Welp... heres the dl. I'm typing this one on the compy at BK because its gonna be long. Its gonna be awesome though, so check it out.
So, I don't really remember what all i did the Tuesday after we got back from BKK (Bangkok). That was almost two weeks ago. Plus Tuesdays don't generally have that much going on. But that Tuesday i found out that Handclasp has a scooter that had just become available, so i started driving it that night.... and hurt myself almost immediately. For anyone wondering what happened to my pinkie toe, i decided to try and get into a wreck first thing, and after i avoided that thought it would be a good idea to kick a little picketed garden. I should work on my temper a little i guess. :-D but my first night on it i drove pretty well, and am leaning fast. I enjoy it a lot. I even gave Bekah a ride to ST from BK. Yeah its just down the street but it was fun.
Wednesday i woke up and Richard, PiiThumb and i headed out to MaeRim to the juvey. We got there and found out that a local Thai massage school was out for teaching for a week, so we didn't have class. But we had fun out there, and got back early. We met up with the rest of the team to go over the final details of the schedule for the Lake Country team that was coming in.
Other highlights that happened in there, but i don't really remember when: I went and got the motorbike re-insured and legal, which involved driving all the way across town and talking to people who spoke little to no Thai, but it was a fun and learning experience. And at some point in there we (Da3, meaw, ekk, and carrie) all went out for the night on scooters. So i was driving around with people on the back. But i bring that up because we found the best Rotee that i have had in Chiang Mai. It was awesome, and i learned how to get gas in Thailand. Sounds like a no brainer but there are small differences, like specifying that you want 91 octane at the pump, not just what point you are using. Anyways, back to the other stuff.
Thursday, we woke up, and Da3 caught a songteaw out to the airport to meet up with the LCCS team. To give you a lil background on who they are: LCCS stands for Lake Country Christian Schools. Its a K-12 christian school from somewheres in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. The team was 17 kids from 14-18 who decided to raise money and give up their spring break to go work. So we got them out of the airport and went straight from there to Dr. Noodle, a nicer lil resturaunt near BK and had some lunch and orientation. We decieded to skip out on the smog and heat, and went from there on over to the Green Palace to check them into their hotel rooms, then met up with them around 5:30 to go out to HueyGeaw waterfall. (side not to those from the SBU teams: we did not go all the way up to the part where we did our orientation. It was acutally the water fall you could see from the resturaunt that we ate at the first day last year) There we had a little more orientation and spontaneous prayer and singing time. And then walked down to Huen Huey Geaw, a resturaunt that overlooks the water fall we were up playing at. By this point the whole team consited of zombies. So we took them back to the hotel.
Friday morning i woke up at 5 am. now im not much of a morning person, but OSU was playin OU in the Big 12 Championship, so i got to see them win the important game. it was awesome. in the process i managed to lay the scooter over. No i didnt hurt myself again, and the scooter was fun. But i did. And even got to see the whole game before i went to meet up with the team. We split up into four teams, and headed out in songteaws to do the "Cultural Scavenger Hunt" and had a blast wandering about the old city. Highlights from that trip included meeting a monk that looked like he could hang with any MMA fighter you wanted to put him agianst, walking through the raw meat market at Chiang Mai Gate Market, eating fun fruits including Dragon Fruit and Durien (which lived up to its smelly rep), me kicking a piece of concrete with my busted pinkie toe and bleeding all over Kad Luan (Warorot Market), and eating fried up insects (whirly gigs, silk worms, crickets, and mole crickets), and meeting a drunk Thai guy who gave all the boys hugs and welcomed us to Thailand (this was before lunch). That lasted till around 2, then the team met up at GP (green palace) where we parted ways for a bit. The team went out to Agape House, which is an Orphanage/Foster home for babies and children that are HIV positive. Da3 stayed behind to get ready for Fantastic Friday. And by get ready, i took a nap :-D. But then rearranged BK and cleared out the inside so we could all fit.. We played some icebreaker games once the team got there, then they taught everyone how to linedance, and all in all it was a blast. And we had an awesome turnout, we even managed to have more Thai people with us than we had farang, so that was even more exciting. It was even so much fun, that noone wanted to leave, but the Highschoolers had to get some rest, so once they left, so did most of the rest.
Woke up on Saturday, and met my new students (at the time they were mine and Lili's, but now they are just mine cause she picked up another class). Their names are Thai and Chai, a bf and gf couple, but they are a lot of fun. So we went through class, and then Glenn and Janet took Da3 on out to House of Blessing. HoB is an orphanage about 30 min away from CM. They are mostly hill tribe kids, but when we got out there, half the team was playing, the other half was split paiting and then clearing out a spot of land in the back to make a garden. So Lili played, Bekah painted and played, I went back and helped with the garden. I didnt really check out the painting, but we cleared out a good sized area and broke up the soil. By then the older boys there were doing most of it, they really got into it, and mixed in the the soil we bought with the soil that was there. We worked til about mid afternoon, then packed up and headed back to GP and ST to shower and get ready for the evening. We left GP and headed to a small park inside the moat where we layed out mats, tossed the football and frizbee around (both ended up in the ponds at one point or another), but more importantly met up with our friends from BK ate pizza and got to hang out some more. We really got to show the team how important relationship building is to what we are doing here. We also were going to sing a couple of songs, which turned out to be quite a few songs because our friend PiiSinn showed up and volunteered to play guitar for us. He is an increadable player.
After the team left, Da3 three and friends went out to the Saturday Night Walking Street, wich was a lot of fun exept that we ended up losing Dew. But it was fun to hang out with with everyone. Another one of the girls we taught out at North CMU has started hanging out with us, she came to BK with us for the first time that friday night, and also came to the park and walking street with us, as well as Ken, Dew, Palm, Carrie, Ekk, PiiSinn, Ray and Ham. After walking street, headed home to get some rest.
Woke up Sunday morning and met up with the team at GP, loaded up and went back out to HoB. HoB is a Christian based orphanage, so they do worship every Sunday and we got to join in with them. It's hard to explain the feeling of worshiping God in a language you don't even understand. it was so much fun, very charismatic wich was even more fun, and it was awesome that these highschoolers got to experience it like that. After a little part of worship, the kids all leave for Sunday School, which the team got to teach this day. They did a great job acting parables of Christ. The kids and the team both had a lot of fun. We ate lunch (which was amazing btw, even had some nice and ripe mango. So Goood!), then played with the kids a little more. The hard part was watching the team say goodbye to the kids. It was really moving. Especially when PiiOom (i'll talk more on him later) got everyone together and we made a huge circle holding hands with each other and the kids and PiiOom prayed over and blessed the team.
We headed home then and got changed a little, and loaded back up so the team could go to the Sunday Night Walking Street. For those of you who dont know, there are two main places to get cool suveneir type stuff (at least according to me, you make make a case for a third at Kad Luan, but i still say these are the main two). One is the Night Bazaar, its basically a flood of tourist and vendors that are trying to rip of the tourist by over charging. That place is fun because the haggling is over huge discounts, i love it. But the Sunday Night Walking Street (the saturday night one is a smaller version of the same thing, even less tourists and not so crowded) started a few years ago to encourage entrepenourship among the Thai people around here, so its all mostly all handmade items, all of it really cool, and most of it uniquely northern Thai. We shopped there from like 5:30 til 8ish. It was fun to walk around with the groups, and just look more closely at stuff i would usually pass by. I also had two guys in my group that put all the girls on the trip to shame in their shoppin ability. Then the team met up and left, i stayed behind to meet up with more friends at Wawee coffee there, hung out with them for a while, and then headed on home.
Monday we woke up and went over to the Cumming's House. This is literally a family's home here that they have started a foster home out of. They have been doing this for a few years, and are building a new larger facility that they can live out of and not have to worry about rent going up on. Again i will go into the Cumming's story a little later. But the girls played with the kids that were there, and also sanded and repainted some of the play equipment they have there. The guys headed out to the land the Cummings are getting and we started laying out a hedge. They weren't allowed to put up a wall along their property line to keep people out, so they decided on a more natural approach. And i say started 'cause we got the plants all layed out, but when we started diggin, it was all dried clay, so going was excruciatingly slow. But we got a good amount done, and then headed to Grace to clean up and swim, then to dinner and sweet resturaunt called like Jungle something. But it has the coolest bathrooms in the world, and thats not an exageration. And then went home and on to bed.
On Tuesday, i was feeling it a little bit so i was slow in the morning, and almost missed my ride out to the elephant camp. That turned out to be an amazing time, we watched the same show that we watched the first time we went out there a month ago, but it was a lot of fun with a bunch of highschoolers. Then they all went out on elephant rides, i didnt feel like paying for another ride, so i hung back and ate, as did Brooke, so it was fun to chat with her a little bit about her time here. Then the team got back, went to the souvenier shop, then we walked a ways back in to the nursuery, and got to see a tiny lil baby which ate Bekah's key chain. That was sadly funny. We loaded up then and went to Huay Tueng Teaw (i just butchered the spelling there, sorry), the reseviour lake that has the little huts on it to eat luch. hung out there for a couple of hours, i ended up actually falling asleep in one of the huts. It was nice. We headed from there on back to BK and met up with Rob and Jordan to do some spiritual mapping. That ended up being really good, because it gave the team an opportunity to participate in something that they can easily keep track of and later see the results and say,"hey, i got to help with that process." Afterwards we went and ate Moo gra ta, which is where the put coals under a peice of tin and you cook your food yourself. They had a lot of fun with that. I feel like we went and did something after that.... the team went to bed. Maybe i did too. i dont remember. Wait, now i do, i went home and that was th night that it rained. It was beautiful. I love thunderstorms and didnt think i would get to see any this spring.
Wednesday, the boys woke up at 5 to go get a head start on the hedge. I slept in :-D. But i slept in and went with Quintin and PiiThumb out to the juvey. Quintin took us out there because Richard was the one in charge of the team so he was with them. Things didnt go quite as planned though. We got out to the jail, walked all the way back to the building we teach in, and found out that KruDucit was not there at all. Which was a bit dissapointing. We asked the kids if they wanted to just sit outside and learn some English anyways, and they said no. But that was when the awesome started. They said they still wanted to hear the story that PiiThumb was going to tell this week. Well he had planned on telling the story of Cain and Abel, and he got all of a minute into it when a couple of the older boys started asking questions, and basically PiiThumb layed out the gospel for about 45 minutes straight. I had a little trouble keeping up with it, ya know cause it was in Thai, but they kept asking questions and just drinking it all up. It was soo awesome to be there for. So that was a bit of a high. We left there and I went to eat lunch before i met up Glenn for our coffee time, then the two of us went to BK for Kanoon Club. I hung out there with peoples, and then went and grabbed dinner and met my other new student. Ill be teaching her on wednesday nights at 7. We went through our first lesson, it was fun, then i left BK and headed to the Night Bazaar to meet up with the team, only got to be there with them for a bit, because they were leaving at 9, but i had some Chicken McNuggets, it was good. Then Da3 and some of our friends went on over to ST because it was going to be an early morning, so Ken, Ken, and Ket all spent the night.
We woke up 5 on Thursday. Met up with the team, and went to see the Monk parade up by Huey Geaw waterfall, and let the team have some debreifing time with PiiKim Ratliff. Then we went on up the mountain to Wat Phra Tat Doi Suthep so the team could see it. Spent about an hour there, then went back to GP to check them out of the hotel and eat our last meal together, which was at Miguel's Mexican resturaunt. It was a great place to say goodbye, then took them to the airport and waited till they got all their luggae and such checked in, said out last good byes, and then left them. I went home and napped, then woke up and we met up with Palm who was one of our students at North for her birthday. Some of her friends came with us, including Where who we also taught North. We had some snackish sweet stuff at a resturaunt, then went back BK where we ordered pizza and watched part of a movie, and just hung out and talked. It was great fun and plus Where has started hanging out with us a little more now.
Friday i woke up and started running errands. I got a 15 meter monitor cable so that we can more easily use the projector at BK, then worked on the computer downloading pictures, music from my Ipod, and making up a little slide show to show at Fantastic Friday. Rob and i also hung out for a few hours playing Wii upstairs in his and Jordan's place. That was awesome. Then got everything (as far as slideshow and music) going for FF to start. The original plan was to go to a nearby court and play some BBall and Frisbee, but about that time it started to rain again. So we scrambled for a new plan and Rob brought down the Wii and we played Mario and Sonic Olympics. It was actually increadably fun. We did a little tournement thing and competed against each other. Then about 10 something, Rob, Brit (Brooke's little brother who came over for his spring break) and i walked downt to Mike's to get some burgers, then walked back and went upstairs to watch OSU play TN. That was a blast.
Saturday I woke up early and met with Thai and Chai again, went through the lesson thing, then went to Lotus to do some shopping. After i got back to ST i was worn thin, and i layed down on my bed and didnt move til about 630, at which time i met up with Da3, Dew, Palm, Where, Ekk, Brooke and Brit, and we all went out to a buffet by the river to eat some dinner. It was a great little spot, and we enjoyed just chillin and spending some time together. After we ate, i left the main group and went to The North Gate to meet up with some other friends to listen to live jazz.. That was fanTABulous. I love jazz, and those guys tore it up for about 2 hours, and were still going when i left because i had to get up early.
This morning i woke up at 8, called my mother to wish her happy birthday, and ended up getting to talk to my little brother, my dad and my mimi also. That was really nice to say hi to everyone, and a quick praise, it looks like my parents may have finally sold the land. I'll miss the place but they are ready for something smaller. Then i met up with Bekah, Lili, Brooke, Ekk, Brit, Dew, Palm, Where, and then two of Dew's relations, and we all piled into a truck and drove up to a waterfall to have lunch and play. It was a wierd waterfall too because you could walk normal through it. It wasnt slippery at all. But we had so much fun there, I took a load of pics. Then we came back and went to worship at BK, left from there and went to walking street and Ekk and Meaw and I got massages. Then came back here and started typing.
I did take a break long enough to watch OSU hand the game to Pit. dadgummit. But when you get out rebounded 2 to 1 and one of their players gets over 30 pts, 23 of them before halftime.... bah.
Anyways.
As far as prayer requests, I have a couple of em. On is for PiiOom and PiiKat, they are the two that run House of Blessing. They are right now in the process of getting new land and bigger facilities as well. Please be praying for them as they seek the Lord's provision and direction heading into this. Also pray for their kiddos, some of whom get adopted, some grow up in the orphanage and need help paying for education and what not.
At the Cumming's house, they started when Mrs. Cummings was volunteering at a Gov run foster home, where there are just too many kids to workers. So she took on of the kids home because she was sick, and nursed her back to health and eventually adopted her, but now opens her home to take care of the babies and toddlers who are sick in the foster home. They nurse them back to health and work to try and get them adopted. They have been over the past few years had trouble staying in houses because the landlords would raise rent on them after leases were up, so they would find a new place. But now they have had help from a private donor through a foundation, and are joining with a foundation as well so that they can move to this new land. The land itself is already paid for, as is the house that is being built right now, but they are seeking direction as they join this foundation and now start expanding beyond their front door. Pray for them as they are being prodded out of their comfort zone that they would grow in their faith and trust, and follow God's directions even when it isnt exactly what they were planning. Pray for them also as they have teams of voluteers coming over to help with the kids they have that they would have good help and examples coming.
Please also keep Richard, PiiThumb and i in your prayers as we continue to go out to the prison and work, and for Da3 as we go out and continue to meet new people and make contacts around CM for Baan Kanoon and Handclasp.
Pray also for the LCCS team as they are starting up school again, that they would get over jet lag quickly, but also that they would not forget all that they did, and that they would be sensative to the Holy Spirit as they proccess through everything they saw and did while they were here.
Also please be in prayer for BK as in two months now more than half of the staff will be taking off for the states. Pray for Rob and Jordan as they are going through language so that they will be ready to take care of things and take over once the Ratliffs, Newcombs, and Neills head out.
Thank you so much for your prayer support as well as for keepin up with me as im over here.
Maybe ill get some pictures or videos up in the next couple weeks.... latras, and love yáll
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
futures of history
Well, when we last left off, I was in a hurry. We finished up watching get smart with Ken and Dew, and then woke up the next morning. I headed on over to BK to start putting together some material on giving directions for juvey the next day. Then we had language at 1. After language we hung around BK, and then picked up PiiToey to go to a Japanese food place (where the shrimp was amazing) and then went bowling after. It was a lot of fun but sad at the same time since it was our last night with Dream before she left.
We also found out the the people in Utah that work with this company to bring students to the states to work is run by Mormans. So Dream and her classmates as well as students from other countries are living with and working for people of the Morman belief system. So pray for them and Dream specifically.
Wednesday, I woke up early and Richard, PiiThumb and I all headed out to Mae Rim for our weekly time in jail, and we had a lot of fun with it. Giving directions is a hard lesson to teach, bit it was a blast. And PiiThumb is getting more and more in depth each week. He told his testimony last week. So pray for us as we try to teach them quality English, but also for wisdom in sharing what we believe. That it would be lived out in us, not just out words.
We left there and I made it back to BK in time to have lunch with Dream and Tham. Tham is also leaving for the states, soon if not already gone. She's going to Wyoming or Montana to work. Can't remember which.
Had a meeting and then got ready to leave for Bangkok. The train was interesting, to say the least. Rob and Jordan had a French speaking couple near them, who caused some problems. And sleepin in a train is harder than you might think.
But we made it to the train station and caught a very rickety old songteaw to the guest house where we were staying, got showered and cleaned up a bit, and then headed down to the sky train to go to the BSC.
The Baptist Student Center is an English teaching institution with over 50 years of history. It was started by three misplaced M's, though I couldn't tell you there names now I remember that two were a couple by the last name of Reeves, and has grown into a huge place that influences an average of 2500 students each term, which is about two months long. I will throw out there they are always looking for volunteers, from college juniors on up to people in their 80's. Search baptist student center dot org.
But we got to look at their structure and formatting to start some benchmarking for BK, and it was increadably encouraging to see all they had done and are still doing and to get some ideas that could be reached. So that was a ton of fun, then we headed from there to the Baptist Theological Seminary. I didn't even know such a place existed! But before any of you think about coming to Thailand for your seminary program, you'll have to learn Thai. Just a heads up. It was neat though to meet some of the teachers and students and get some history on the place.
Then after that whole long day, we went on back to the guest house and rested a bit, then got together to eat out. We went to an amazing little rib place (yeah, that's right, we had American food) and just sat and talked as a team and had some really good food. We got back to the guest house around 1030 and headed to sleep, then woke back up early. Well, I slept in til 730, but then we went to a little compound where several M's stay for an introductory orientation to Thai culture. Some of it was stuff I had known since last year, and some of it was brand new, so it was fun. That lasted til the afternoon and then we split up and went and did stuff in smaller groups. Brooke, Liliy, Beca and I was the group I went with, and we ended up going to watch The Watchmen at the Imax theatre. I was a bit dissapointed. I thought it took a good honest look at human nature, but did it much more explicitly than I thought they would. So I ended up liking most of the movie but wishing I had done a bit more research into the actual storyline than I had done.
Afterwards we split again, and Lily and I went to check out Lumpini Park, which was huge and closed 15 min after we got there. So we headed back to the guest house. I ate dinner there and met a guy who was leading a group from the states and had just finished a medical clinic. We talked a little.
Then Saturday I went straight tourist. We woke up early an had all our stuff ready to go before 830. Then the majority of us that had stayed the extra day went to tour the kings palace, which turned put to be looking at a large wat and a museum in the corner of the grounds. Then Beca, Lily and I met up with Kwan, a friend from Chiang Mai and we all went to another nearby wat to see the reclining Budha. The thing gave new definition to the word large for me me. I can't acurately describe the largeness.
Afterwards we went by boat and train to JJ's Market. It's the largest open air market in the world, and we only got to spend about an hour there. But we were there. Though I din get to see the animal part. And Bangkok also gave new meaning to the word hot for me. And it's not even on in the hottest part of the year, bit it's close.
But went to get ourselves all cleaned up and then went to the train station, said goodbye to friends we had met down there, and then got on a train to head home. I don't know if I was just exhausted or what, but I slept ok on it. Then the train decided to take an extra couple of hours to get to CM.
Bit by the time we got there an back to ST apartment, I was sleepy. So I accidentally took a 5 hour nap. Woke up just in time for worship, which was really refreshing (worship, not just the nap). After tha Rob Jordan and I headed to Richard and Christy Neills house to watch tv OSU vs OU bball game that Richard had recorded for us. It was a bit of a dissapointing game, but the time spent hanging out was good.
Then I was in bed by 1030 and was out til 8 this morning.
Next week will be a short update again if I even get the chance to do it.
But please pray for me as I continue to get things together for for the juvey time. That God would give me educational creativity. And focus. Wednesday, I will also be taking over Richards class at 7, assuming anyone comes. And then Thursday, the team of highschoolers arrives from LCCS, in Dallas. The 3 will be spending a lot of time with them. So pray we don't get too worn out going with them. They will be doing a lot of stuff in the week they are here. Also pray for them that they would be flexible, and little Christs running around. And pray for Richard as he is the one in charge of them. This is an exciting time for our team as we get to join with another team of believers and let them see the life in CM. Also we are starting the new term of teaching this week, and we are doing a camping trip on the 20-21 of march, so pray for that that those who need to be there will be able and willin to come, and pray for us as we lead them out.
Things are continuing to be exciting, and also drainig at times. Pray that we would be leaning on Gods strength and not our own on this, and that we would know His direction, and know what direction to follow, and that we would even know when to say no to doing a good thing so we don't spread ourselves to thin to do our main calling.
Thank you all again for your love and support, for the Bday cards I got, those were unexpected, and for the little notes of encouragement I get from time to time. They come at just the right times and carry me when I get tired.
I also feel compelled to say I wrote this one listening to Toby Mac, Search the City, and mewithoutYou. Loves. Latras!
We also found out the the people in Utah that work with this company to bring students to the states to work is run by Mormans. So Dream and her classmates as well as students from other countries are living with and working for people of the Morman belief system. So pray for them and Dream specifically.
Wednesday, I woke up early and Richard, PiiThumb and I all headed out to Mae Rim for our weekly time in jail, and we had a lot of fun with it. Giving directions is a hard lesson to teach, bit it was a blast. And PiiThumb is getting more and more in depth each week. He told his testimony last week. So pray for us as we try to teach them quality English, but also for wisdom in sharing what we believe. That it would be lived out in us, not just out words.
We left there and I made it back to BK in time to have lunch with Dream and Tham. Tham is also leaving for the states, soon if not already gone. She's going to Wyoming or Montana to work. Can't remember which.
Had a meeting and then got ready to leave for Bangkok. The train was interesting, to say the least. Rob and Jordan had a French speaking couple near them, who caused some problems. And sleepin in a train is harder than you might think.
But we made it to the train station and caught a very rickety old songteaw to the guest house where we were staying, got showered and cleaned up a bit, and then headed down to the sky train to go to the BSC.
The Baptist Student Center is an English teaching institution with over 50 years of history. It was started by three misplaced M's, though I couldn't tell you there names now I remember that two were a couple by the last name of Reeves, and has grown into a huge place that influences an average of 2500 students each term, which is about two months long. I will throw out there they are always looking for volunteers, from college juniors on up to people in their 80's. Search baptist student center dot org.
But we got to look at their structure and formatting to start some benchmarking for BK, and it was increadably encouraging to see all they had done and are still doing and to get some ideas that could be reached. So that was a ton of fun, then we headed from there to the Baptist Theological Seminary. I didn't even know such a place existed! But before any of you think about coming to Thailand for your seminary program, you'll have to learn Thai. Just a heads up. It was neat though to meet some of the teachers and students and get some history on the place.
Then after that whole long day, we went on back to the guest house and rested a bit, then got together to eat out. We went to an amazing little rib place (yeah, that's right, we had American food) and just sat and talked as a team and had some really good food. We got back to the guest house around 1030 and headed to sleep, then woke back up early. Well, I slept in til 730, but then we went to a little compound where several M's stay for an introductory orientation to Thai culture. Some of it was stuff I had known since last year, and some of it was brand new, so it was fun. That lasted til the afternoon and then we split up and went and did stuff in smaller groups. Brooke, Liliy, Beca and I was the group I went with, and we ended up going to watch The Watchmen at the Imax theatre. I was a bit dissapointed. I thought it took a good honest look at human nature, but did it much more explicitly than I thought they would. So I ended up liking most of the movie but wishing I had done a bit more research into the actual storyline than I had done.
Afterwards we split again, and Lily and I went to check out Lumpini Park, which was huge and closed 15 min after we got there. So we headed back to the guest house. I ate dinner there and met a guy who was leading a group from the states and had just finished a medical clinic. We talked a little.
Then Saturday I went straight tourist. We woke up early an had all our stuff ready to go before 830. Then the majority of us that had stayed the extra day went to tour the kings palace, which turned put to be looking at a large wat and a museum in the corner of the grounds. Then Beca, Lily and I met up with Kwan, a friend from Chiang Mai and we all went to another nearby wat to see the reclining Budha. The thing gave new definition to the word large for me me. I can't acurately describe the largeness.
Afterwards we went by boat and train to JJ's Market. It's the largest open air market in the world, and we only got to spend about an hour there. But we were there. Though I din get to see the animal part. And Bangkok also gave new meaning to the word hot for me. And it's not even on in the hottest part of the year, bit it's close.
But went to get ourselves all cleaned up and then went to the train station, said goodbye to friends we had met down there, and then got on a train to head home. I don't know if I was just exhausted or what, but I slept ok on it. Then the train decided to take an extra couple of hours to get to CM.
Bit by the time we got there an back to ST apartment, I was sleepy. So I accidentally took a 5 hour nap. Woke up just in time for worship, which was really refreshing (worship, not just the nap). After tha Rob Jordan and I headed to Richard and Christy Neills house to watch tv OSU vs OU bball game that Richard had recorded for us. It was a bit of a dissapointing game, but the time spent hanging out was good.
Then I was in bed by 1030 and was out til 8 this morning.
Next week will be a short update again if I even get the chance to do it.
But please pray for me as I continue to get things together for for the juvey time. That God would give me educational creativity. And focus. Wednesday, I will also be taking over Richards class at 7, assuming anyone comes. And then Thursday, the team of highschoolers arrives from LCCS, in Dallas. The 3 will be spending a lot of time with them. So pray we don't get too worn out going with them. They will be doing a lot of stuff in the week they are here. Also pray for them that they would be flexible, and little Christs running around. And pray for Richard as he is the one in charge of them. This is an exciting time for our team as we get to join with another team of believers and let them see the life in CM. Also we are starting the new term of teaching this week, and we are doing a camping trip on the 20-21 of march, so pray for that that those who need to be there will be able and willin to come, and pray for us as we lead them out.
Things are continuing to be exciting, and also drainig at times. Pray that we would be leaning on Gods strength and not our own on this, and that we would know His direction, and know what direction to follow, and that we would even know when to say no to doing a good thing so we don't spread ourselves to thin to do our main calling.
Thank you all again for your love and support, for the Bday cards I got, those were unexpected, and for the little notes of encouragement I get from time to time. They come at just the right times and carry me when I get tired.
I also feel compelled to say I wrote this one listening to Toby Mac, Search the City, and mewithoutYou. Loves. Latras!
Monday, March 2, 2009
quik trip
Well, since last Monday. A whole freakin lot had gone down. So here we go!
We started out last week of teaching last Monday. We had a lot less kids this time around because of it being finals week. But it was fun. On Wednesday at the end of class Beca prayed over the class.
On Tuesday we continued our prayer group at 8, wednesday Glenn and I met and went to The Dukes where I had an amazing burger. Best one I have had since I left the states.
Thursday we had a spiritual retreat. It was stinking amazing. We spent great quality time together as a team, and also were well chalenged individually. It was sooo good. After it was over, Rob, Jordan, Lili and I went swimming in the resorts pool (oh yeah, we had it at a little out I the way resort) we headed over to Quinitins area pool for Dreams baptism. Then we had a time after where we ate dinner and prayed for Dream, and some said goodbye because it would be the last time they would see her for a while. Afterwards we went to the night bazaar to play around.
Friday we ran errands before language, and then got BK ready for fantastic Friday. It was my week, and since it was finals week for the students, last week before break, and our last week teaching, I decided we should watch a movie. I worked hard trying pick a movie that not only was entertaining but also raised good questions that could lead to good discussion, so I picked the emperors new groove. :-) it went over really well, everyone enjoyed it, and there were some good conversations that came out of it. A few of us went and grabbed food and hung out late.
Saturday, the three of us met up with Ken and Dew and two of their friends and went to Dew's family's place. Then all of us headed out to an orange grove about an hour and a half away. Ken and I rode in the back of the truck there and back. After the grove we went to Chang Dow cave. It was very interesting. It was both a beautiful natural wonder, and also a beautiful monument to Buddah. So going through the cave was a very interesting and educating experience. Came back and Beca cooked up some Mexican food for us at BK, and then we headed out to watch the curious case of bejamin button (which I highly, highly recomend). Which got out at midnight. Which of course was followed by getting food. Love those late night snacks.
Sunday we got to get up an go out to see several new believers get baptised from a church out in Mae Wong. It was awesome to be able to go out and support them in this. Afterwards we went to katies house to spend the night.
Woke up today and went bamboo rafting. Got back into town and met up with Ekk and Dream at the apartment. Headed to Kad Suan Kow to do some shopping with Dream, met up with other friends and right now we are watching get smart with Ken and Dew
Which is why I am rushing through this update. But if I didn't I wouldn't be sending anything out for a while. We are up at eight in the morning. I jave some prep I need to do for Wednesday at the prison, followed by language and then I'm not sure about evenin plans. But will be hanging out with Dream fir her last night in Thailand. Which will be a late night I am sure.
Then going to the prison wed morning. Have a team meeting then riding out to the train station to leave for Bangkok for the IMB orientation.
So that's the real reason I'm putting this up now. Because it's my last chance for a while. And I could use some prayers for energy and focus. This meeting is something I have been looking forward to for a bit. We are getting see what's going on here in Thailand, as well as visit a BSU there and see how they are doin things and see what ideas we can bring back to chiang mai.
Welp. Gotta head. Spending time with friends. Lata. Loves
We started out last week of teaching last Monday. We had a lot less kids this time around because of it being finals week. But it was fun. On Wednesday at the end of class Beca prayed over the class.
On Tuesday we continued our prayer group at 8, wednesday Glenn and I met and went to The Dukes where I had an amazing burger. Best one I have had since I left the states.
Thursday we had a spiritual retreat. It was stinking amazing. We spent great quality time together as a team, and also were well chalenged individually. It was sooo good. After it was over, Rob, Jordan, Lili and I went swimming in the resorts pool (oh yeah, we had it at a little out I the way resort) we headed over to Quinitins area pool for Dreams baptism. Then we had a time after where we ate dinner and prayed for Dream, and some said goodbye because it would be the last time they would see her for a while. Afterwards we went to the night bazaar to play around.
Friday we ran errands before language, and then got BK ready for fantastic Friday. It was my week, and since it was finals week for the students, last week before break, and our last week teaching, I decided we should watch a movie. I worked hard trying pick a movie that not only was entertaining but also raised good questions that could lead to good discussion, so I picked the emperors new groove. :-) it went over really well, everyone enjoyed it, and there were some good conversations that came out of it. A few of us went and grabbed food and hung out late.
Saturday, the three of us met up with Ken and Dew and two of their friends and went to Dew's family's place. Then all of us headed out to an orange grove about an hour and a half away. Ken and I rode in the back of the truck there and back. After the grove we went to Chang Dow cave. It was very interesting. It was both a beautiful natural wonder, and also a beautiful monument to Buddah. So going through the cave was a very interesting and educating experience. Came back and Beca cooked up some Mexican food for us at BK, and then we headed out to watch the curious case of bejamin button (which I highly, highly recomend). Which got out at midnight. Which of course was followed by getting food. Love those late night snacks.
Sunday we got to get up an go out to see several new believers get baptised from a church out in Mae Wong. It was awesome to be able to go out and support them in this. Afterwards we went to katies house to spend the night.
Woke up today and went bamboo rafting. Got back into town and met up with Ekk and Dream at the apartment. Headed to Kad Suan Kow to do some shopping with Dream, met up with other friends and right now we are watching get smart with Ken and Dew
Which is why I am rushing through this update. But if I didn't I wouldn't be sending anything out for a while. We are up at eight in the morning. I jave some prep I need to do for Wednesday at the prison, followed by language and then I'm not sure about evenin plans. But will be hanging out with Dream fir her last night in Thailand. Which will be a late night I am sure.
Then going to the prison wed morning. Have a team meeting then riding out to the train station to leave for Bangkok for the IMB orientation.
So that's the real reason I'm putting this up now. Because it's my last chance for a while. And I could use some prayers for energy and focus. This meeting is something I have been looking forward to for a bit. We are getting see what's going on here in Thailand, as well as visit a BSU there and see how they are doin things and see what ideas we can bring back to chiang mai.
Welp. Gotta head. Spending time with friends. Lata. Loves
Sunday, February 22, 2009
simple ain't always easy
Well, let's see here, what has happened this week. Tuesday we started two new things.
In the early morning we are meeting at BK (Bann Kanoon, for the new reader. I just now checked my comments from last week) and having an hour of concentrated prayer for the city, the people we know here, and all the ways that we and others are trying to share about the love of Christ. For those of you on the central time zone that would like to join us at the same time, beingblikr minded and united around the globe for this one city, that would be from 7-8pm on Monday evenings. If you aren't in central, you can figure it out cause you know where you are in relation to it.
We are also going to new areas of the city to pray and look around for a new way we are going to try and open some doors. I don't really want to get into specifics here. But you could keep this new idea and us carrying out the opening steps in your prayers. For our wisdom and discretion as we head into it. Rob is the one heading it up.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we taught out at north again. We also are getting to know two of the students from that group. We are planning on going on up to Doi Suthep with them on Saturday. That should prove interesting.
Wednesday we went out to the prison and had some fun, and then PiiThum got a little deeper with them and expounded on knowing there is more to life than just what we see. The kids were very attentive and even wanted him to keep talking, which was so encouraging.
Then on Thursday I had a morning meeting with Glen, and lunch with he and Ryder. Those were both good times. We had our meeting, at which people remembered my birthday, so we had icecream cake from DQ, and we also talked about our true goals an got more on the same page for how to accomplish them. We are talking about starting up some new things at BK. It was awesome. I'm excited to see where God takes us in this.
After teaching, we came back and met up with people at BK, and I got another cake. Then Becca and I went to eat dinner with Ken and Dew, the two from North that I mentioned above. After dinner we went and met up with the rest of our group for some karaoke. Good times were had by all.
Friday morning I called the rents, so they could say hi to me on my bday (it still was in America). Then went and got things ready for game show night at BK. We played some family feud, and then chilled an talked. Invited them to a camping trip BK is going to take in mid march. Oh yeah. Had language class. Funtimes. Makes my head hurt.
Saturday I woke up at 7 so I could be picked up by a friend to go with her church on a ministry thing they did. There is a small area north of the city where a few Burmese families live. Her church has been going out there, helping out as they can and taking care of them. The group I went with, the majority of them are also taking a trip to Cambodia mid March, so there were there as a team building experience as well. We sang songs and played games with the kids. I was having hardcore VBS flashbacks as we sang "Im in the Lords Army" (I may never march in the infantry, ride in the Calvary, shoot the artillery...) and "My God is so Big" (my God is so big, so strong and so mighty there's nothing my God cannot do *clap,clap*) in Thai. That was awesome. Then split them up and told bible stories to them. And then made lunch for everyone. I was so glad for the opportunity to go.
Then we went back to Payup U where her church meets, and went from there to Kad Luang to shop. Found a great place with cheap clean and clear, so my toletries budget is back under control. Got a new shoulder bag as well since mine is all tore up.
Then went back to BK to meet up with Ken and Dew for dinner again, went from there to the Saturday night walking street. Got back to BK prolly around ten or eleven and found out PiiToey was there, and since we hadn't seen her in a few weeks sat and talked with her and left about one.
Saturday was beautiful. But frickin' long.
So Sunday I slept a lot. Then at worship we had a good bye party for NongDream because it was the last sunday she will be at worship before she leaves for the US to work in Vernal, Utah. And spent the evening there with her. Then I went to bed early.
Today, we are teaching out at north. The next three days will be our last out there. Pray for us again, for wisdom and good attitudes. Pray for our energy levels as well. We have all three felt less rested than we should be. Also, the whole BK team is having a mini spiritual retreat on Thursday, so pray for us that God would speak, and aslo that we would listen. Also, I'm the one coming up with a plan for this Friday night. I still don't know what to do.
Thank you again for all the support you are giving to this team by keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Love you all take care.
In the early morning we are meeting at BK (Bann Kanoon, for the new reader. I just now checked my comments from last week) and having an hour of concentrated prayer for the city, the people we know here, and all the ways that we and others are trying to share about the love of Christ. For those of you on the central time zone that would like to join us at the same time, beingblikr minded and united around the globe for this one city, that would be from 7-8pm on Monday evenings. If you aren't in central, you can figure it out cause you know where you are in relation to it.
We are also going to new areas of the city to pray and look around for a new way we are going to try and open some doors. I don't really want to get into specifics here. But you could keep this new idea and us carrying out the opening steps in your prayers. For our wisdom and discretion as we head into it. Rob is the one heading it up.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we taught out at north again. We also are getting to know two of the students from that group. We are planning on going on up to Doi Suthep with them on Saturday. That should prove interesting.
Wednesday we went out to the prison and had some fun, and then PiiThum got a little deeper with them and expounded on knowing there is more to life than just what we see. The kids were very attentive and even wanted him to keep talking, which was so encouraging.
Then on Thursday I had a morning meeting with Glen, and lunch with he and Ryder. Those were both good times. We had our meeting, at which people remembered my birthday, so we had icecream cake from DQ, and we also talked about our true goals an got more on the same page for how to accomplish them. We are talking about starting up some new things at BK. It was awesome. I'm excited to see where God takes us in this.
After teaching, we came back and met up with people at BK, and I got another cake. Then Becca and I went to eat dinner with Ken and Dew, the two from North that I mentioned above. After dinner we went and met up with the rest of our group for some karaoke. Good times were had by all.
Friday morning I called the rents, so they could say hi to me on my bday (it still was in America). Then went and got things ready for game show night at BK. We played some family feud, and then chilled an talked. Invited them to a camping trip BK is going to take in mid march. Oh yeah. Had language class. Funtimes. Makes my head hurt.
Saturday I woke up at 7 so I could be picked up by a friend to go with her church on a ministry thing they did. There is a small area north of the city where a few Burmese families live. Her church has been going out there, helping out as they can and taking care of them. The group I went with, the majority of them are also taking a trip to Cambodia mid March, so there were there as a team building experience as well. We sang songs and played games with the kids. I was having hardcore VBS flashbacks as we sang "Im in the Lords Army" (I may never march in the infantry, ride in the Calvary, shoot the artillery...) and "My God is so Big" (my God is so big, so strong and so mighty there's nothing my God cannot do *clap,clap*) in Thai. That was awesome. Then split them up and told bible stories to them. And then made lunch for everyone. I was so glad for the opportunity to go.
Then we went back to Payup U where her church meets, and went from there to Kad Luang to shop. Found a great place with cheap clean and clear, so my toletries budget is back under control. Got a new shoulder bag as well since mine is all tore up.
Then went back to BK to meet up with Ken and Dew for dinner again, went from there to the Saturday night walking street. Got back to BK prolly around ten or eleven and found out PiiToey was there, and since we hadn't seen her in a few weeks sat and talked with her and left about one.
Saturday was beautiful. But frickin' long.
So Sunday I slept a lot. Then at worship we had a good bye party for NongDream because it was the last sunday she will be at worship before she leaves for the US to work in Vernal, Utah. And spent the evening there with her. Then I went to bed early.
Today, we are teaching out at north. The next three days will be our last out there. Pray for us again, for wisdom and good attitudes. Pray for our energy levels as well. We have all three felt less rested than we should be. Also, the whole BK team is having a mini spiritual retreat on Thursday, so pray for us that God would speak, and aslo that we would listen. Also, I'm the one coming up with a plan for this Friday night. I still don't know what to do.
Thank you again for all the support you are giving to this team by keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Love you all take care.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
livin in love
Well, as I sit at listen to taking back sunday scream about lipstick and angels, I think about everything that's gone on this past week and want to send out a shout to James Byrd, a thanks for forcing me to listen to TBS and admit that they were a good band. Moving along.
Last Wednesday at the prison, we had a nearly entirely new group. Such was good but aggrivating, because new people means more exposure to both English and the love of Christ, but we would also like some consistency in delivering both of those things. So please pray for us there that we would be flexible, buy also when we share about our lives, that the kids that need to hear whatever will be said the most will be there. Pray that our lives would shine Christ for the short times we are there.
Then Wednesday we hung out at BK, and did our English help, met some new people and invited a lot to the BK valentines party. Then Wednesday night Beca and I went to the university and got to hang out with the Thai campus crusade people there. We watched as they played games and did a valentines day devotion. It was a lot of fun and again got to meet and hang out with a lot of fun people
Thursday we had a long meeting talking about everything going on with the BK team of Handclasp. All the events and such that we have going on. That night I went with Dream, Katie, and Meaw to a little market and was again reminded how hard it is to find shirts that fit me in Thailand.
Friday we met up at BK in the early afternoon to start getting thngs ready for the party, decorated and did language class and decorated some more, but had everything together for the party and then had a blast. We also showed the drama set to lifehouse's Everything, it had mixed results. Look it up on YouTube if you're curios about what it looks like.
Saturday I went and bought our tickets for the train ride to Bangkok the first week of march. I'll talk more about it when it gets closer but it's an IMB orientation conference thing. Then Ekk and I went to play frisbee. It was awesome. Then the crazyness broke out. One of the local churches was having a vday party, it was a dress up occasion at a nice resturant/maybe hotel. Idk. But we were late (b/c frisbee trumps parties, esp vday ones) so we missed out on food. But again, got to meet new people, and hang out with people I had already met. And I got roped into a game where single guys get blindfolded and shoot at single girls with a nerf gun and then get a "date" pakage. I somehow managed to hit one of the girls, so we won a free movie rental and microwave popcorn, so we are going to meet up at BK and bring friends and have a good time. I also somehow got chosen as the king of the party? Not sure how that happened, then we watched a homemade movie done by some of the college kids in the group, it was awesome. Went and ate after with another group of people. It actually turned out to be one of my most enjoyable vdays.
Got home and wntbti bed about twoish so I slept in on Sunday. Then got things together and headed to worship. We talked about how our vday party went, things that went well and things that we can improve for future events, had a great worship time, then went out to eat together. Afterwards we went to walking street and prayerwalked for a while. Then headed home. Today is an easy day. Mondays we generally leave unscheduled so that we can rest, so I'm gonna go play some bball later on prolly.
For this next week please be in prayer again for our prison ministry, we are also teaching out at Chiang Mai North for our second session. Please pray that we will have some fun, but also that we will be effective and plug in some of our faith to this as well. Keep us in mind on Friday evenings (mornings for y'all in central time) as we engage those with us in more personal ways. And pray that we are constantly seeking Christs wisdom and direction.
Thanks for keeping up with me in all this
Last Wednesday at the prison, we had a nearly entirely new group. Such was good but aggrivating, because new people means more exposure to both English and the love of Christ, but we would also like some consistency in delivering both of those things. So please pray for us there that we would be flexible, buy also when we share about our lives, that the kids that need to hear whatever will be said the most will be there. Pray that our lives would shine Christ for the short times we are there.
Then Wednesday we hung out at BK, and did our English help, met some new people and invited a lot to the BK valentines party. Then Wednesday night Beca and I went to the university and got to hang out with the Thai campus crusade people there. We watched as they played games and did a valentines day devotion. It was a lot of fun and again got to meet and hang out with a lot of fun people
Thursday we had a long meeting talking about everything going on with the BK team of Handclasp. All the events and such that we have going on. That night I went with Dream, Katie, and Meaw to a little market and was again reminded how hard it is to find shirts that fit me in Thailand.
Friday we met up at BK in the early afternoon to start getting thngs ready for the party, decorated and did language class and decorated some more, but had everything together for the party and then had a blast. We also showed the drama set to lifehouse's Everything, it had mixed results. Look it up on YouTube if you're curios about what it looks like.
Saturday I went and bought our tickets for the train ride to Bangkok the first week of march. I'll talk more about it when it gets closer but it's an IMB orientation conference thing. Then Ekk and I went to play frisbee. It was awesome. Then the crazyness broke out. One of the local churches was having a vday party, it was a dress up occasion at a nice resturant/maybe hotel. Idk. But we were late (b/c frisbee trumps parties, esp vday ones) so we missed out on food. But again, got to meet new people, and hang out with people I had already met. And I got roped into a game where single guys get blindfolded and shoot at single girls with a nerf gun and then get a "date" pakage. I somehow managed to hit one of the girls, so we won a free movie rental and microwave popcorn, so we are going to meet up at BK and bring friends and have a good time. I also somehow got chosen as the king of the party? Not sure how that happened, then we watched a homemade movie done by some of the college kids in the group, it was awesome. Went and ate after with another group of people. It actually turned out to be one of my most enjoyable vdays.
Got home and wntbti bed about twoish so I slept in on Sunday. Then got things together and headed to worship. We talked about how our vday party went, things that went well and things that we can improve for future events, had a great worship time, then went out to eat together. Afterwards we went to walking street and prayerwalked for a while. Then headed home. Today is an easy day. Mondays we generally leave unscheduled so that we can rest, so I'm gonna go play some bball later on prolly.
For this next week please be in prayer again for our prison ministry, we are also teaching out at Chiang Mai North for our second session. Please pray that we will have some fun, but also that we will be effective and plug in some of our faith to this as well. Keep us in mind on Friday evenings (mornings for y'all in central time) as we engage those with us in more personal ways. And pray that we are constantly seeking Christs wisdom and direction.
Thanks for keeping up with me in all this
Monday, February 2, 2009
living the life
So, since my last journal, a good amount of fun things have happened.
We completed our first three day session of teaching out at chiang mai north, it was a blast. We had about thirty students in our class. Some could speak pretty good English, others couldn't understand the basics. But it went well and we have two more sessions the last two weeks of feb. They may even be bigger classes so that we have a lit of students on our own.
We did that Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, then Thursday we woke up and went out to Saraphi again. This time we got to take samaratin's purse shoeboxes out to the children. For those of you like me who hadn't really heard about these guys, they organize in the US, Australia, and New Zealand and churches put together shoe box gifts for kids around the world. They are age and gender specific, but it was like Christmas. It was the first time that these had been taken out to this village and it was beautiful watching the kids open up their gifts.
We also went over to Rob and Jordans village to do the same thing and picked them up to bring them back to Chiang Mai.
Then we split up, got all showered and what not and went our to eat at a nice resturaunt for Beca's birthday, and met up with some friends at BK who had poundcake and strawberries (yummie). Friday we had our team meeting, and then the three if us interns started our language class finally, and did fantastic Friday night at BK.
On Saturday we went to the market to pick up some stuff, and then ate dinner with Beth an Ryder who will be joining the BK team this like August.
Sunday was nice and busy. Brooke's friend Dannielle had come to visit her, so they and us three interns went elephant riding and at lunch on a lake on these little huts that actaully floated on the lake. 'Twas awesomeness. Then The Three (I think I shall refer to us as this from now on... Or maybe just da3, I like that better) got dropped off at the flower festival, big cultural event in the old city. Then we headed home and to worship, after which we went to walking street.
Yesterday, we slept in (yay holiday) and then da3, Ekk and Dream went out to a waterfall and played in the water. Much fun and bruising of the bottoms occurred. Then just hung out the rest of the day.
So it's been good time. I left the important stuff for the end. First, on their last day there Rob and Jordan found a small Thai cell church in their village, so that was amazing. There are a lot of new believers and mostly younger believers. Pray for them as they grow and minister to that area.
Also at the prison ministry last week, we got an entirely new class. But it's smaller and the kids are more engaged so we feel this is a wide open door to share. So pray for God's wisdom and guidance as we procede the next few months.
Love you all. Check out my mobile uploads on Facebook for all the pics from these things. Lata!
We completed our first three day session of teaching out at chiang mai north, it was a blast. We had about thirty students in our class. Some could speak pretty good English, others couldn't understand the basics. But it went well and we have two more sessions the last two weeks of feb. They may even be bigger classes so that we have a lit of students on our own.
We did that Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, then Thursday we woke up and went out to Saraphi again. This time we got to take samaratin's purse shoeboxes out to the children. For those of you like me who hadn't really heard about these guys, they organize in the US, Australia, and New Zealand and churches put together shoe box gifts for kids around the world. They are age and gender specific, but it was like Christmas. It was the first time that these had been taken out to this village and it was beautiful watching the kids open up their gifts.
We also went over to Rob and Jordans village to do the same thing and picked them up to bring them back to Chiang Mai.
Then we split up, got all showered and what not and went our to eat at a nice resturaunt for Beca's birthday, and met up with some friends at BK who had poundcake and strawberries (yummie). Friday we had our team meeting, and then the three if us interns started our language class finally, and did fantastic Friday night at BK.
On Saturday we went to the market to pick up some stuff, and then ate dinner with Beth an Ryder who will be joining the BK team this like August.
Sunday was nice and busy. Brooke's friend Dannielle had come to visit her, so they and us three interns went elephant riding and at lunch on a lake on these little huts that actaully floated on the lake. 'Twas awesomeness. Then The Three (I think I shall refer to us as this from now on... Or maybe just da3, I like that better) got dropped off at the flower festival, big cultural event in the old city. Then we headed home and to worship, after which we went to walking street.
Yesterday, we slept in (yay holiday) and then da3, Ekk and Dream went out to a waterfall and played in the water. Much fun and bruising of the bottoms occurred. Then just hung out the rest of the day.
So it's been good time. I left the important stuff for the end. First, on their last day there Rob and Jordan found a small Thai cell church in their village, so that was amazing. There are a lot of new believers and mostly younger believers. Pray for them as they grow and minister to that area.
Also at the prison ministry last week, we got an entirely new class. But it's smaller and the kids are more engaged so we feel this is a wide open door to share. So pray for God's wisdom and guidance as we procede the next few months.
Love you all. Check out my mobile uploads on Facebook for all the pics from these things. Lata!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
village people
Welp, thisn will prolly be long. We left last Monday to head out to Sarapi (that's not how you really spell it) and spent the first afternoon getting settled
and our host P-Nis took us to meet some ladies de-stemming lonkin berries to be taken to a factory where they dehydrate, separate, and bag them to be shipped to china. It was a lot of fun, and we got to meet the lady who co-runs it and one if the guys that actually manages the production. That was a lot of fun.
Each day we woke up and ran, save two, then ate breakfast, I would take my dip bath and we would head to school. On the way home from school one day and the following morning we got to learn how to make koa dtang which the Thai version of rice crispies. And remember, this is nothing sophisticated like the lonkin factory, this is just people in a house making a crspload of these things and how they make their living. But they still let us keep the ones we made and gave us food when we visited. I'll get back to that. Also running on one of the mornings one of our group got separated and lost for about an hour and a half. That was fun. And Wednesday Thursday and Friday nights we would go to the obata to play footban and wolleyban.
At school we would teach the first and second grades from 11 to 12, eat lunch til one, the have the third and fourth grades til 2 and the fifth and sixth grades til 3 then head home. The kids were a lot of fun.
Then Saturday and Sunday were those villages' sport days. Saturday the villages came together for volleyball, football, and bachi ball competitions. Lots of food and vendors of random things. Then on Sunday they had a fun parade and big opening ceremony followed by fireworks. Then came the championship mend football game followed by lots of rec games like egg toss and sack racing and balloon stomping and whatnot. And we left around 130ish.
The whole week was good. No it was pretty amazing. It's such a different way of life, and yet felt so comfortable. The only time I really felt akwars or out of place was when we were at our residence because even though they were so sweet, and loving and kind, I still felt like an intruder in their lives. And they treated it like a home stay (which is like a Thai b&b, where people open their homes for people to rent out for short periods of time) so they basically took care of everything, and wouldn't even let us help.
But no matter where they took us, or how little people has when we got there, we were given water and fresh fruit or snacks and such, and it's so humbling to think that these people can so easily give of whatever they have for a stranger and I struggle to let go of a few bot. We were given the best if everything. So it really was an education in Thai culture, an they do a lot of things better than we do. Of course my rationalizing side makes the case for the fact that we were farangs visiting their village, which doesn't happen often, and they want to make sure they look good for their karma points. Idk.
But we had a lot of down time, not as much as you would think, but I finished up the signature of Jesus by brennen manning. I loved it. And I also had plenty of time to pray and sort of get my mind together and focused. Didn't journal as much as in had planned on, but each night beca, lili and i worshipped together, singing and reading and praying, and again, I love how God will coordinate things so that what in reading in one thing gives me insight here, and how they compliment and expound on each other.
Out in a village near where we stayed is a couple that came with ISC and have been out in that village for the past month for their intro to Thai culture and we got to spend some time with them. We also got lost going out there one day on bike. The village roads are almost as bad as backwoods Cajun roads.
Teaching was a fun challenge, being as we were alone and most of the kids didint speak hardly any English, but it helped our Thai. And I spoke with an Englishman who lived in our village and did tutoring and partime teaching in the school and he gave me some sites to check out getting my ESL or EFL certificate and coming back to CM or elsewhere in the world to teach. So there's some food for thought.
The most exciting thing is Beca was playing with his son, so Joseph could speak decent English as well, and led him to Christ. The thing is his mom is a major bhuddist. And his dad seemed apathetic towards religious ideas. So be in prayer for that young believer who is probably the only one in his village.
There is a lot of spiritual battles going on over her as well. Like how rob and jordan (the isc couple) live next to a young man who is a medium, or a person who does ceremonies to invite spirits into himself. And a few other things that have happened to them. So be in prayer that we are all covered and able to withstand such attacks. Satan likes his little kingdom and doesn't want anything to disturb it. We went to eat tonight and walking back to our appartment building we saw stickers on street lights that mocked Christ and stated "save Thai culture". (the website it listed was loljesus.com I believe. Haven't looked yet) but it was jsut another reminder that we are facing a large opposition in peoples hearts that Satan is trying to harden and blind hearts around us and drive us out. But people here are so hungry, searching for anything to fill a void in their lives. A lot of that is destructive in nature, especially among the younger people.
Worship on Sundays is awesome though. It reminds me so much of house church and is becoming more like that idea. I love it. The three of us also started teaching at North Chiang Mai University. It's actually a paid position, so praise God there for again providing in way unexpected ways. But it is also putting us in touch with a lot of young people who are looking to work on their English, such may get some of them joining us at Baan Kanoon. So praise God there for how He opens doors and opportunities to draw people to himself.
Thank you for reading through my ramblings. There is more but I feel like I'm already pushing the limit of readability. Love you all. Til next time, adiós.
and our host P-Nis took us to meet some ladies de-stemming lonkin berries to be taken to a factory where they dehydrate, separate, and bag them to be shipped to china. It was a lot of fun, and we got to meet the lady who co-runs it and one if the guys that actually manages the production. That was a lot of fun.
Each day we woke up and ran, save two, then ate breakfast, I would take my dip bath and we would head to school. On the way home from school one day and the following morning we got to learn how to make koa dtang which the Thai version of rice crispies. And remember, this is nothing sophisticated like the lonkin factory, this is just people in a house making a crspload of these things and how they make their living. But they still let us keep the ones we made and gave us food when we visited. I'll get back to that. Also running on one of the mornings one of our group got separated and lost for about an hour and a half. That was fun. And Wednesday Thursday and Friday nights we would go to the obata to play footban and wolleyban.
At school we would teach the first and second grades from 11 to 12, eat lunch til one, the have the third and fourth grades til 2 and the fifth and sixth grades til 3 then head home. The kids were a lot of fun.
Then Saturday and Sunday were those villages' sport days. Saturday the villages came together for volleyball, football, and bachi ball competitions. Lots of food and vendors of random things. Then on Sunday they had a fun parade and big opening ceremony followed by fireworks. Then came the championship mend football game followed by lots of rec games like egg toss and sack racing and balloon stomping and whatnot. And we left around 130ish.
The whole week was good. No it was pretty amazing. It's such a different way of life, and yet felt so comfortable. The only time I really felt akwars or out of place was when we were at our residence because even though they were so sweet, and loving and kind, I still felt like an intruder in their lives. And they treated it like a home stay (which is like a Thai b&b, where people open their homes for people to rent out for short periods of time) so they basically took care of everything, and wouldn't even let us help.
But no matter where they took us, or how little people has when we got there, we were given water and fresh fruit or snacks and such, and it's so humbling to think that these people can so easily give of whatever they have for a stranger and I struggle to let go of a few bot. We were given the best if everything. So it really was an education in Thai culture, an they do a lot of things better than we do. Of course my rationalizing side makes the case for the fact that we were farangs visiting their village, which doesn't happen often, and they want to make sure they look good for their karma points. Idk.
But we had a lot of down time, not as much as you would think, but I finished up the signature of Jesus by brennen manning. I loved it. And I also had plenty of time to pray and sort of get my mind together and focused. Didn't journal as much as in had planned on, but each night beca, lili and i worshipped together, singing and reading and praying, and again, I love how God will coordinate things so that what in reading in one thing gives me insight here, and how they compliment and expound on each other.
Out in a village near where we stayed is a couple that came with ISC and have been out in that village for the past month for their intro to Thai culture and we got to spend some time with them. We also got lost going out there one day on bike. The village roads are almost as bad as backwoods Cajun roads.
Teaching was a fun challenge, being as we were alone and most of the kids didint speak hardly any English, but it helped our Thai. And I spoke with an Englishman who lived in our village and did tutoring and partime teaching in the school and he gave me some sites to check out getting my ESL or EFL certificate and coming back to CM or elsewhere in the world to teach. So there's some food for thought.
The most exciting thing is Beca was playing with his son, so Joseph could speak decent English as well, and led him to Christ. The thing is his mom is a major bhuddist. And his dad seemed apathetic towards religious ideas. So be in prayer for that young believer who is probably the only one in his village.
There is a lot of spiritual battles going on over her as well. Like how rob and jordan (the isc couple) live next to a young man who is a medium, or a person who does ceremonies to invite spirits into himself. And a few other things that have happened to them. So be in prayer that we are all covered and able to withstand such attacks. Satan likes his little kingdom and doesn't want anything to disturb it. We went to eat tonight and walking back to our appartment building we saw stickers on street lights that mocked Christ and stated "save Thai culture". (the website it listed was loljesus.com I believe. Haven't looked yet) but it was jsut another reminder that we are facing a large opposition in peoples hearts that Satan is trying to harden and blind hearts around us and drive us out. But people here are so hungry, searching for anything to fill a void in their lives. A lot of that is destructive in nature, especially among the younger people.
Worship on Sundays is awesome though. It reminds me so much of house church and is becoming more like that idea. I love it. The three of us also started teaching at North Chiang Mai University. It's actually a paid position, so praise God there for again providing in way unexpected ways. But it is also putting us in touch with a lot of young people who are looking to work on their English, such may get some of them joining us at Baan Kanoon. So praise God there for how He opens doors and opportunities to draw people to himself.
Thank you for reading through my ramblings. There is more but I feel like I'm already pushing the limit of readability. Love you all. Til next time, adiós.
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