A Visit To Tha Thom

“Bo High Vao,” Is a Lao saying which very roughly conveys the same meaning as the Scandinavian expression: “Uffda!” It is used when a person has just experienced something this is either very good or very bad and they do not have words to express that experience.

We left early from the MCC office after a quick breakfast of ‘Lao Hamburger’ (various kinds of pork with sauce and vegies in a baguette). Traveling in the comfort of an MCC vehicle with AC and a soft seat was certainly a good way to start the long trip! We left the city limits of Vientiane for the first time heading south east following the Mekong river to a city named Paxan. From here we turned north toward a small town were we would eat lunch and collect some supplies and secure a vessel for our journey up a river to Tha Thom. Several river taxis were waiting, but it seemed that only one wanted to make the long voyage all the way to Tha Thom. After lunch and some negotiating the MCC country program administrator, two people from the ministry of agriculture, Kaarina and I boarded the 25ft long wooden boat and made ourselves comfortable. The engine roared to life (and I mean roared! Next time we will bring ear plugs) and we headed up-river.

Heading Up River

 It seemed from the very start that the 3 cylinder engine was having trouble as it skipped sporadically. Sure enough as we rounded the next bend, under some overhanging bamboo, it died. We drifted down stream as the captain tried the starter with little success, then whipping out his cellphone he dialed a local AAA riverside assistance service. A few minutes later another man (I assume a relative) walks up the bank to help. A fuel pump is swiped from the relative’s boat and after some priming the engine comes back to life! 45 minutes into our trip we had traveled roughly ¼ mile. However, the rest of the trip went very smoothly and we were blessed by mostly cloudy skies keeping the UV rays partially at bay. We wound our way through bamboo draped hills sporting exotic looking ferns, orchids and towering trees. Small villages dotted the river bank and evidence of the Tha Thom road construction became more prevalent as we traveled. (Many sections of the road are incomplete and as this is the rainy season many segments have been washed into the river. The road is supposed to be completed in two more years. However, even now it is passable during the dry season).

Our Boat Captain

 After a total of 6 hours in the boat we arrived in Tha Thom! The first thing I noticed were the stunning rocky cliffs that thrust into the sky on one side of the town. Rice patties run along the foot of the hill with the road, town and river running parallel to them. Jungle still covers the hills sides on either side of the town. The homes range from modern concrete construction, to wood, to traditional bamboo homes. Several restaurants, guesthouses, government buildings and shops dot the town. New electric lines supply the town and surrounding area with fairly consistent power! The picture we had in our heads was fairly accurate…but at least for me, the real Tha Thom is far more beautiful.

Looking Up the Tha Thom Valley

We spent three full days in Tha Thom attending a six month district meeting, visiting two of the 8 villages MCC works in, and looking for a home. At the meeting we learned more about what MCC is doing in Tha Thom and afterward discussed with our country program administrator what we will actually be doing to help! There is so much to be done, researched, and learned! The villages we visited were much more remote than Tha Thom with the general population living off of what they produce in the rice fields from year to year.
Our quest for a home has been a story in itself! As we walked down the street to look at various homes the Tha Thom team had selected for us, even more people came out offering their homes to us to rent! All in all we looked at 8 homes! In Laos, if plans haven’t changed at least 5 times, then they will. So right now we are considering a raised traditional bamboo home with a beautiful yard for raising a garden and hopefully some animals. The road borders one end of the yard and river the other. At this time we don’t know exactly where we will live, but this is our tentative plan that has already changed twice.

The trip back to Vientiane also lasted an entire day even though we traveled with the river current! In Paxan we took public transportation which added an hour onto the 2 hour trip to the capital. (I have a challenge for anyone possessing a truck with a 10ft bed. We managed to pack 30 people into this rig for roughly an hour of the trip! Hint: 4 people in the cab and 4 hanging on to the tailgate). Needless to say we treated ourselves to some western food that night to ease our sore behinds. We shared chili in a bread bowl and a BLT! All-in-all, we are eager to return to the cool jungle and rugged beauty of Tha Thom. We are pumped to continue language learning so that we can communicate better (and do our job) and consider ourselves extremely blessed by the Lord since we feel as though our place in Tha Thom was tailor-made for the two of us. “Bo High Vao!”

Posted by Jeffrey

Bacci

It is said that you will not be in Laos long before you experience your first bacci and that you will be part of many more during your stay. It held true for us! In our very first week in Vientiane we joined MCC in a farewell bacci for one of the staff returning to the USA. Then three weeks ago we experienced another– a welcome bacci for us and all the new MCC staff (in all there are 5 new service workers and 2 new SALTers)!

A bacci ceremony (pronounced ‘ba-see’) is the traditional way in which Lao people celebrate milestones in life as well as welcome and say farewell to people close to them. During the ceremony people gather together, sitting cross-legged on the floor, as a leader speaks blessings over the special person or persons. Gifts of sticky rice, eggs and sweet treats are presented and dry rice is thrown. My favorite part of the ceremony is at the end, when all everyone gathers together to tie strings on each other’s wrists. While you are tying the string, you take time to speak blessings and good wishes on the person.

While this ceremony has its roots in Buddhism, many non-practicing Buddhists, MCC, and other Christians view this tradition as an important way to connect with the Lao culture and simply a time dedicated to bless the people close to them. As Christians we engaged in this cultural practice by offering simple prayers for each other and asking the Lord to pour out His blessings.

We enjoyed taking part in this tradition and were thrilled that Kristina and Brennan were able to join us for our welcome bacci. They visited us shortly on the last leg of their ‘world adventure.’

Posted By Kaarina

“Bye-bye Bombies”

Before coming to Lao we had heard stories of unexploded bombs in the rural areas and had read some of the countries’ history. Little did we know about the real extent concerning the war which was fought here. Lao is the most bombed nation (tons per person) in the history of the world. 2,093,100 tons of ordinances were dropped on the country during a 9 year period, roughly 1 plane worth of bombs emptied every 8 minutes! In 1962 the US signed the Geneva Agreement, pledging not to engage militarily in Lao. However, through primarily the use of CIA operatives and re-routing bombing missions from Vietnam they continued to heavily bombard Lao. This time, now known as the ‘Secret War,’ has left a deadly legacy of unexploded ordinances (UXO). UXO’s are scattered throughout Laos and because of them 30-60 people die per year.

We have heard countless stories of UXO’s (commonly called ‘bombies’ by nationals) found in rice fields, under homes, high above the ground in bamboo groves and in school playgrounds. Laos with the assistance of other countries continues the clearing process, but it is very slow going. Here in Vientiane we have visited several places that document the stories and history surrounding the ‘secret war’ and the people affected by it. One of the MCC staff members even shared with us his stories and pictures of growing up in Xieng Khouang Province (one of the most heavily bombed provinces). As a child he and his friends used to play with bombies since some are bright yellow, others look similar to pineapples while still others make excellent balls (all very appealing to children). Some will explode immediately and some may never at all. Many people make a living off of salvaging the metal from bombies… that is if they can open them without a detonation. Apparently it is a common sight in the villages to see families using parts of bombies as cooking tripods and in other household application!

"Pineapple" Bombie

 More recently we visited the COPE center (in Vientiane), an organization that has documented many stories and put together an interactive museum concerning the bombie legacy and their efforts to rehabilitate individuals who have lost limbs to explosions.

It is a strange feeling to be in a country that has been so devastated by something my country has caused. It is even stranger still to see and learn firsthand about a history that I was never told by US history books. This was certainly a difficult time in history and it was a privilege to learn from a different perspective. As we are heading to Tha Thom we will encounter people who have been directly affected by this “Secret War.” Despite our past we are eager to work with the Lao people.

Posted by Jeffrey (*Statistics from Lonely Planet, “Laos”*)