand and she will have a change of heart and suddenly fall in love with him. Then they will dance with perfect choreography as if they practiced somewhere or something and fall in love. They will kiss at the end and probably have children. That last part is implied. And this will be for EVERY SINGLE VIDEO. 

After going 5 months without any African American interactions, you could meet an African woman who for a second you thought was from America as well. But she might be from Mozambique... 

You could watch a cute movie in Hindi and not understand a single word but enjoy it nonetheless because there is nothing else to do on a bus at 10 pm at night except watch a bootleg copy of a movie where someone's head is in the shot for 50 percent of the time. 

And finally you could suffer from lack of space on the bus because the person next to you sleeps like she's sprawled out in a king size bed and is in your spot and hers. 

And this could all happen on a bus. In the middle of Nepal.

Wow.

#experience #nepal #bus #alabanza

You Can Do

"Never think you can't do something. Cause we just drove 20 km via taxi to catch a bus"

So we're traveling to Nepal. It's quite the experience. All the people here look like one of my Nepali kids back at the school named Mithun. We call him Mama due to some old history. So this place is filled with Big Mama's!

Our trip from Guwahati was fairly simple. Got up at 5 to catch a 7 o'clock bus. Got there with plenty of time. No problems minus my sore throat and already missing my kids like a diabetic misses cake. We caught the train along with like 1000 other people. I slept on the top of the three tier bunk bed that was too short for my legs and too close to the ceiling. Typical. It's amazing how much I've been sleeping lately. I think my brain told my body, "now relax Kam"

Train ride ended and we exited into the city of Siliguri. Thankfully we were greeted: by lots of taxi drivers and some orphan children who do the work of nearby pimps. It's a sad sight. We give them food and water instead and pray somehow they can get out. 

We ate lunch at this super sketchy restaurant where I probably got hepatitis A. But it's ok cause I got a shot. Then Ella, like the 21st century independent woman who don't need no man, got us a car to the Nepali border. That was fun.

At the border we filled out paper work, saw some other Americans that made me feel small (finally) and then crossed the border. We rode in rokshaws which are those three wheeled bikes you see on tv with the man pedaling up front and you sitting in a seat with cover in the back. Since I'm a giant and my bag is a giant and Ella's bag was a giant, I figured my driver would die as his 60 year old,  chop stick thin self pedaled me and the stuff across the bridge. He began to profusely cough, and I knew I would have to get down and do CPR. 

He survived. Praise be.

Before getting to the customs desk, we were bombarded by all the men of Nepal this time, asking us everything about our lives. We kept walking. At the customs desk we filled out the paperwork with such speed as we struggled to catch a 5 o'clock bus. A little frustration prevailed as we realized they wouldn't take our 100 dollar bill for some strange reason to pay for our visas. So we shelled out some more rupees. 

We then walked fast to the bus station and  found out it had already left. And then the owner had a brilliant plan: "you pay and then take taxi to the bus. I'll call and see where he is.... He's 20 km away (12 miles)"

I'm sorry, I thought... You want us to chase down a bus in a taxi that is 20 km away. Wow you must have me confused. 

But as the world traveler, Ella decided it was worth the attempt. Plus we would get our money back if we didn't catch it. So we paid and got in the taxi, and like in Need for Speed 8, this Nepali man zoomed us 20+ km to this bus. 

We caught it. I was amazed. Like what? 

So much adventure. 

Now I just look forward to a day at the spa, a hike in the mountains, kayaking on the lake and sleeping. Praying it goes by fast cause I need my children. But I also need a break. 

Until next time 

Yes. Just yes. 

Halfway There

"Never miss out on the opportunity to impact someone's life; however do it with Jesus. The harvest for both is plenty worth it"

There is nothing like riding on top of a truck with your oldest "son"-- who happens to be a week older than you-- as you travel out of the country.  

(Yes I have kids, 25 or so to be exact. Just a side note.)

I've reached the halfway point of my stay in India. It's pretty bitter. Not sweet at all. To think that I stepped off a plane and onto this country 4 and a half months ago is crazy. I don't know where the time went at all. I just know, I want it back. 

We've been doing a lot of traveling recently. We went to this place called Shillong with the kids for a study tour that didn't involve any studying. That was one of the best times ever. Now the Americans are headed to Nepal because we don't want the Indian government to get upset. We'll be there a week.

When i was packing my bags, it was like I was getting ready to come back to America. Leaving my kids. Abandoning my children. It wasn't a good feeling. I didn't want to imagine how packing up would feel when Dec rolled around.

The kids have told me recently that they have been thinking about me leaving more. Especially over the Shillong trip. One of the girls said she cried thinking about it. Suban, in a state of panic, out of nowhere told me "sir don't leave! I love you!" 

Yea, my heart broke. 

My children are everything here. My laughter, my frustration, the best and the worst (before ice princess), my joy, the targets of my scolding, the recipients of half of my food and my spoiling, the ones I teach songs to and the ones I attempt to teach life lessons to (cause I've lived so much life in my 22 years.....).

They are the ones I always think about. And how they shine Jesus in my life and teach me more about Him than many have. 

I'm enjoying my time here. There is no doubt. If I could stay forever I would. I'm just coming back to eat chipotle.

Ha just kidding, you guys are on my mind.

And yet, at this halfway mark, I'm already saddened by the time left. This is proof that I will be an emotional wreck when I actually come back. Don't mind me. I'll be in my own little corner. 

I would even say I'm homesick for this place. Not America. Not Tennessee. For India. It's strange. I think I was always meant to take bath outside, eat with my hands, eat rice for every meal, pretend to heal the sick when it's actually God, preach some sermons, raise a bunch of awesome kids. And the thought that this will all come to an end soon... Well I'm not jumping up for joy.

But.... I'm only halfway. I'm still going to laugh, and sing, and teach and heal and spoil, and enjoy, and so much more. I'm going to make the best of this 4 and a half months.

I may be a wreck when i get back but at least it was for good cause. At least I made the best of my time here At least I took a lot of pictures, played a lot of games, played dad, smiled much, saw Jesus, hopefully gave Jesus.

 

One thing that keeps me grounded is knowing that we're more than halfway there to heaven. Prophecy is moving fast. (Read it if you haven't). And I know there, that place we call heaven, will be the absolute best. 

So I'll strive for that place. Cause that's where my kids will be hopefully 

And that will be really nice.

Really nice.

Wow halfway there.

Where did the time go?

praise to the best