Laos Update

Just got back from Laos... amazing country, amazing people. Change is happening in this backwater nation- just you wait. Some forces cannot be stopped by political ideology. An awakening is happening.

Although it was merely a daytrip, it was action-packed, and the pace felt like a covert espionage operation! [names have been coded to protect the identity of parties involved]


The way to go!


Crossing the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge over the Mekong


the Laotian Flag


Arrival in Laos- the Lao Coat-of-Arms representing aspects of the Lao PDR propaganda: agriculture, buddhism, modernisation, forestry, industry.


Government propaganda


one corner of the morning market, Talat Sao


Uh???!!

- Met Ps W at Talat Sao, had breakfast with him. Got to learn abit about him and his heart. That very morning, the HS reminded Him of the unity of the Church- the state-recognized as well as the underground home churches. Right after that revelation fr HS, he received a call fr a friend, informing him that a brother in the Eglisé Evangelique (a state-sanctioned church) had passed away: would he attend the funeral? He immediately replied that he would, affirming solidarity in Christ. What a powerful gesture.


Scene at the Bus Station


a regular morning in vientienne


Busy people


random scene in Vientienne


Ps W

- After breakfast, we visited the Patuxay- a quadruple-arched victory monument in the heart of Vientienne, styled after te Arc de Triomphe in Paris, with a twist- Khmer/Pali styled idols and filigree ornamented the structure. I haven't t he faintest idea why this monstrous structure was built in 1962 (it was never completed anyway due to the country's turbulent history).


the Patuxay... monstrous structure... nicknamed the "vertical runway" in reference to the concrete that was initially intended for the building of the airport, but diverted to build this folly.

- Climbed to the top of the monstrosity, with a bird's eye view of the capital, and blew the Shofar, making a declaration of God's sovereignty in the land, His victory and announcing the year of Jubilee- slaves set free and debts cancelled.


View of Vientienne from the top of Patuxay

- Visited Ps S at his place and met some campus crusade staff... never expected to meet crusaders in laos- they've apparently got an active ministry there... amazing amazing God.


- At Ps S's they've got this cool recording studio set up- coupla PC's, editing tools and then killer musicians! The strategy is brilliant- they use this cool Isaan song-form called Mâw Lam- its less of a musical form than a social critique. The instrumentation is standard- a Khené, the Laotian 3 stringed guitar and some clangy percussion (a cow bell would do nicely). The trick in Mâw Lam is the lyrics: two singers (sometimes more, rarely a solo) will take turns to sing spontaneous verse; the other singer is to pick up where the previous singer left off- the song content can range from political critique to social commentaries to love songs... Consequentially, this spontaneous artform has managed to escape government censorship (remeber Laos is a socialist/communist state, and all forms of media are heavily filtered). The strategy is to use Mâw Lam to preach the gospel! They are doing exactly that, and it works! Wonderful stuff!


Clandestine recording facility....

- Followed Ps W to the Eglisé Evangelique, sat through the funeral service, and travelled some 30km out to the countryside to the cemetary. What a trip- a train of trucks, vans, buses ferrying the mourners over muddy, sloppy roads soaked through by the rainy season (it rains here everyday- the rivers bursting their banks... more later). It was a miracle our pickup did not get stuck in the icky stuff... otherwise, i'd have alot more pictures to share!


Rainy season and dirt roads DO NOT make a good combination.


Train of mourners struggle to the cemetary. Killer sticky mud.

- Reached the cemetary at 2pm-ish, simmering... HOT, STICKY and Muddy. We gathered round, and the Hmaung pastor led in a short worship session- joyful songs for a solemn occasion and preached some more... Attending a laotian, christian, hmaung funeral is definitely an eyeopener. Again, there is that unity in the faith, and the assurance and joy in the afterlife- we'll meet this brother in heaven! How cool is that!


Hmuong Pastor (from the state-sanctioned church) preaching at the funeral/burial.

- Proceeded to Ps D's home for the music appointment, another half hour or so away. Had to cross a flooded river to get to the village. Ps D wasn't at home when we reached.


Getting to Ps D's house involves crossing a river that has burst its banks.


Lady weaving

- Decided to visit another sister in the village- Pi W. She's quite a character... a member of the former Thai Dam royalty in Laos (deposed after the communist take-over), she still retains a regal demeanor. She now weaves for a living, and does an excellent job. I'm honored to have some of her handiwork!


approaching the princess' residence


typical open fire kitchen

- Hurried back to Ps D's place, but he was again not back yet. Had to wait a bit before he got back; snoozed some in the sweltering heat. Ps D arrived well past 4pm and we lunched.


Ps D's


lunch at Ps D's... sticky rice and papaya salad... Yum!

- Ps D is an amazing fella. A top scholar in Laos, he was one of the elite students sent to the Soviet Union for special training. It was an odd moment when we exchanged greetings with each other in Russian- Ps D misses speaking Russian! As things turned out, Ps D lived in Irkutsk in his first year of education in USSR, and visited Lake Baikal, went to Olkhon Island on the lake, met the museum director in Khuzir town, whom I met too! He was the first Laotian to ever set foot at Lake Baikal. It was a strange feeling knowing that we both walked the same path before and met the same people. As an agriculturalist, he's converted his homestead into a self sufficient resource, living almost totally off the produce of his land. An amazing array of vegetables, herbs, fruit trees and fish pond surround his house. He's taken it on himself to educate the local farmers the finer points of sustainable agriculture, and in the process refused several prestigous government posts. He has an amazing pastoral heart, and invites folk to live with him for periods of time. Truly life impartation.
- Had our 1 hr crash course on the Khéne. Totally challenging! Got a loooong way to go.


Khene crash course

- Left Ps D's just before 6, in time to catch an array of nacreous clouds on display in the glowing sunset! From what I understand, this is no common phenomena- need to have high ice-clouds, a low sun and low clouds as the 'projection screen'. It truly felt like God was smiling on us.


Nacreous clouds 1


Nacreous clouds 2


Nacreous clouds 3

- Back to Vientienne, just as the sun was setting; got to the state hospital to pray for a sick brother... found ourselves through the maze of corridors and courtyards, curiously labeled in Lao and French, and completed our mission.


Emergency Room at the Hospital, Vientienne

- Found Joma Cafe at 730 (Lao-Thai border closes at 9pm, last bus at 8-ish...), hung around for a bit, got a lovely mocha ice-blend, got my cookies, and scooted. Said our goodbyes and thanks to Ps W, and hopped on a tuk-tuk for the hour long ride back to the Friendship bridge. Got back to the Thai side with monstrous rain clouds hard on our heels...


beautiful cafe Joma...


...what a paradise!

- Vincent rode us back, our hearts full of thanks and wonder at the day! Reached home to a sumptious dinner and special dinner guests Ajan Chudapa and her Husband, and Danielle. The heavens gave way the moment we stepped into the house. The clouds emptied themselves for the rest of the night.


Back home in Nongkhai, Danielle all dressed for the downpour!

Totally awestruck at God's faithfulness and goodness! Really, we sit back and Sabai.