Discovering Joy Beyond Words

Khwamba Village, Day 1:

Our first day in Khwamba Village turned out very different from what I expected. The long, bumpy bus ride seemed to never end and the view was like nothing I’d ever seen before. As we neared our destination, a group of kids chased after our bus, their faces beaming with joy at our arrival. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and calmed any nerves I had about how we would be received as strangers in this remote village. During our introductions, I noticed a baby start to cry. Immediately, a very young girl picked up the baby and walked away to calm him without causing a fuss. It was incredible to witness such maturity from someone so young, and throughout our visit I discovered that was a common occurrence. 

After introductions, we helped serve food to the kids, then we were graciously given a meal. Originally, I thought we were solely there to provide this remote village with something and I didn’t think there was anything they could give us, but this exchange changed my perspective on our purpose there. 

After lunch, Sarah, Tristan, Professor Kornegay, and I played games with the younger kids. They taught us a dancing game that they were very enthusiastic about, then we showed them how to play Duck, Duck, Goose. Everyone was excited to meet and share with each other, which provided a way to bond despite the language barrier.  

When the day was over, I reflected on our cultures coming together, both giving and receiving joyfully. Although they knew a lot less English than we were expecting, we were able to communicate in languages without words, such as food, dance, and laughter.