The Runs :-)

You can read on because I am sure this post will have nothing to do with what you are thinking right now. I will leave that for another one...or maybe not. Anyways, Carolyn and I have been running together. We are training for a half-marathon race in Siem Reap (home of Angkor Wat) in December. We have committed to this in part to keep in shape, in part to maintain sanity and in large part to connect with eachother. Although it isn't easy in the heat...it has been the highlight of my last few weeks. We often run at a pace where we can converse while running and the sights we see are more than enough fodder for conversation. Many times we chuckle about how different it is to run here than in Colorado, and the weather is the least of the differences. Here are some of the observations and differences we witness on our "runs":
*We have really changed our standards for what constitutes good running weather. It used to be low to mid 60's was ideal and we wouldn't even think about running if it was over 85. Now, since it NEVER gets below 68 (and I do mean NEVER) that has had to change. After one day in the hot season when we returned from running and our thermometer read 103 F, a few days later I found myself saying "wow, the run felt nice today, it is only 89 degrees."
*We get greeted by "Hello" more times than I can count every time we go running. The person may be 2 years old or 82. We will be running by and hear that wonderful greeting, always accompanied by a huge smile, which is accentuated by the contrast of their white teeth and brown skin. For many, it is the only English word they know so they use it whenever they can. It is such a fun way to connect with our community by shouting back a "Hello" or "Susedai" with a smile and a wave.
*Herds of oxen and goats are often obstacles on our running path. We also dodge many types of poultry. There are more loose dogs than I can count. I am very thankful that they seem as interested in chasing us as they are the world economy.
*Long, dusty, dirty roads.
*Beautiful palm trees dotting the landscape.
*There is even something resembling a mountain in the distance. Comes close to making us feel at home. I didn't see any snow on it though. Probably because it probably only towers 100 meters above sea level and the average daily temperature is 82.635 degrees F. Anyways, I digress.
*People. What we both really love are the people we see. The man herding goats; the women harvesting rice; the children digging through trash to find recycable material to sell; boys walking through a chest deep pond with a fishing net in order to catch a meal; families washing their clothes in large bowls in front of their houses; the unclothed children playing in the dirt and water trying to escape the heat...etc. All of them are going about their days, doing what they can to survive, but almost all of them will pause, stare at us unapologetically and greet us. That is what we both love. That is what at times makes us smile and at times can move us to tears. The utter brokenness of so many here contrasted by their outer joy. That is why we are here. For the people. It breaks our hearts to see their outer circumstances but it pales in comparison to the condition of their hearts. In a country where 95%+ are Buddhist, our hearts ache for the fact that almost everyone we pass would spend eternity apart from their Creator if they died today. Please join us in praying for the people of Cambodia and for the lives of those we interact with on our "runs".

I included a link to more pictures from our running route. Copy and paste it into your browser and enjoy getting a glimpse into what we experience.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=ohlinsincambodia&target=ALBUM&id=5508558802471745377&authkey=Gv1sRgCOWxwaqshb3HTA&feat=email