Laos Akha Village One

This was quite a trip, literally! We traveled down a long, bumpy dirt road, over a bridge through rice fields and across a river (that we stalled out in) to reach this very remote village. When we arrived there were two health care workers giving shots for worms and vitamins to the children. Cindie and I wandered around the village and the children ran from us. One child was so panicked that his mother had to drag him over to us to show us that we were not ghosts. I don't think he ever believed because he continued to wail.

By chance we came across the chief making some rice whiskey. He showed us and explained the process in sign language. It was fascinating. Did we try any you ask, of course we did and it would have made better paint remover than an after dinner aperitif.

We were invited to have a meal with them so they killed the fatted calf (so to speak) and we sat down with the village leadership and the health care workers. We listened to their stories and shared a little of ours but on the whole we felt humbled to be invited into these people's lives and tried our best watch, listen and learn.

Did you know that only 20% of human communication is verbal. What are ways you can improve the way you communicate love and compassion to people you meet everyday, even if they don't speak your language?