of plumbing problems and bringing in the harvest

Funny story: I was chatting with Mom Sunday evening when I heard Shoprova our housecleaner come into the apartment. She sweeps and mops our floors, and cleans the bathroom every couple days (yes yes I know we are ridiculously spoiled lol). A couple minutes later I heard a loud shout coming from the bathroom. Elliot runs to see what is wrong and a second later comes back to say "Jehanna, you've got to see this!" I follow her into the bathroom only to see poor Shoprova standing soaked in the shower, faucet on the floor, and gallons of water gushing out of the wall. All three of us were pretty much dying laughing. Shoprova doesn't speak English so she said "Banni, Banni!" Elliot ran and got Banni while I pretty much kept laughing and laughing. Banni also laughed when she saw the situation, but then ran to get Obiram (the campus maintainance man) to help out. No joke, the first thing he does when he gets up here: puts his hand over the hole. haha well the water stopped gushing--no idea where else it went but it stopped. I haven't heard any complaints of water damage from Jason in the apartment below! I just thought it was so so so funny and frankly typical of Bangladesh :)

Last night we were told the rice needed to be harvested, probably starting around 7am. We definitely didn't get there at 7am but when we did... oh wow. Look out! haha It was actually pretty fun. Almost the whole campus came out to help harvest. Even the kindergarten and grade one class were there (school was canceled on account of rice lol). Brittni accidentally sliced her hand in the beginning so she couldn't help much but Elle and I were in there like a dirty shirt! I wasn't going as fast as her (dang that woman can move!) but I worked as hard as I could for the two and a half hours until lunch. At the end, Elliot and I helped harvest three sections of rice! All the kids had to do was bring the tied bundles back to the van but they were so excited to help!

And when I say harvest, I mean we were using an old sickle with a wooden handle and everything. The rice is planted in bundles in neat little rows. So to cut it, you have to grab the bundle about 8" from the ground and in one clean slice, use your sickle to cut it. Sounds easy enough but when you have to do hundreds of these little bundles, your energy leaves you and you end up weakly sawing through the bundle of rice. haha Then the rice is taken back the campus and piled high under cover. After dinner the thrasher machine was brought out so the rice could be gleaned from the stalks. Wow, it was so cool to actually see these steps! I think the rice just has to be dried and then it is good to go (aka be eaten).

Tomorrow I have to go back to Dhaka :( Sad day I know. This time I'm going only with Jason, our driver and man who goes around to find sponsors for the village school kids. I'm having a hard time with my visa unfortunately. I can be here at least until February--that's the good news. The bad news is I have to go to Dhaka to buy a visa for India so that I can go in two weeks and restart my 60day pass. After that pass runs up (pretty much on my birthday--Happy Birthday to Jehanna :P) I can try to buy a 30day extension the visa I already have. The bad news is that the visa for India and the extension cost about 10,000taka each (or $150USD). For the most part, I fundraised some extra in case of this, but what I'm worried about is what happens after my extension runs out. The Waid's and Elliot would still have another month at least in Bangladesh and then I was hoping to travel Asia for a while with either Elle or whoever comes over from home. I guess I'm just frustrated because I don't see what the big deal is. Why wouldn't they want me here? AND I'm frustrated that the four Americans that are here with me all have 6-month, multiple entry passes. Come on Canada--two 60day, double entry passes? The orphanage is listed as an NGO (non-government organization) with no religious affilations, which is needed in a Muslim country. I'm bringing money into their country! They should want me here :P

So I'm asking for your prayers in the next couple days.. Not only for my safety (what am I going to do without Elliot?) but also that this whole visa mess gets worked out. I want to stay as long as possible at this orphanage because who knows when I'll be able to come back. Pray for good news...!

as always,
ami tomake bhalobashi