Good Morning

Please be checking back for an update on our trip to Mae Sot. I absolutely loved that place. It was my favorite place, and experience yet in Thailand. I have some pictures I am waiting to get that I want to post on here... SO an update and pictures are coming! I did however post pictures on flickr.

This week I am apartment searching. I am planning on moving in the beginning of August to a community in Bang Phli. I originally was going to move in July, but this month was quite busy. This is something that I have felt for some time to do, and I am excited as to what the Lord has in store in the future. Please pray as I search for a home in the next week.

On Saturday, our friend Pon will be baptized. He recently came to faith in Jesus, and desires to be baptized. He is someone that has been studying the bible this past year, and I am amazed and encouraged by his pure heart and the passion that he has for Jesus. It is so exciting and beautiful to see the Holy Spirit work! Please remember to pray for Pon.

...well I am off to go search for an apartment.

Weekend

Here are some latest pictures of life here over the weekend...On Saturday we got together and played soccer in a parking lot sort of area...quite fun, we ate lunch together, and in the evening I went to Bang Phli for an AMAZING Ecuadorian meal cooked by Aida, which include chicken, rice, and a delicious pasta salad. Here are some pictures of a FUN night with my Latin and Thai friends.







Tuesday Evening July 15, I will be going with the Latin interns, and our Thai friend Pon, to Mae Sot, a province in the Northwest of Thailand, close to the Myanmar border. We will be be there until the 20th of July. Please pray for a good trip as we love and serve the people there. Thank you for your prayers, they are so appreciated!

I have returned

I am currently back home in Bangkok. They past 2 weeks have been good and a little surprising. My time in Det Udom was really challenging and good. I learned to drive a motorcycle...which was incredibly fun. I lived with a family of some friends here in Bangkok in a village called Baan Seen Suk. It was such a joy living, and sharing life with this really incredible family, and learning about the Issan culture. I spent my days visiting neighbors, visiting the local village school, spending time with the grandchildren that I lived with, and going on little outings with my "Thai" mother. I had all intentions of planting rice, but in the second week of my time in the village, I became very ill with Dengue Fever, and left the village early and was taken to the hospital where I received care, and spent the rest of my time recovering. My whole trip totally changed and turned out differently that I had expected. I was released from the hospital yesterday, and took the overnight train back to Bangkok, and arrived this morning. It feels so good to be back, but my heart really misses the slow life of the village, and the people that I got to know. My leaving quickly was difficult as well, but God is faithful, and I am so thankful for his healing, and for everything that I learned. Thank you so much to those who prayed for me. I am feeling much better, and I am continuing to regain my strength.....
SO, above are some pictures of life in the village....Check out my flickr site as well...there are many more posted there.

Det Udom

I will be leaving soon to travel to Det Udom, which is located in the Northeast province of Issan. I am extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity to visit this part of Thailand. I will be connecting with some EMM workers in the area, and be able to experience and be apart of the growing church that is present there. I will be living in a village with a family, which I am sure will provide many opportunities to use my Thai and become more fluent! yay! There are amazing things happening there, and I am excited to see how God is moving among the Issan people. Many members of our team has already visited there, and have spoke what a encouraging and refreshing time it is.

I will leaving Monday evening June 16, on the overnight train, and arrive Tuesday morning. I will be returning the evening of July 1st, and arrive in Bangkok on the 2nd. Please pray for safety and protection as I travel, and for a good good trip overall.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support! I will take many pictures, and definitely share them with you when I return.

A Head of Curls

One day as I was walking to the bus stop in the morning, I was boldly approached(which is quite uncommon in the Thai culture) by a Thai Lady Boy. He simply asked me if I was Thai. I began talking with him, and we continued to walk down the street together. He was quite flamboyant and vibrant as he asked me many questions, and told me all about his life of 47 years, while throwing in comments about beauty. We were walking briskly, and had long past the bus stop. I was in no hurry and had the time to walk. The sun was blazing, and he thoughtfully gives me a book to cover my head from the sun.

He is on his way to his sister's beauty salon close by. He insists that I come along, and makes several comments to me about my hair. We turn left down a Soi and end up in a maze of apartment buildings, he leads the way, and we enter into the salon. Pii Daaw introduces me to his sister, who warmly greets me. I am ushered into the simple colorful salon, where I take a seat on the gray couch. I am served coffee, and the three of us chat in the brightly lit room. Almost immediately he is suggesting we do something with my hair. When they found out the I cut it myself, they praised my skill, which isn't that good! Along with the praise, Pii Daaw pointed out the white hairs that I have sprouting from my head, and charmingly made known with a smile that he is has none.

They sat me in the chair, and his sister began to curl my hair. Curls all over, when I first heard the word curls, I thought it would be worse than it turned out to be. I love meeting new people, and it seemed that our encounter was meant to be. I have a heart for the LadyBoys, there are so many living here in the city, each one with a story. The ones that I have met have such tender genuine hearts, contrary to the hard put-together glam that is seen on the outside.

Upon my leaving he insisted on giving me his earrings and took them out of his ears, along with some pictures, a sample of laundry detergent, coffee, and his "fluffy" phone bag. I felt so blessed meeting him and his sister, and hope to meet with them again. I had the best unexpected morning ever.

Finished

My colorful stack of language books and notebooks.

Today I completed the 6 modules of language school! I was blessed to study in such a great school. I had the opportunity to meet so many people from all over the world, my time learning Thai was enriched by the teachers and friends that was able to meet, and share life with. From my entry into Thailand until now has been a good season.
.....it feel so good to be done.

PARTY!!!

Practicing

The Following is a simple short "story", or conversation between a Taxi driver and a passenger...This will give you a little taste of what the Thai script looks like.

ช่วยบอกด้วย

"รถคันนี้หยุดที่ลำพูนไหมค่ะ" สตรีชราผู้หนึ่งถามคนขับ
"ไม่หยุดครับ คุณนาย" คนขับรถตอบ
"อ้อ ช่วยบอกฉันหน่อยเมื่อเราถึงที่นั่น" เธอขอร้อง
"ได้ครับ" คนขับรถรับปาก

ต่อมา คนขับไม่ทันระวังจึงขับเลยลำพูนไป นึกขึ้นมาได้เขากล่าวขอโทษผู้โดยสารคนอื่น ๆ กลับรถแล้วขับกลับ เมื่อถึงลำพูนจึงพูดกับหญิงชราว่า "นี่เป็นเมื่องที่คุณนายต้องการลง"

"ใครต้องการลง" เธอถาม
คนขับรถพูดว่า "ก็คุณนายยังไงล่ะครับ"
"ไม่ใช่จะลง" เธอพูด "ลูกสาวบอกว่าเมื่อผ่านเมืองนี้ฉันควรจะกินยาของฉันได้"