The Wind, The Camel and Bethlehem

Anyone who has been around the church lately may have noticed some strange goings on in the Sanctuary and some even stranger boxes and bags turning up in odd places.  Regular attenders will recognize the signs -- it's nearly time for the Christmas Musical.
This year we are taken on a journey with Hoshmakaka, the camel who carried the gifts.
Here's an interview between Hosh and your intrepid reporter.

Reporter: I'd like to welcome Hoshmakaka, the camel, to our
                 blogtoday. Hoshmakaka, I understand you are setting out
                 on a journey, with an unknown destination.

Hoshmakaka: Yes. I will follow a star to wherever it leads. Have
                        you heard of such nonesense?


Reporter: Why you?
Hoshmakaka: Because I am the chosen one. I have the strength of
                       ten horses. There is no other camel as great as I am.
                       If there are any honours in the caravan, they come to
                       me.

Reporter: Is this trip convenient for you?
Hoshmakaka: No, not at all. I had to give up a water-drinking
                       contest and a cud- chewing convention.


Reporter: Then why did you accept the commission?
Hoshmakaka: Something odd happened. I was resting by a palm
                      tree, perfectly content with life and I heard voices. 
                     They were shouting at me. Then a desert wind, a
                     simoom, if you will, lashed me with sand and fury. I
                     knew then that I'd been called by more than the Magi.

Reporter: So you packed your bags and started West?
Hoshmakaka: I packed one bag. You should see what others
                       packed on top of me.

Reporter: Thank you Hoshmakaka.  Good luck on your journey.
                  Now, through the wonders of modern technology,
                  I've been able to speak with the wind, or simoom, as
                  Hoshmakaka called her.

                  Welcome Simoom.


Simoom: Happy to be here.






Reporter: There are many names
                 for  wind. One of my 
                favourites is Descuernacabras, or wind that de-horns
                goats.


Simoom: If I'd been talking to a goat, I'd have come as
               Descuernacabras.
               Since Hoshmakaka is a camel, Simoom was more
               appropriate.


Reporter: Was he difficult to persuade?
Simoom: He resisted at first, but none can stand against the wind,
               especially when it is a wind raised by God.


Reporter: So, God sent you to Hoshmakaka?
Simoom: Of course. you don't think events happen by accident, do
               you?


Reporter: Um, no, Sorry.
Simoom: You should be.


Reporter: Well, thank you for your comments, Simoom. I'm very
                 happy to have been able to speak with you directly.


Simoom: Let he who has ears, hear.

Here's an update from our friend in Nepal.

Last weekend we went to the Chitwin Nature park. A real adventure. The hope was to see rhinos and ride the elephant. When we were on the elephant at 6:30 am in the middle of a very wet and dense jungle we did manage to rout out 2 rhinos. Unfortunately from my perch on the elephant I only got to see their back ends.
We had an excellent guide and over the course of the day we spent approx 5 hours walking through the jungle looking for wild life.  Only saw a crocodile and some deer and many birds. We saw amazing flora and signs of the bigger animals. The guide told us to hide behind a tree if we came upon a rhino so I spent a lot of time looking for trees!
We also spent time floating on the river -- the same one the crocodiles were in -- in a dug out canoe. Many of us were nervous. Later, we got to spend time washing and feeding the elephants.
The place was so peaceful butonly had power from 5:30 pm till 9:30 pm and alas NO HOT WATER! Would go back again, saw lots of very rugged country and rural way of life getting there.
Some other highlights are attending the birthday party of a 10 year old, a wedding feast where we ate goat, and tea with the director of the hospital and buying some Nepalese clothes. It cost us $3.00 to have an outfit tailored for us.

I need to go. We have a social engagement to attend. Since we will only be here for 3 more days everyone wants to feed us!

We  hope to go to Lumbini, the birth place of Buddah, this Saturday. It is a 3-4 drive and some of the nurses we have met will come with us. They still have rotating strikes here because of the political situation so western Nepal is closed today so do not know if we will get to go.

This update came in on Saturday, Linda's Sunday

 We did not go Lumbini after all.  Because of the political unrest  it felt safer to stay here.  The bonus was we went to church.  It brings tears to my eyes to be in church and hear their worship.  I am sure all of the people living around the church must be awed by the sounds of praise.  There is lots of music and singing and then open times of prayer and celebration where everyone raises hisvoice in praise.  Wonderful.  

Say hello to all for me, I feel their prayers daily as I meet some of the challenges we have to deal with.