Dear friends, I am sorry that it took me a couple of days to get this up and running but I think I have it figured out now. I am sending the first of these emails together to catch up and then I will only send one at a time as they arrive. Sorry for the delay. Debby Bacon
email from Dr. Bacon in Myanmar: Day 1 I picked up some notebooks this afternoon so I can begin class now! Seriously, I found that it works better if the students are not worried about how much of their notebook they're having to use. I also got some markers for the dry-erase boards. I completely forgot that we do not have access to the solvent for the dry-erase over here, and forgot to bring some.
The folks here at the GGI [Golden Guest Inn] are taking care of me and Soe Yu Nain [owner's youngest daughter] looks like she is feeling better and she says she is, so please continue praying for her. I showed all the pictures to Nay Yee [owner's eldest daughter], Soe Yu Nain, Daw Kyin Myint [owner's wife], and U Khin [owner] this afternoon. They enjoyed seeing all the pictures. They now think half the people in America are related to Hannah Allie.
When I came out to the lobby for supper tonight (soup & rice), Michael Zahau was here. He and his eldest daughter were going to meet Carl Hunt, but then Carl Hunt never showed up. He says he is busy right now with his farm. He is going to grow ginger. I started asking a few questions about how one goes about growing ginger and it became pretty evident that he has not given any thought to it as yet. Right now he is spending most of his time clearing off the land -- he has five acres. I think it's great that he's looking for a cash crop, but I'm afraid he'll try something without the research and then conclude "it's impossible" to get it to grow in MM [Myanmar]. I'm still convinced that coffee would be a great crop for the Chin hills. Warm humid days, lots of low-lying mist and fog, chilly evenings and nights -- and the soil will grow just about anything. But it takes several years for the shrubs to get to the point where they have a viable crop, I think. They are used to "slash-n-burn" and it is hard for them to think any other way. Perhaps if we can get Lai Thuama on board, he can convince others.... It is going to be hard to convince them to put all this effort into something that will not feed their families when they are already working so hard "just to make ends meet." It is hard to get people in that situation to look at the future, but I don't know any other way they're going to get out of the cycle of poverty. They are already doing what doesn't work for them!
Andy from Scotland is here and Dr. Wayne Curles from the BEE group. Jeff Easley and Ed Adams are due in tomorrow, and Curtis Thomas left just about a week or so before I got here; so it really is "old home week" (or month) at the Golden Guest. I have not yet contacted Titus. Moses Dawnga called me earlier, but you have the folks here at GGI so well trained, Debby, that they wouldn't let him talk to me because I was in my room. He said he would call back at 9:00 AM tomorrow. Ruata should be in town by tomorrow and I'm expecting Siama to come by to work out a schedule.
email from Dr. Bacon dated 10 Feb AM
Last night was not bad at all. As you know, it sometimes takes me a few days to get my nights and days back around where they "belong." But I did very well last night. I had some soup, steamed veggies, and white rice for supper, ate a protein bar and then pretty much retired for the night. I'm thinking I got to bed around 8:00 PM or so (7:30 Myanmar Standard). Anyway, I fell asleep immediately and slept for about 4 or 5 hours non-stop. Maybe a little restlessness, but mostly slept straight through until around midnight. Then as I often do, I woke up in the middle of the night, but I waited to take the sleep aid until I woke up, so I took that and got back to sleep within an hour and slept through until 7:00 AM. So, while I hate that I slept so long, it seems perhaps my body has adjusted already to the jet lag. Or that may just be wishful thinking. Amazing how much travelers and old people talk about sleeping... :)
Oh, and I think I finally figured out what the "tricks" were in Rev. Moses last letter. I kept trying to make it that they were expecting "trucks" for some reason. But I think he was saying that they were expecting "bricks." I'm expecting to hear from him in about 30 or 60 minutes or more. Also, I think Ruata is supposed to be in town sometime today.
email From Dr. Bacon dated: Friday Afternoon
Anyway, I will tell you some news but the day is not yet over. This morning for breakfast I had oatmeal. They are not quite used to fixing me oatmeal. That will improve the longer I am here. It took them a month to get it right last time. Perhaps they will remember eventually, though. It was good, but rather thin. More like porridge. Shortly after breakfast I received a call from Allen G. Richardson. The purpose of the call was to find out when I would be coming to Kalemyo. Of course the difficulty lies in knowing how I will get there. The airplane is very unreliable these days. Perhaps I will attempt to fly to Mandalay and then go overland up to Kalemyo. It is hard to say, but he told me that Ruata will be in town this afternoon, so I will ask him what is the best way.
Siama came about 9:00 and he and the Korean missionary and I discussed upcoming work on the Psalter. We spent until lunch doing that, and we decided on eight rules for the revision committee. 1. As much as possible, all words should be taken from the Judson Bible version of the Psalms. This will mean careful consideration for the actual words God has used in the Psalms. 2. The word order can be changed but only if it will make a clearer meaning in the Burmese. Otherwise the word order should remain the same as it has been translated. 3. The words should be appropriate to the tunes. This means there will not be joyous words with sad melody and such. 4. The translated words and sentence should not be different in meaning from the Scripture. This means if it is a different idea in Burmese, then the Burmese must change to make the same as the Hebrew tongue. 5. The number of the sol-fa in a line and the number of syllables in the line should be the same. 6. The Psalm verses should be in the same order as the Bible. Better not to say the second thing first, unless Burmese will not undersand it. 7. Composition or paraphrase based on Scripture will not be allowed. 8. If it is necessary to add new words, then it will only be such as will not change the meaning of the sentence.
We also have a rule that all participants will be present everyday and they will always be on time. The translation board will provide for all expenses of the translation, meaning all equipment and supplies as well as lunch and transportation. Bonus will be paid if project is complete.
The Korean missionary is Sohn Han-Rak (family name is Sohn). He is late 40s and has three children. He was ordained in the Ulsan synod of Presbyterian Church of Korea, but now is in Samyang Presbyterian Church; same as Rev. Changwon Shu. He has come shortly after we left the last time. We left in August and he arrived in October of 2005. He finished his Th.M. only one year ago. He spent many years working for a hotel in Korea after finishing his degree. He told me he would like for us to have lunch together sometime during my stay. It will, of course, depend upon my schedule but right now it looks like I will be very busy -- especially if it takes several days of overland travel to get to Kalemyo and back.
Then, after Siama and Sohn left, I had a famous grilled cheese sandwich from Daw Kyin Myint and some water to drink. I am making the habit of drinking lots of water on this trip. Then I received your email ...Then Ruata called. He has already arrived in town and will be coming to the GGI as soon as he can. When he comes that will be the last thing I need to know to write up my schedule for the entire trip.
Siama wants very much to translate for me and I will let him do so because he would lose face otherwise. It is hard to be left in charge and then not be trusted to translate. But I gave him a copy of my notes so he will know what to say even if he does not always understand me. To the people here I have a very thick "American accent" and even people who have a good grasp of the Indian English do not always understand the way Americans talk. We use too many idioms compared to the English they have learned. So even if he does not always understand me speaking, I can always just point to the right place in my notes and he can explain from that. I will try to write more tonight after Ruata leaves.
The Lord bless you, Richard Bacon GOLDEN GUEST INN Yangon, Myanmar
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