Leaving Bangladesh

Well, today is 18th of May and Iam leaving Bangladesh on the 27th of May. This is so soon to leave; I haven't completed my three year commitment, but I must go..soon..soon the better. MCC is working on my flight fare and I am right now packing and finishing up things before I live. I did not think this would be me..but it happened and I have to leave. O well, I have to think about the positive sides here, though I feel lost and lonely but I know one day that there ll be an opened arm saying, come my child I don't care about your wrongs you've done, no longer I remember, no more...will that be so amazing to hear? Well, I just called my guardian's and said do come home....i am going home with burden, but I will right now let future take care of itself and I will face it as it comes...I thank those of you have been praying for me, and reading this blog...I know I don't post things often but you have kept with me. May God's grace increase in you lives. I have a life that is springing in me and I cant wait for that...though I know I am not ready for it...but I know that we'll manage.

God's love and peace to you all.

Lena

Easter weekend

My easter's journey started in Dhaka, Mohakhali mymensingh bus stand. We got there at the Bus stand where, workers of different bus companies coming over to us (me and Gloria) asking us to buy their bus tickets. But decided that we would get a bus that a friend had told me to get. Once we got to the bus stand, there was already a long line awaiting for us, and to say that it was almost 115 degrees of so, and such a high humidity I had no patience to wait. We walked pass the line and there came this guy, walked to us and told us the seat numbers and get in the bus. We got in and paid him later for the seats. Amazingly it worked for me, I didnt want to stand in that long line so...nothing to loss although I felt little of those feelings u have when things like that happens.

Anywhere, we reached mymensingh, just than I realised that I had never been to that bus station. I made so random calls for help but no one was their to pick there phones. So the first name that came to me was bridge and I mentioned that and the rickshawlar said he knows the place. He said he would take us for 25 taka, which later I realised that wasnt far from the bus stand, anywhere, I gave what was agreed. Anywhere got there and found a bus that was just leaving. Got in the bus, but this is much more smaller so everthing were all squashed in and left. Just to say that it was an hour bus ride..and I manged through.
Got off at 25 miles and took a van ride which was rough but still I could feel the cool breeze as the van passed through the shadows of the trees. Reached Pirgach at 5 ish and had our meal. That night I get to wear shari and went to mess and it was fun with all the candle lights. After that got back, at around 11pm everyone went to their rooms or their homes, and everything was quite, and I was just lying down on the chair that was placed in the center and counted the stars , the moon in the clear sky and felt the cool breeze as it brushed through. Just being out in the open, felt amazing, you just want to forget about everything..I went back to bed at 12pm...The families were great, they hosted us very well.
After the second day we left for our different areas. Me and Gloria came to mymensingh and the two Bogra guys came back to Bogra.

All in all it was great for me.

sheared sheep wool

MCC reap Bangladesh involves with mostly agricultural activities in which you all know that I am mostly involved with. One of the major areas that we have been working with is called the Monga Project. Part of this project buys live animals and distribute them to farmers that have less marginal land. We have provided about more than 1300 sheep in that area. Its been almost two to three years now and Iam working on setting up a wool co-op for them. And this last week I have been involved with shearing the wool. This first sample will be used for washing, weighing and using them for finding buyers. Right now the wool quality is not know yet and so, I will post later about the wool quality. Just within half day I finished 10 sheep shearing their wool...I amso amazing by myself that I can use a clipper and shear 10 half a day. Anywhere, I am starting to look for buyers now...whether it may be a international buyer or local buyer. Once I find and settle with the agreements than I will continue with the rest of the wool shearing but this will not be done by me, itll be done by the farmers/rather a selected farmer that will be specialised doing that later. Hope all will go well as I look for buyers. The pics will be posted later.

A wanderer, a traveller, a sojourner

I am a wanderer, a traveler a sojourner! Since i came to Bangladesh I realized that I traveled a lot. My comfort I find is with my MP3 player as I am stared down..I have set this invisible walls that I see nothing and hear nothing and the only thing is my music. I rested my head on the local buses several times and awaken by the thunderous sounds of the bus honks. I have created my resistance to the problem of staring, nothing more to say rather a boundary of silence. Local bus is now my place for thinking and the guest house is my resting place. Road side hotels are my dinner table or break fast table..every conductor is my friendly tour guide.
Books have been my friend and MP3 has been my listening vessel. What can I say, this world is not my home and I know that I am just passing through.. its a song and it has become my reality. So, here I go...a traveler, a sojourner, a wanderer!
Cant wait for the best stored for me!!
Peace,

Jesus I believe

So this is a song that always touches my heart every time I come to God. I'd like to share this with you all.
Song

1. Like a ship on trouble water many sail alone. Mothers' weap for sons and daughters pray that they come home. Soon it will be harvest time and all the storms will pass. Oh what joy Ill find when I see you at last.

Chorus
O o o, you are my resting place along the narrow highway. You are my bridge across the open sea. You are my saviour and my passage way to heaven. Oh Jesus I believe in you, o o Jesus I believe.

2. Father you have seen my struggles, you have known my fear. Though the world laughs me, says I am just a fool, I will bow my knees and worship only you.

Bridge:
I believe that youre the answer to lives questions. Lord help me keep my heart in the right direction...ooo. You are my resting place along the narrow highway, you are my bridge across the open sea..you are my saviour and my passage way to heaven..ooh Jesus I believe in you..oooh Jesus, I believe.

The Retreat

So...we had our expetriate country retreat a week ago. It was very nice to be out of very plain areas to at least sort of mountain country side. Its a different kind of of setting apart from the very plain but green bangladesh that I am used to now. The people living there are totally different and of course there is rainforest, which we went for a walk. Seeing monkeys and drinking seven layers of different coloured tea twices, is something to remember. Then having our group devotional/sharing time together was very helpful. I should say that most of my lives living is on denial, but this doesnt make me a bad person.. rather finding the common ground to share is very much needed. I should say that when sharing with one another on common ground really helps thus relieving our exhausted mind partially or completely. While I am still in the Grace period, I have to learned how to serve whole heartly. This was the word of the Lord came to me during the retreat.

So, the retreat was fun, walking through the woods and smelling the dead leaves was the highlight for me. Then of course sharing, playing games, just hanging out with the group and drinking seven layers of colored tea.

Rabbits kidding

The Rabbits
Its been five months and three weeks when the rabbits have started kidding. My specific job title was/is livestock researcher, and was told to work with rabbits and pigs since they are the major issue with the tribal areas which MCC is mostly working with. But has decided that rabbit could be introduced to the muslim community and I have been working with the rabbits to solve or find the cause of not being pregnant or not kidding. I have bought twenty eight rabbits twenty are female and eight are male. Since I bought them at the early age, some of them were sexed wrong. This is because, a month ago, I found out that one of the males is female which reduce the number of males down to seven. As some you remember that I have mentioned about the housing designed that I was working on. Well the results collected, I am still working on it but I am writing this to share the good news that one of my housing design is great or highly significant. This is because most of the females that gave birth are from one of the housing design. I have one mother with four kits that I am right now taking care of these will be used for breeding purpose. As I was coming to closure of this research, I have selected farmers to take the rabbits that are not going to be used for breeding. I am so happy that most of the rabbits have been taken by the settled families and starting to build the recommend housing to raise the rabbits . So far thing are getting better.. and hope that the muslim community with start to eat the rabbit meat. Or and these rabbits that are given, are to the muslim community.

Thanks for reading and God's blessings everyone.