A look in the Pensieve....

For some reason, this is one of my favorite pictures from my trip to China. The boy is from the primitive tribal village of Napo, I wish I knew his name, and he and I had a very interesting exchange. 

As the adults were putting on their show, he came and sat next to me, and was obviously curious about my camera. I'm pretty sure it was the first time he had ever seen or touched one. (Like I said, it was a primitive village.) Although I'm normally hesitant to let people, especially kids, play with my Rebel, I started showing him how it worked, and was delighted with his reaction the first time he saw himself on the LCD screen. It was like magic* to him! 

As I let him press his dirty face against the view-finder and run his snotty hands on the buttons, I started thinking about the incredible opportunity I was blessed with. It blew my mind that I was on the other side of the globe from all that I knew life to be, exploring a world I never knew existed. 

We had arrived at the village around midnight the day before, and it was such a surreal experience for me. I was almost in tears from the excitement. There were no lights outside, but the full moon exposed enough of the mountains and forest for me to be awestruck with the beauty of a part of creation I never thought I'd see. These women in black costumes who looked like Sally Fields' The Flying Nun came out from their wooden shacks to greet us, and I was euphoric. 

This verse came to my mind: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of you heart." (Ps 37:4) God keeps his promises, even if it means flying you to the other side of the world and driving you through hundreds of miles of mountainous terrain. At that moment, I was reminded of what I was put here for. I found my calling.

Sometimes I wonder about what the little boy is doing, and I'll say a prayer for him. I wonder what he'll grow up to be, what his favorite color is, how many baths he's taken since I last saw him... I'm sure he won't remember our little exchange, and I doubt I'll ever see him again (unless we happen to visit the same village if I go back next summer?), but I don't think I'll ever forget those few moments of exchanged smiles, lack of verbal communication, and kiddish laughter.

*Photogro!