Glimpses
Two weeks has gone by since we arrived back in New Zealand from our short term exposure trip visiting Partners. It’s crazy how two weeks in Thailand and Myanmar felt so long and being home the rhythm of busyness and life moves so fast. But before it does, I want to tell you about our experience visiting this incredible organisation and both these incredible countries.
Glimpse #1: Partners’ Office We arrived to a welcome and flurry of people. Being apart of a staff meeting allowed us a chance to see what their normal looks like. It wasn’t hyped, it wasn’t particularly fascinating at the start, it was just people introducing themselves and making us feel apart of something. Then it became fascinating quickly because we glimpsed what it looks like out of the office for Partners staff and volunteers, when a few individuals reported back about their trips to Bangladesh and Myanmar/Burma. Some of it heartbreaking, some of it joyful, and all of it full of hope in God’s redeeming love for this part of the world. We listened as our friend and Partners staff member told us about the history of the organisation and the very real realities for men, women and children from Myanmar/Burma who have been brutally displaced by war and corruption. We listened with open minds and expectant hearts as she told us about Partners dreams, hopes and projects. It was just a glimpse, just a moment really, but it was a start to something more.
Glimpse #2: Travel Travelling for 9 hours, although in a very comfortable van, proved that without a doubt being a missionary is not glamorous, but requires time, energy and many stops at 7-11. But in all seriousness, from past experiences I know that many missionaries spend a lot of time travelling; it is hard and exhausting work but the payoff is wonderful to see God’s Kingdom be full of more empowerment and love.
Glimpse #3: Projects We as a team were privileged to visit many of Partners’ projects and meet many people impacted by the work done within the projects. Eye opening for many of us, to see just a little bit of what life is like when you are trying to learn English. Or when you are migrant worker or weaver. To understand the realities that women face when it comes to female hygiene. To know how overwhelmingly blessed we are for growing up in country that does not face the same issues, and being humble enough to hear, see, smell, learn from people whose life and culture is so different from our own but is also beautiful, unique and blessed too. We also saw goats and we loved the goats because they are cute, but we also know that the goats are the livelihood and empowerment for some teachers in nearby schools. And that when goats die because the winter was too cold and they got sick, it impacts many different things.
Glimpse #4: Schools and Culture We again had the enormous privilege to visit some schools and share some of our culture with children and teachers. Because this team is made up of primarily teenagers, this glimpse had major impact. Many reflected after the trip that they didn’t realise how much of a privilege it was to be able to attend high school. It surprised us that people wanted to know about NZ culture as much as we wanted to know about culture in Myanmar/Burma. Sometimes the struggle to be culturally respectful and responsible was challenging, some highly inflexible people found not pointing their feets extremely tricky. What we loved about culture was the hospitality, the kindness, the hope even in dark days.
These are just a few of our glimpses … and we are so grateful for each of them. We now carry the people, places, and culture in our own journeys. Hopefully somewhere in the future our paths will cross again.