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| Mekong River |
MEKONG RIVER, LAOS We are traveling up the Laos portion of the muddy brown Mekong River, a two-day boat trip from Luang Prabang to Houei Say. There are seven passengers: two young women from Germany, a couple from Switzerland, and a couple of lovers (a young man from Australia and his girl friend from France). We have a crew of seven, including an English and French guide, although everyone on the boat speaks English. I sit in the bow taking in the breathtaking scenery at every turn. An occasional primitive village, hut, or fishing skiff appears, signs of people living in the thick jungle along the banks, a day’s trip from the nearest hospital or school. The Swiss couple sits down next to me and we engage in a lengthy conversation about religion, the economy, geopolitics, and what it means to live a happy life. “We hope Obama wins,” the woman sighs. “We believe Bush stole the election in 2000. How can that happen in America? That would never happen in Switzerland. The decision as to who becomes president of the United States is too important for the world to leave to the Americans. Europeans should be allowed to vote as well. Obama’s intelligent, his heart is in the right place, and he’s moving your country in the right direction.”
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| Village Festivities |
We stop at a small primitive village, known for its whiskey. “Sounds like a party,” the French woman observes as we disembark. Toura, our Hmong guide, says, “It’s the festival of ‘Boun Khao Phan Sa’, the day the monks enter the temple for two months for study and meditation.” A small temple with a single monk appears to the left of us and to the right villagers dance to a CD of ‘You Spin Me Round’ by Jessica Simpson. In the background an aging generator bangs away. The partiers see us and scream, “Koom ped! Koom ped!” “They want you to join them,” Toura says. The young lovers promptly jump into the mix, taking from a gyrating toothless lady a glass of beer in one hand and a shot of whiskey in the other. As they swig down the two and sway to the music, they motion for the rest of us to join in. I join in and one of the revelers hands me a beer and a shot of clear liquid. “Tastes like vodka,” I say. “Try that stuff out of the barrel there. It’s really powerful,” the Australian hollers over the music and pressing bodies. An emaciated old man dances in front of me and wants to tell me something. He drops to his knees and scribbles in the dirt with his finger. The others press around dancing applying me with whiskey and beer. I don’t know what this is about and look back to Toura for assistance. “They’re telling you the old man is eighty — the oldest in the village.” Later Toura tells us, “The average age in the village is fifty-eight. The children are born at home. Usually only one in the family goes to school.”
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| Toura |
Back on the boat, Toura sits down next to the Swiss couple and me. “I have a question,” he asks me. “I’d like to know about this video that has gotten the Muslims so mad.” “I don’t know if I can tell you much about it. I’ve only caught the headlines.” “Religion is confusing.” He says. “I don’t think our religion works very well. In this region we practice a combination of Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, and Animism. If I have a problem or am sick, I first go to a Buddhist monk. If the monk can’t help me, I go to a Shaman. But now, I started reading the Bible.” “Where did you get the Bible?” “From the church in Luang Prabang.” “Do you go to that church?” “No.” “How much of the Bible have you read?” “I just read a little of the beginning and now I’ve jumped to the first book in the New Testament.” “Has anyone told you what to read?” “No.” “Have you talked to a minister or a priest?” “No — I just want to know a little bit about Christianity, whether it works, and how many times you have go to church?” “Actually, I’m not sure that’s the point of Christianity.” “Huh, I don’t understand.” “Well, some Christians may believe their faith will solve their problems and the number of times they go to church will make a difference, but I don’t think that’s the real point of Christianity.” “I’m confused, so what’s the point?” “Salvation — Christianity, you see, is a method for achieving salvation.” “Is that it?” “Yes, I think so. Check out John 3:16. I think that’s it in a nutshell.” “John what?” “John 3:16.” “What?” Here, I’ll write it down: ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’” Toura smiles down at the slip of paper, “Thank you very much!” As he leaves, the Swiss man turns to me, “I thought you said you were a non-believer.” “I am.”
