Our Bagan Family

After buying several of his sand paintings Uncle Tin Lin insisted that we let him return the generosity. "My wife is a very good cook," he assured, but we didn't need much convincing. 

On our last night in Bagan we meet Iza and her uncle at Shwe Gu Gyi temple just before sunset. After rolling up his painting shop for the day we hop on our moped and follow them back to their house in New Bagan. The main living area is brightly lit and sparsely decorated with mattresses propped up against the walls, to be laid down each night for sleeping. Tin Lin introduces us to his wife and new baby girl who is sleeping beneath the protection of a fruit basket screen to keep out mosquitoes. His two sons and daughter politely introduce themselves, then Tin Lin's sister and her husband and their grown children. Then begins the procession of food, each child carrying two plates and returning to the kitchen for another round. A plethora of small bowls and plates fills every inch of the low, round table. A Burmese vegetarian feast. The hostess insists that we eat first so we bashfully fill our plates as the family looks watches. After seconds and refusing thirds, the mother releases the children to share what is left. For dessert we are each served a cold Coca-Cola and the boys talk about Premiere League soccer. We answer lots of questions about what life is like in America and if we would ever like to come live in Burma. "Next year you will come back to our home and stay as our guests," Tin Lin says, more as a statement than a question. We gush over his beautiful country and kind people and promise that we will return as soon as we can. Myanmar had already stolen our hearts but this family proved that genuine generosity has no limits; it is not bound by language, nationality, age, or religion. It is given without expectation of anything in return. When it is shared its impact multiplies infinitely. This humble family offered us the most precious thing we can give another human; food prepared with love and enjoyed with new friends. We cannot say thank you enough. 

Several months after we left we had these photos printed and framed in Bhutan, flown back to Yangon and hand delivered by a friend of a friend to Tin Lin at the Shwe Gu Gyi Pagoda.