Purse Snatchers

I feel like this year the Father has been protecting us from some scary and potentially harmful things.

Julia, Sone, Noui, Noui's friend, Sone's friend and I went to a friend's house for dinner tonight. We left kinda late - 9ish (anything after 8:30 is kinda late here) to go back home. On the way home I got a flat tire. All of the mechanics were closed already. Noui decided it would be best if Julia would drop of Noui's friend at home, come back to pick me up and Noui would drive my bike slowly home. Sone and Sone's friend would also go home. The plan worked well - Noui and I waited a while for Julia to return for us. Sone wanted to come back and drive my bike but Julia said she didn't want Sone driving back to Noui and I alone. Noui drove my bike because she's skinnier than me so it isn't as hard on the tire. :) I rode with Julia.

We were driving maybe 10 mph because of my flat tire on the far right side of the road - Noui in front Julia and I following. My purse was on my left shoulder - exposed to the traffic. Suddenly, I felt someone grabbing my purse. I held on tightly for what seemed like 3 minutes. I was wondering why they wouldn't give up and go (even though it was probably only 5 seconds). So as they were trying to take my purse, Julia noticed them kicking the bike. Noui looked back because she heard Julia screaming bloody murder. Julia and I fell off of the bike and the boys continued on their way -without my purse. Thankfully no other cars were coming at the time so we didn't get run over. I helped get Julia out from under the bike and Noui came back to help. Before we got to the side of the road 4 12 year old boys came and asked if we were OK. And shortly after 2 other men stopped to help us too. Julia's leg was pretty scratched up and my knee is a little bruised and scratched but else we are OK.

Right after seeing a horrible side of people - wanting to steal someones purse and make them fall off of their bike so they can't chase them down, we saw the nicest, most helpful side of most Lao people - running over to make sure we're safe. The boys were all talking about what the bad guys looked like and where they went and if they could chase them and find them - of course they couldn't, but they were all so nice and caring towards us. One of the guys who stopped to help us said he would escort us home - so he did all the way to our front gate. So kind and caring.

When we got home the nice guy was talking to us for a while. On the drive home, he told me that I should wear a jacket when I drive over my purse (even though its 100 degrees), we should look in our rear view mirrors, we shouldn't put our phone in our purse so that we can call someone if something bad happens. When we stopped to talk at our gate he told Noui to tell me the same stuff again. When Sone came out he told her to tell me the same stuff again. I know he's only doing it to be nice, but I really did understand the first time.

We decided that the bad guys wanted to steal my purse and we were an easy target because we were driving so slowly and I wasn't wearing a jacket to protect my purse. They kicked the bike so that we would fall down and not follow them. We must have been pulling pretty hard because the straps broke. :( Part of their little scheme worked - we fell down. Sometimes though, they will kick the bike out from under you and then when you fall they will steal your bike. They were pretty gutsy trying to do it to two big foreigners like us.

I do feel so protected though - I'm so glad it was me and Julia and not some of our small Lao friends. I'm thankful no cars were coming when we fell in the middle of the road. I'm thankful they didn't steal my purse - I remembered afterwards that I had just gone to the ATM and had $250 in my purse - usually I have like $30. I'm thankful that we didn't get hurt - Julia's leg is scraped but it could have been so much worse! I'm thankful to see the hearts of most Lao people - so ready to come and help and make sure you arrive home safely.

With all of these robbers and thieves I think I have learned every Lao word for thief, robber, person who steals. . . I thought I had kinda forgotten them since it had been a while since I had used them, but I'll be using them this week again.

Every time I drive home alone at night everyone asks if I'm afraid. I always say, "No, I'm a big person." Kinda as a joke but kinda serious too - I'm not really afraid. I always thought no one would try to steal anything from a big fat foreigner twice the size of the average Lao person. I also thought no one would ever try and break into our house. So I've gotta stop thinking nothing bad will happen to me. And next time, even when it is a sweltering 100 degrees, I will wear a jacket over my purse.