The pilgrims have arrived in Thandaung Gyi and this is what they thought and felt.

Bayley relates,

We arrived in the village yesterday afternoon (5th of January, Thursday) to the most amazing, warm welcome by the village community. Feeling so welcome by a community of strangers, who don't even know your name is such a touching feeling. We already feel accepted into the family. The most amazing thing about the trip so far is seeing all the locals smiling and cheering. They’re always happy but yet they have problems up to their shoulders and are still so appreciative of just the smaller things in life.

When I found out about the 6 hour train ride I was dreading the whole day, but now I am so happy we went on the train ride to Toungoo just to see the contrast of lifestyles between each village. We got to travel through the middle of the different villages with people’s houses either side of the train, just seeing the contrast of houses. Some are brick houses, some are bamboo and some are even just tin, but yet the families and people living there are still so appreciated. I’m really started to appreciate the little things at home, such as the hot showers and just being able to pat or pick up my dogs when I feel like instead of ignoring them. I have to say I am a little proud of myself for embracing my phobia of chickens, I never used to even be in the same area of them even if they are in the same cage, but now I feel completely comfortable walking side by side. Anyways, miss the family back at home but then I am loving my new family I have made here in the village. I am so grateful I have started 2017 with such a once in a life time experience.


Emma

Wednesday the 4th we were woken by a very loud bang at the door and were told we were already running late for the train to Taungoo at 8:00am. I was rooming with Jazmin and we were rushing to pack our things to eat breakfast. We had a quick breakfast and got on the bus with Saw to the train station. When we arrived after a short trip we were given our tickets and loaded our very heavy baggage onto the train. We were told earlier the train trip was 6 slow hours with no air conditioner but instead windows and a very bumpy railway line. The scenery was absolutely amazing and so different but breathtaking to home. Every little train station we pasted was full of kids with bright out fits playing games and having so much fun with simple little games. We travelled past many houses with rubbish piled up everywhere which was so sad and horrible to see no one really caring or seeing the impacts of what they are doing to such a beautiful country. After a surprisingly fun train ride we got off at our stop and met Father Phillip. The look on his face seeing us all made me feel so welcome, wanted and valued. We drove past the local show ground on the back of motor bikes on the way to the Global Grace hotel. The show ground was filled with local produce, people, shows and rides which we later discovered was a celebration of Independence day. The next day we headed to two kindy’s which we taught in groups. The little kids were so thrilled to see us and were all so happy and cheerful which definitely rubbed off onto the rest of the group. After the visit we were taken to another kindy but were quickly gone and moved to a high school for a look. Learning about the students days made me feel so horrible and selfish as their days are so much longer and harder than ours. The afternoon was filled with a two hour drive to the village. When we arrived I was speechless. We were greeted by members of the village and little children dressed in their traditional costumes who gave us all bunches of beautiful flowers, danced for us and gave us all traditional dresses and jackets. We all felt amazed at how loved we were and I know I felt safe and valued straight away. The community is so caring and treats us as one of them, which I believe is the true way a 'community’ should be.

Caleb MacMile has some interesting observations

In the last few days, anything I could have expected from this wonderful place, has been totally eclipsed. We got to an ancient train station in Yangon, got first class on a train, headed to Taungoo, a 6 hour ride, and what an interesting one it was, with us passing by villages and towns in the country, wonderful looking rivers, and the consistent sight of Chris asleep… When we arrived in Taungoo, it turned out that the bus was 45 minutes away. No thanks. So we got a once in a lifetime ride around the city on a motorbike, it felt amazing, zipping around town, seeing the Taungoo how the locals see it. When we arrived at our stay in Taungoo, the Global Grace Hotel (Which Grace was particularly happy about) we dropped our bags, jumped into the back of a truck, and went out to lunch. When we arrived at lunch, all the food was ready, with a variety of Asian cuisine that I had never seen before, I just had to try it all. During the evening after settling into our room, we went to a bible school where students could study in order to get into further studies, and after we went to Bishop John’s boarding house chapel, where we met students who were doing study (what’s that?) and we met our first group of students, and started to get an idea of what we were going to be doing, turns out we were all wrong about that as well… After a long bus ride from Taungoo to the mountains surrounding Thaung Daung Gyi, the views became spectacular, my camera flash was continuous, every time we saw a clearing, and when we arrived in the village. Well, words simply can’t describe it. We were met a greeting party with a traditional Karen dance, which after being given flowers and after watching two beautiful dances, we were given our own traditional garbs, which were mind-blowingly beautiful, we returned to our room, and rested after an exhausting day.