To Be a Kid

We had another full day today. In the morning we took the bikes out touring the mountainside. The land is so lush and fertile this time of year. The views are breath-taking. We also met and talked with some local villagers.

Dan brought some lollipops along in his backpack and gave them to some of the kids that we met. It’s amazing what a simple lollipop can do for these children. I’m not sure if it’s the candy or the strange looking Caucasians handing it to them; but their faces just light up with smiles.

During our trip, the boys learned to ride a motorcycle. They picked it up quite quickly and were having a great time riding up and down the dirt road. It reminded me of when I was that age and how thrilling something like that was.

In the afternoon, the local church was having a program for the kids. We attended the service and then spent some time playing with them. There was also a bunch of children from the village that joined in with us. It was fun tossing a frisbee around and just playing with the kids. I again found myself reflecting on the simplicity of being young. The village kids, my boys and even we adults were having such a fun time together.

Sam and Dan are taking this all in and adapting well to a different culture. I had thought that it may be a shock to them. But we have seen some pretty wild stuff (more in a later post) and they have absorbed it without much shock. Perhaps it will strike them more when we return. However, this again had me thinking about how children seem to have this innate ability to relate to others and adapt to surroundings.

Of course, in many ways, being here has made me feel like a kid again too. With all the typical pressures of life on hold on the other side of the world (literally!), I have found myself having so much fun -- just enjoy the time with my boys and my friend. I often hear my own laughter echoing inside of the motorcycle helmet as we ride along taking in the sights and driving through the crazy traffic.

Ironically, Triston and I had an unrelated conversation earlier in the morning about this passage: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3) Jesus spoke these word in direct response to His disciples questioning Him about who was the greatest in the kingdom. As adults we often get so distracted by the pressures of life and we find ourselves caught up in a rat race, competing with each other in a continuous vain striving. Children, on the other hand, are more inclined to just enjoy life and each other. It's a humbling thing to learn from kids; but even Christ's own disciples needed that lesson. Hopefully, I am learning it as well.