Meeting our sponsored child (part three)

Poverty is relative.  Happiness is where you find it.  You can be 'poor' and happy, and 'rich' and unhappy.  M's family live in relative poverty.  They have a home and land which they farm.  They have a motorbike and pedal bikes and mobile phones.  They invited us into their home, which by our standards, was basic but sound and dry.  We didn't see their kitchen, bathroom or laundry facilities, but the impression I got was the water came from a well, and they had mains electricity.

the building to the right, behind the Honda, is the cooking area.  Tom was kicking around as we gathered to go for a walk...



You can see our taxi-bus in the middle-distance, so the access road is along the line of trees.  I didn't ask what the bricks were intended for... although we learned that M's father had built the house/complex himself about 15 years ago, so maybe there's work still to finish.

These buildings were opposite the kitchen/cooking area - I'm guessing they were bathroom/washing/laundry areas - they hang washing on hangers along the suspended bamboo pole under the eaves

Back to the meal.  There was a practical part I've never seen before, but which I could understand having seen the basic amenities available.  M's father offered us his home-made rice wine with lunch.  He had a tray with water tumbler glasses on it, but before he poured the wine he first cleaned the glasses.  He poured a half-glass full into a tumbler, swished it around and then poured it into the next tumbler.  He methodically passed the wine from glass to glass, swilling it around each one.  By this method he ensured the glasses had all been rinsed, in front of us, before then filling the glasses and offering us a drink.  The swilled liquid he stepped outside the front door and threw away.  It must rid the glasses of dust, and save carrying clean items through the dusty yard only to become dusty en route.  He did the same procedure with the tea we had when returned from our walk.

After lunch had been eaten we were invited to go for a walk with the family to see their pineapple field.  It was explained that this field was about 15 minutes away, so off we set.  I don't know the reason why, but at this point we left the officials behind.  Just us, M and her parents, and our interpreter.

 



going down the road we'd driven up on

they cultivate wherever they can - pineapples on the hillside, paddi fields below

The opportunity to walk through the countryside with M's family was a simple pleasure I will never forget.  Whilst they were in a remote situation they had everything they needed, and their needs (education/health) were met in the commune.  Although M's parents were self-employed farmers, and their work was hard, they seemed content with their lot and were very happy and proud to take us to their pineapple field and show us what they had.

rice paddi with twigs for fencing

M's family pineapple field

harvesting

from the pineapple field - looking back up the road we'd walked down from M's house

There was so much to see, and questions which went unasked at the time, but which the landscape answered by looking at it.  I can only imagine what it's like in the rainy season, but the fertility is obvious.

To be continued.... obviously!
Kat  :)