Life in the Slums of Bangladesh

In February, I had the opportunity to travel with World Vision to the slums of Dhaka and the rural community of Mymensingh. My heart has always been broken for Africa and the people of that continent, and like a mother expecting her second child, I almost wondered how I'd have room to love people from another country just as much as I loved those I met in Uganda and Zambia. Last week I was able to share with a group of passionate volunteers about the work that World Vision is doing in Bangladesh. I have posted a little about that trip, but I wanted to share with you about what was on my heart that day that I shared. Like all stories, it's a woven tapestry of threads that are interconnected but it ends with the same common theme. 

If you were to ask me about my trip to Bangladesh, this is what I would share.

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The One Essential Item to Pack on an International Trip

There are some faces you will never forget. Some experiences that will always be imprinted on your mind. I'm always amazed at how much travel can take you out of your comfort zone but at the same time it feels just like home. Smiles speak the same language and people are people regardless of their skin tone or life situations. We all have a story to tell. Packing for a trip across the world takes some thought. I usually start a pile of things I don't want to forget to pack {use this list to help} and add to it as I go, but now, I have one more thing that I would always add to a packing list. It doesn't take up much room in your suitcase, but when you bring it, your heart will grow at least two sizes when you see the wonder and joy it brings. 

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Light the Spark in a Child's Eyes

I guess I really didn't know what to expect when we walked out of the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In my mind I had prepared myself for a smog-filled haze blanketing the crowded city with a constant body odor smell. I was pleasantly surprised. I guess that's why one of the first things I saw was what my brain continued to fixate on during my whole trip and it's the one thing I will continue to remember long after I'm gone. What caught my eye was a young girl standing at a glass window looking excitedly into the arrivals with her big brother. I'm not sure who she was waiting for, but her eyes had this sparkle and I could tell she was anxiously anticipating someone special. That sparkle though. Man. 

That sparkle is what I'm still reflecting on a week after my trip with World Vision into the field to see how they are creating long lasting change in the lives of the most vulnerable children, families and communities.  I started to expect to see that sparkle in every child's eyes, but once a child hit school age, it wasn't always a given. The eyes started to dull and the realities of a life in extreme poverty wore down that light until sometimes you were looking into a dark expressionless void. Poor water and sanitation, the highest rate worldwide for early marriage, children entering the workforce before puberty, those are the realities that plague a child's future in Bangladesh and dull that sparkle.  I sat next to a man on the long flight home who was coming from a wedding of some friends in India. Both of us sat quiet for hours until a conversation was started by my seat mate. We talked for quite some time about the similarities of the extreme poverty we saw in both countries. His trip was quite different though. He left with more questions and I left knowing that there was hope. 

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