Humanly Speaking...Tine

In my nomadic wonderings, little intrigues me more than the human dimension. Yes, I enjoy the architectural oddities, the distinctive landscapes and texture, and sure, sampling the exotic cuisine always has its appeal. Ultimately though, it is always the people that hold my attention. The more I travel, the more I am persuaded of the transcendental quality of the human experience. The full smorgasbord of human sentiment (pain, joy, anguish, fear, hope…and everything else) is universal regardless of one’s precise or approximate locality.

The human aspect of Bentota, Sri Lanka held even more charm because of the feast’s potent humanitarian dimension. For the Jordan 5, it was especially gratifying for us to be able to serve and fellowship with people with whom we had an instant camaraderie. Whether it was over cocktails by the pool, or while bringing the roof down to Rodney Vanheers exceptional saxophone genius, we relished in the opportunity to probe the unique experience of each feast attendee, learning and growing even as we communed. The Sri Lankan brethren have a corner on the market as far as hospitality and generosity go. I was so very moved by their unrelenting efforts to make sure we were settled and happy, and was almost moved to tears when they lavished us with the feast gifts they had so carefully prepared. When we sang “God be with you till we meet again”, I felt that recognizable lump in my throat. Saying goodbye was emotionally draining, and yet we know that the future holds out to all of us in exceptional promise.

Personal Feast Highlights: The Hook’s baptism; Extracting a promise from the Hook’s to visit us in Jordan; The bus ride to Galle; Rodney Vanheer’s saxophone extravaganza; Teaching the “stepping stones” in God’s plan to the little ones; Encouragement from Mark Wine; The story of Carol’s calling; The day I was “sorted” (inside joke, dear reader); The ruminations of the inconsolable 3 (Andrea Mather, Becky Horchak, Tine Banda); Hearing the sea roar from my hotel room (delightful); The tuk tuk ride into Bentota with Andrea and Mrs. Mather; Laughing till my stomach hurt (Thanks Becky); Lena & I freezing in the so-called “hot” tub; Zach’s “Got any grapes” joke at the dinner table; Seeing the Jordan 5 so content, so exhilarated, so hopeful.