The parable of the Golden Buddha is a tale of depth, of exploration, and of the critical importance to be much more than a passive observer in the experiences of our lives. It is a story of a Buddha statue, long covered in stucco, its beauty lost to time. Yet, with a little effort, and curiosity, the gold that had been concealed became gradually revealed. To open Day 9 of our International Seminar, the members of Class 53 were challenged to, “find our Golden Buddha,” and so it was appropriate that our day would open with a trip to Vientiane’s storied Buddha Park.
A famous local attraction built from 1958 to 1971, the park is a beautiful blend of Hindu and Buddhist statues sprawling across a lush river side park. A giant statue of the reclining Buddha imposes its presence in the center of the park and greets visitors upon their entrance. Walking the paved paths of the park, the class was treated to visual representations of Gods and Demons, and of the history of a people with ancient roots in their land. Beneath the beautifully lichened and rain stained stone, you couldn’t help but wonder, what hidden beauty and treasure might be beneath the surface, just waiting to be discovered?
After finishing at Buddha Park the class made our way back up the road, toward the Laos Disabled Women’s Development Center (LDWDC). This was a long anticipated visit for the class, and one we were all looking forward to. Upon arrival we were greeted with the smiling faces of the members of the disabled center, some holding crutches and others, that were able, joining their hands together in a traditional sign of welcome. Their proud, warm, and welcoming smiles belied the difficult and challenging lives these women have lived, and the difficult lives that continue for the portion of the Lao population (approximately 10%) that live with physical disabilities.
The charismatic Ms. Chanhpheng then entered the room on crutches, unhindered by her own physical disability, and exuding a distinguished uplifting presence that is difficult to sufficiently describe. She discussed the importance of the significant role society plays in interfacing with the disabled population; sharing her own story of the struggles and frustrations that came with being denied access to educational services because of her disability. In a display of heroic persistence—despite her school being far away, having no mode of transportation, and being told “no” by her own family—Ms. Chanhpheng took it upon herself to be responsible for her own education, and began walking to school in spite of her disability. She would later go on to complete high school, earn a bachelors degree and ultimately a masters degree. Ms. Chanhpheng then explained how out of her experience, she began a small sewing group, seeking to provide opportunity to those it was denied, that would later grow into the non-profit known today as the LDWDC.
In the kindest, most grounded way, Ms. Chanhpheng then honored the class with an invitation to participate in a Baci ceremony. The very emotional moment culminated in Ms. Chanhpheng, and the other members of the LDWDC, tying white thread on each fellows’ wrist. With every thread, they wished upon us—to whom so much has already been given—good wishes, happiness, health, wealth, and the return of our wandering spirit. Their display of care and selflessness, to a group of strangers from California, will live in our hearts for a very long time.
The class then participated in a tour of the center; seeing where the members of the center sewed clothing, made scarves and woven material, created crafts out of newspaper, and made pottery. The class split up, with half of the group making heart shaped keychains out of newspaper and the other half of the class learning sign language (we had very patient teachers!); a very emotional and humbling experience for all. Our visit to the center wrapped up with a freshly cooked lunch by the members of the LDWDC. The universal sentiment across the fellows was that this was one of the best meals we have had in our travels. We could feel the love these women poured into cooking this beautiful meal for us in every bite; not dissimilar to a home cooked meal a mother would make for her children. As we finished our meal, we browsed the gift shop where the LDWDC sells the products created by its members—eager to return that afternoon to support the Center and, hopefully, bring at least little reminder of that experience home to keep.
As we climbed back on the bus, we could not help but consider our own communities and the words spoken by Ms. Chanhpheng. How do we improve access to education, healthcare, and vocational training for marginalized individuals? How do we get society to understand the unique challenges and needs of marginalized populations? Most importantly, how do we empower our own communities to support the most marginalized and vulnerable amongst us? How do we, as a society, do better?
And so it was, with full hearts, questioning minds, and more than a few brimming eyes, that Class 53 arrived at our next destination; the U.S. Embassy.
The United States Embassy in Laos is a new (finished in 2015), beautiful, modern, and very American structure. Though described to us as a “small” Embassy, the building’s scale and modernity pop against the back-drop of its Lao neighborhood; a contrast that perhaps speaks to a larger dynamic in the two countries’ relationship.
As the class was ushered through security, out of the heat of the Laotian afternoon and into a fully air-conditioned lobby, we were quickly met by our host Danielle Dumm. A three year veteran of the US mission to Laos, Danielle was quick to establish rapport with members of the class, and soon led us across a broad courtyard and into the heart of the embassy. It was there our hosts for the afternoon, First Secretary, Chief of the Political-Economic Section Daniel O’Hara and Economic Officer Nathan Johnson, settled in for a round of Q&A. What followed was a thorough, and insightful, look at Laos from the perspective of the United States government, and the role of the Foreign Service more broadly. Mr. O’Hara succinctly explained to the class that if Washington DC is the “brain” of the U.S. government, then it is the Foreign Service that operates as its “senses”, and in Laos there is plenty to take in.
The two national governments have a long standing, albeit complicated, relationship; maintaining continuous diplomatic ties over the past 75 years. The American bombing campaign carried out over Laos during the Vietnam War, has left a legacy of pain and destruction that has become the focal point of political cooperation between the two nations. Together, they partner in the search for the remains of American MIA from the Indo-China theatre (there were 586 service members who were MIA in Laos, over 200 have been recovered), and work toward meeting America’s “moral obligation” to remediate the compounding impacts of unexploded American ordinance (UXO) on the Lao population; most of whom rely on the impacted land for their survival (O’Hara estimated that many millions of tons of unexploded cluster munitions still litter the rural Lao countryside).
The two nations are also partners in more humanitarian efforts, working on interdiction of global opium and synthetic drug trafficking, increasing American investment in Laos, and utilizing USDA partnerships to advance food security efforts in the country. In Laos, over 65% of the population is currently under 35 years old, and 60% are engaged in agricultural work of some kind; much of it still subsistence farming. As such, the American embassy maintains a priority on expanding future economic partnerships and opportunities for the Lao people, and allowing future generations to maintain their fiercely guarded independence.
A well seasoned Foreign Service Officer (FSO), on his eighth station assignment, Mr. O’Hara had an incredible ability to synthesize and repackage complex questions, and keen insight into what is required to lead an effective team in a challenging environment. He spoke of “flat leadership” and the importance of ensuring that a diverse set of voices and opinions are always brought to the table. O’Hara noted that while not all leadership skills and strategies are scalable from small teams, many of the important ones are, and identifying those early are critical to a leader’s success.
There was a lot for the class to take in! You could feel from our conversations in the embassy, the love that our diplomatic leadership felt for Laos and its people. A love that, as a class, we have come to share. We snapped some pictures, shook hands, and said our goodbyes, before returning to the LDWDC for some shopping and a quick turn to dinner. It was time to celebrate our final night in Vientiane.
Over delicious food, and the sights and sounds of traditional Lao dance, we were asking ourselves: What has surprised us about this place, about these people? What are the assumptions we have made that, when probed, proved to be as shallow as an old stucco façade? Can we become better seekers of truth and how might that make us better leaders at home, in our own communities? These conversations are bound to continue in earnest, as we look forward to what our next day’s adventure might hold!
Gratefully,
Aman, Jack, Kyle and the members of Class 53
