Pictures and video to (somewhat) illustrate the above story: 'Trudging through the mud'

I took these pictures in early June, after another visit to see Agnes. It had been about four weeks since my experience of 'Trudging through the Mud'.

In the interim, the heavy, pounding rains had ceased and the ground had begun to dry out.

I believe these visual highlights will give you a glimpse of the so-called 'road' to Punjab.

Another distinction: Besides everything being much drier and there being far less mud, I took these photos in the daytime... and when there was no rain falling.

It will be up to you - the reader - to imagine my experience in the dark... in the mud... and in the rain! In the beginning, I was on foot... and I was carrying my heavy backpack.

Put on your 'imagination cap' as you try to visualize my experience that fateful night... with not even a single star to light our way.

Imagine not knowing if the next step would send you slip, sliding in the mud... and down to the ground.

Here the 'road' consists of a single rut, the exact size of a motorbike tire.

Even after the rain had taken a four-week break, there was still water and mud everywhere!

As we approached this guy, he was really struggling to make his way through the sticky mud and wet ground.

There are many places where streams, like this one, create pools on the so-called 'road'.

Even with the conditions much improved, Joseph often had to keep his feet on the ground to insure we remained upright!

The notorious bridge

This is the 'bridge' I made mention of in the story. On that particular rainy, muddy, and dark night - there were only two palm tree trunks still in place. They were at opposite ends of each other, with a large gap in the middle. The others had been washed away by the violently flowing water beneath them.

This forced me to walk across on only one of them... and remember, I was barefooted.

But Jesus held my hand and I made it safely across, backpack and all!

On the day I took this photo, it was apparent that someone had added to the bridge and we were able to go over it safely on the motorbike. But, who knows how long the repairs will last?!?

This is Joseph, my piki piki boda boda (motorbike taxi) driver... the one who helped me cross the bridge with his steady hand.

"The saint realizes that it is God who engineers circumstances, consequently there is no whine, but a reckless abandon to Jesus."

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest