Lao Countryside and Branch lunch

Lao countryside is beautiful in the winter, especially where the farmers plant such orderly crops.

Rows of lettuce, morning glory (used for soups and boiled spinach.)

Successive crop planting allows harvesting all year round.

Farmers wash their lettuce to take to the market.

Couldn't resist the watermelons for 10,000 kip each. ($1.25)

Every Sunday the branch cooks a lunch for everyone (120) to eat after the 3-hour s of meetings.  Many come a long way to church, and this helps them and is a time for socializing.  Elder Vance is being helped by a young member.

The girl in pink (Na') was just baptized and the young man in salmon-colored shirt would be baptized one month later.

It takes a lot of food to feed the branch and cooking is done outside, along with fixing the rest of the food.

Farmers plant rice from plugs they grow in a smaler plot and then spread out in flooded fields.  Some of the farmers have irrigation to bring the water to the fields for 2 crops a year.  Those waiting for the rainy season get one crop a year.

Home-made noodles make a nice soup.

Most people ride motorbikes for transportation.

This school uses waste water to irrigate gardens and teach the students to raise crops.