[Rainer.]

My family back in Vietnam is pretty poor. Call me cynical, but that's really just the way it is. Something interesting, though, is the poor people out in the country do seem a lot more relaxed and happy than a lot of Americans... Interesting that they want their kids all to learn English and move to America someday, because life is somehow easier here, when really, people here seem way depressed and longing for a simpler life.

Just... interesting thoughts, I guess.

[canguru2]

Originally Posted by earlessdog

Sounds like you had a great time, Sarah!
It must be weird to go somewhere so different than home then come back like that. Were you disgusted when you looked face to face with your fellow American citizens stuffing their faces with way too much food and buying way to much clothes and caring way to much about themselves?
I'm actually not familiar with Brazil, is there a lot of poverty and a lot of people with very little?

It was incredible, I would go back in a heartbeat. There is a lot of poverty, but like Jon said, when you interact with the people, they really do seem a lot happier in general.

The thing that most bothered me when I got back wasn't the fact that we have so much here... (I gained 4-6 pounds after I got back, just from sheer... face-stuffing), it's the fact that we have so much, and we complain all the time. Like, full on whining. The first couple of days after being home, that was hard adjusting, because I really felt like smacking people. Hahaha.

Originally Posted by Rainer.

My family back in Vietnam is pretty poor. Call me cynical, but that's really just the way it is. Something interesting, though, is the poor people out in the country do seem a lot more relaxed and happy than a lot of Americans... Interesting that they want their kids all to learn English and move to America someday, because life is somehow easier here, when really, people here seem way depressed and longing for a simpler life.

Just... interesting thoughts, I guess.

Yep. And it was interesting, how much more open people seemed when it came to hearing about God. It made me feel like we should spend more time there, where we could really be effective.





Oh! Paula is doing very well. She had a rough patch after her first round of chemo, and spent some time in ICU, but she did eventually get to go home for a few days, which was really exciting. Now I think she has finished her second round, and she's doing great... she's hoping to go home after 21 days, as opposed to last time's 34.
We found out about a week ago that her cancer is in 100% remission.


This week is VBS at my church. I'm the designated photo-taker, which should be fun. But I don't have to be there every night, so tomorrow I am going to go see Emery again!

[beaver_regnew]

Hey there Canguru. I remember the days when we only knew eachother here.