"Below My Feet"

The Mumford and Sons' new album could not have come out at any better time. In fact, so many songs on it have been running through my mind or on repeat on my Ipod. One of the songs, Below My Feet, in particular has capitvated my heart. I love it. I love the music, the energy, the emotions it evokes, and mostly the words. The chorus goes..

"Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat, my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve
My hands to learn."

Today, we spent a day where the earth was either under our feet or under our tires. We ventured out to Tsengel Soum, a small village about 2.5 hours from Olgi, that is home to a spring and absolutely breathtaking scenery. With much time in our journey and then an invigorating hike to the spring, I feel like today was a day full of thinking, being in awe, and just resting in nature.

Our journey, though not far, took us a long, long time. We traveled in a Soviet style Jeep car on roads that were simply roads because other cars had once taken the same path. The bumpy dirt roads stretched out and wound through each other like spaghetti leaving us completely baffled by our drivers ability to pick the right one. I could not put my camera down for more than a minute on this drive. We passed incredible mountains covered perfectly in snow. We saw yaks and horses and camels--oh my! I was so excited to see these ragamuffin camels blocking the way of our car just like sheep in rural farms at home. We saw eagles flying peacefully and powerfully through the air and we saw as the clouds rolled in and darkened with threatening rain. With two and half hours of journeying, we had a chance to be in the midst of this untouched land and to simply admire it. So many times I feel as though I am busy multitasking or so preoccupied that I barely notice whats around on my drives to work or about. I wonder what beauty I'm missing right at home. Today, we had the chance to open our eyes widely and curiously to our surroundings. We couldn't stop saying how beautiful it was and I literally shrieked like a little kid when we saw the camels. I easily took 150 photos on the journey.

Keep my eyes to serve

Our drive took us to the soum of Tsengel. I cannot even begin to describe how remote this village is. We drove for miles and miles past what seemed like untouched land only to find this small civilization bustling and going on with life. Children left school and giggled together on their walks home. Kazak women with scarves covering their heads walked to the neighbors house and old spicy looking men drove motorcyles down the bumpy streets. Despite the amount of activity, it is by far the most remote untouched place I have visited. We left our driver and began our hour hike to a spring of water. We walked by flocks of sheep grazing and cows mooing! We hiked up a path that ran parallel to the river that emerged whose banks were the home of beautiful yellow trees.

Every second step, I would stop and simply be in awe of the beauty of our world. You just couldn't help but stop and be keenly aware of the beautiful masterpiece of our Creator. Our hike took us to a spring where fresh, ice cold water poured out and the park sign was covered in prayer scarves.

Keep the earth below my feet

As we returned, we called our driver, Amenjoel, to come pick us up and began out wait on the side of the rocky path. Minutes went by and we called again to only have him tell us he was still on his way. All of our luggage was in the car with him and the winds that had seemed reasonably cold now felt bitterly cold. We called again and for a third time were reassured he was on his way. After another twenty minutes, we tried calling with no response. I found myself feeling very small and vulnerable. There we were in the middle of Mongolian wilderness relying entirely on one man's willingness to return to pick us up. Very rarely have I felt my well being and future so deeply in a stranger's hands. After an hour of waiting and no response, we started walking to find some shelter and all kinds of "if this happens, then..." thoughts ran through my head. As we began walking, a car horn rang out and he was back after having unexpectedly been sent to pick up a doctor for a woman giving birth. I think sometimes I am so used to being independent that I can forget or at least place second the need for dependence and trust. Here in Mongolia, Leo and this country are beginning to show me the importance of depending on another. Dependence here is not seen as a weakness or a strength. It is simply viewed as a way of life. I hope I can learn to trust and rely on others as well as Leo seems to have.

Let me learn from where I have been