Two Weeks!

I can't believe that I leave this place in two weeks from today. 2011 has really flown by for me. I started the year off on January 1st flying across the ocean to Thailand with no idea what God had in store for this time. I had high hopes of helping every child at Baan Nam Jai develop an intrinsic love for reading that would propel them forward into a lifetime of reading. I also came expecting things to go nothing as I expect, and that's exactly what happened. Although I did get to work with the kids on their reading a bit and they have really enjoyed reading the various books that were donated and brought over, my main job here has been helping take care of our baby boy who was born on January 25th and came to Baan Nam Jai on January 27th. Then, two days later I met a man named Sumu who came to Baan Nam Jai as the last stop on his short-term mission's trip with his church back in Melbourne. Even upon that first day of meeting him I could tell this was no ordinary meeting. I have been honored to get to know his heart over these past several months and am so thankful that I am going to be visiting him in two short weeks. These past four months have been full of blessings. I've been blessed to spend time with the kids here again, blessed to get to watch this precious baby boy named Non, blessed with plenty of time to do homework, catch up with friends, and spend time with the Lord, and to top it all off I got to meet an incredible man with a heart of gold named Sumu. All the while I was able to pursue my minor in literacy this semester! What an incredible few months... thank You, Lord.

Moment in History

I remember it like it was yesterday. We had just moved into our new house a week before, and we hadn’t even set up the TV in our living room yet. I drove to school and headed to my first period World History class. As I walked through the cafeteria it still smelled of the breakfast that some of the students would eat before class--every school cafeteria that I’ve been to has that same stale, pseudo-food smell. Immediately I noticed something different in the air: a sadness, a fret. Students were all around, either sitting in tables in hushed clusters or standing, staring. Staring up. What are they staring at? I looked up to find what seemed like a scene from a movie, but it was live. It was happening right now. On the television I watched in shock and horror as a huge jet barreled into the side of the World Trade Center tower. What had happened to the other tower? Is this a second plane? Two planes had struck the world trade center? Surely this is a mistake. Surely the scene will change and I will see Tom Cruise scaling the tower to save his fiancee before she crumbles to the ground with the rest of the tower. Surely this is a joke. A prank. How could this be happening? Who did this? Did someone do this on purpose or was it an accident? TWO accidents? The answers to my questions were becoming obvious, but I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe that someone would do this horrific act on purpose. I continued on to my first period class in shock, knowing that this moment would forever be lodged in my memory and in the history of our nation. I proceeded to World History as we watched history unfold before our very eyes.

Love

Yesterday I spent some time at a coffee shop (surprise, surprise) with a Thai friend of mine who I haven't spent much time with this stay. I actually met her in Montana as she was on the DTS (Discipleship Training School) before mine, and when she returned from outreach she stayed in my room for a week. Anyway, we had a lovely time catching up. She told me about how she met her husband, a Thai man who had lived in Australia for 17 years. She met him in Perth by accident and they were an answer to each other's prayers. They continued to have a long-distance relationship for six months until he came to Chiang Rai to do his DTS, spend time with her, and then they were married this past December. They have a beautiful story of God moving in their relationship, learning to open up, and becoming best friends. Her story was an encouragement to me in my relationship with Sumu, and as I think about how God has put us in one another's lives and spoken to us in a wide variety of ways I am increasingly certain every day that he's my guy for good. The biggest obstacle is the distance, but obviously it's possible to survive the thousands of miles of separation for a time; my friend and her husband sure did!

To-Do: Blog ✔

Today half of the kids just left for the beach for five days, and then the rest of the kids will head off next Tuesday. That makes for a very "sabai" house for two weeks with only six children here at a time (between two houses). I really think it's God's provision that this happens to be my last two weeks of school, as well. A nice, peaceful environment to get LOTS of stuff done!

Speaking of getting lots of stuff done, today is one of those days where I was having a hard time getting motivated this morning, partially because I was feeling overwhelmed at the amount of stuff I need to get done, so I did what I often do in such a predicament: make a to-do list. It's amazing what a to-do list can do for motivation. I LOVE checking things off of lists! I guess it's the type-A in me coming out to play (though I think I'm predominantly type-B). Already I have several things checked off my list, this blog being one of them. I'm so thankful for productive days!

One thing I am most excited about getting checked off my list today is getting a dress made. There is a brilliant local dressmaker who has made dresses for many of the ladies here (and for GREAT deals), and since I'll be going on some hot dates in a few weeks I figured I'd need at least one really nice dress, so I'm dropping the material off today. I can't wait. I've never had a dress tailor-made before! That reminds me of the Colbie Caillat song "Tailor Made". Now I've got the tune running through my head. I think I'll wrap this blog up and put on some Colbie Caillat as I clean my room (another check on my to-do list). Cheers!

Money Festival

Yesterday as I was walking through the mall, headed to the export shop to buy some new clothes to wear in Australia (gotta look cute for my man), there was a ridiculously loud celebration going on in the center of the mall: a money festival. It was put on by one of the Thai banks, and there were booths and prizes and displays celebrating the love of money. There were even signs promoting the love of money. Something about the whole scene struck a dissonant chord with me. It brought the scripture to mind:

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. -I Timothy 6:7-10

I was struck by the emptiness of such a celebration. It grieves my heart that a country is so blinded that this seems like a worthy celebration. It reminds me of the Israelites who so quickly strayed from the Lord and followed idols, even when they were hearing His voice on a daily basis. Then again I wonder: how often am I guilty of the very same thing? I may not make a show of it for all to see, but I am humbled by the thought that I, too, often have empty idols in my heart that I need to daily surrender to God. If the idols of your heart were put on display in the form of a festival, what would it look like?

Wan Yute!

Wan Yute=day off. What a beautiful thing a day off is. Granted, it's not TRULY a day off as I have loads of homework, but at least I don't have anywhere to be against my own free will. :) I am just settling in to an afternoon at the coffees shop. It's a full house here with friends coming for lunch, so I'm not sure how soon I'll actually be able to get any real work done. Oh well; I always welcome a friendly conversation. After all, I'll only be in Chiang Rai for 3+ more weeks. I can't even believe it. My time here really is drawing to a close. This has been the best time of getting to know new people as well as reconnect with old friends, serving God all along the way by working with these precious children.

Especially toward these last few weeks I'm really feeling the crunch of homework and keeping up with my commitments here. I've had plenty of semesters where the crunch is on towards the end; this semester is no different. Somehow I always manage to get by, so I will hang on to recollections of past semesters where I finished well to be my comfort.

Different times in my life are more reflective than others. Generally in times of transition I become more reflective. I have been in one of those states lately...mainly in this past week. I can't help but ponder this time in Thailand, my upcoming time in Australia, finishing school, and embarking on whatever adventures God has next for me. Those who read this might get tired of my reflections, but that's just where my head's at right now. Sorry! :)

Also, here's a video a friend and I put together after our week with the kids. Enjoy!

I Survived Songkran!

It was a very full week last week with watching the kids for seven days straight, but it is over now (mostly). Now I have three days of baby duty with a house all to ourselves as the rest of the boys are camping. Hopefully this means I can focus and get some real work done on my homework!

Today I left the baby with the "maebaan" (housekeeper) and headed "bai teaw" (out for fun) with Crystal for some coffee shop homework time, chicken salad, and massages, then proceeded to go to the mall where I got four new cute shirts for my trip to Australia (two of them will be nice teacher shirts as well)!

I leave Thailand in less than four weeks now. Where has the time gone, seriously?? I can't believe I've already been here for nearly four months. It feels like I just got here but at the same time it feels as if I never left Thailand in the first place (two years ago). I hope and pray with all my heart that the Lord brings me back to this place in the future, but for now I must finish my studies and figure out where to go after that! I have a strong feeling it'll involve the Land Down Under one way or another... :)