A WOW week in Northern Thailand!

Oh man! It always seems like when ever I do something expecting it to be ordinary and low-key, it manages to turn out extraordinary and uplifting. This past week I spent 6 days travelling all over the northern region of Thailand with Dang, La, Waen and our new van driver Amnon. The schedule was quite full each day to the point where we found our self at the Northern-most point of Thailand the last day, and didn't make it back until Sunday. I hope you enjoy reading about these experiences and seeing the pictures of my visits to Hmong, Karen, and Akha hill tribe villages.

Monday we drove to Tak province which we recently visited over Easter for the dedication of a new church in Pakhamai. Our purpose here was to follow up work being done to install a shower and bathroom, as well as make final arrangement for our short term team visiting them in August. We also wanted to make sure we spent time in the Word together and encourage them while we were there. We ate dinner at Ning's house when it started to rain. Our original plan was to have the fellowship in the church, so the kids cleaned up the construction mess, but it got too late so we just invited people to come to Ning's house. It started out with only about 6 adults and 10 children but as we continued on the crowd grew until we could barely all fit into the room! Wow, we were so pumped after that! It was so interesting too because we had all been a little tired and worn out when we first got there, but afterwards it was like our energy was renewed. We stayed in a hotel in Phopra near the Burma border that night as it was the closest too us.

Tuesday we drove to Mae Rim and met with the Pastor of the Hmong student center there. We had some business to take care of concerning our short-term teams, and some construction projects that took place over the last two months. Suphan came also, so we could tell him more about his role in helping with the Hmong projects this summer. Since April, they installed a new roof over the girls pole-barn dormitory. The last one was made of wood and eaten by termites. Now the girls have a nice aluminum roof to keep them dry, and it has a special green netting to help keep the heat down! All the students were at school when we got there, so we checked into he YMCA and met with another local Pastor and his wife for dinner. Afterwards they came back with us to the student center where we got to attend and share at their evening devotion. It was such a blast. The kids are all just wonderful. The girls even hung around afterwards to ask the "American" girl questions and talk P Dang into taking them on a trip somewhere.

Again we came back that night excited about the work going on. Now our driver had come to both occasions and was starting to ask questions about this Christianity. The next morning we began a long drive to the Karen village near Pai. We picked up Wii, a young lady that Dang and La know. She asked us to visit her village and see if there was anything service we could offer to the community. Along the way we learned a bit about her village. She lives in Chiang Mai for school, but got off to go home and help her parents with the rice planting. It was nearly 3 hours to Pai, a outpost tourist town which draws lots of backpackers. To get there it is almost nonstop winding roads. I'm glad we stopped there for lunch, otherwise, I may not have made it to the village! After buying food at the fresh market we headed to a more remote outpost 50km away, and switched to 4-wheel drive truck. From this outpost to the village was 15km in the back of the truck, and it was an incredible off-roading experience. There is no way any vehicle besides a motorcycle or 4-wheel drive can get up there.

Inside the village, it was just incredible. I think what is different about this village is that it's up in the rain forest, so all the houses are tucked away on the sides of the hills and mountains, and there are little dirt footpaths leading every which way, that only the locals know where to. The houses are all on stilts because of the yearlong rain. There are chickens and pigs and dogs all living under the houses, and life is so simple and quiet. When we got to Wii's parents house we sat out on their porch, just looking out over the mountains. Wii and her family later on made dinner for us in their kitchen which uses an open fire. The floor was made out of bamboo that was unrolled and bowed beneath our feet. The weather was cool, unlike most other parts of Thailand, and neighbors and family members slowly made their way in for dinner, showering in the outhouse before coming upstairs. There was just something so neat in their simple way of life. For dinner the rice was sifted using a wide flat basket, all the dishes were washed off the side of the balcony. Wii's brother an Waen shared their music back and forth. As the guests we were served dinner first, that was prepared by Wii and her dad. It started getting dark so we had to leave them and head to the local medical clinic where we slept for the night, on the floor. The next morning we had work to do, and we got an early start with the wake up call from the local roosters. We planned to survey all the facilities that the village had to aid in human care and education. This included the clinic, a local student center, and the school. We saw the student center on the way to Wii's house for breakfast and had a chance to talk to the leader and local pastor who help supervise the children that live there. Afterwards we had breakfast at Wii's house before she took us to the rice fields so I could learn how to plant rice! I told Dang that one of my dreams for coming to Thailand was to learn how to plant rice, so they asked Wii's parents the night before, and they said we could come down as this day would be the first day of planting! They even gave me a pair of knee-high boots to wear! When we got there, I was thankful for having been a kid who always practiced walking on the road curbs, because we had to basically do that or fall into the rice paddy. Here is Dang, La, Wii and I standing on it.We went to where the ladies were and they showed us how they uproot the rice seedlings and bundle them together before they get planted.

After that the bundles get taken to the flooded and tilled fields where they are basically just pushed into the mud. Wii's Dad was so fast I could barely see his hands. All the ladies thought I was quite a sight and even told me that my skin was too white to be getting dirty in the mud. After that I was in high heaven (dirty hands and all)! We went to the school last before we left and met the principal, teachers, and students. The have the most beautiful uniforms that they wear. While we were there, Waen, La and Dang led some music, and I got to teach the kids a few English phrases.

Our hope is to bring a short-term team here in the future to spend time in the village, encouraging the Christians there, and helping the school out with an English camp. Oh did, I forget to mention? The whole village is Christian due to the influence of missionaries 40 years ago! Just think what will happen in all the villages we go to another 40 years from now!

Well, that was the end of our trip to the Karen village. On our return that day, we only made it as far as Chiang Mai. The next day was spent travelling to Mae Sai and the Golden triangle where we are going to start working with a pastor in an Akha village. A Lutheran church in the US is providing funds for their support and has asked us to oversee the projects. In the future they plan to bring this church into the Lutheran system, including having the pastor go through Lutheran colloquy at LISA. This gave us a chance to see firsthand the progress of the church they have built, to encourage the pastor, and do needs assessment for further work with them and their community. We would eventually like to bring a short term team in to work with them too! Our trip to Akha was relatively short compared with the other villages, but it was still worth meeting the pastor and letting him know how we can assist him.

That evening we stayed in a Chinese village called Doi Maesalong, which was inhabited by Chinese many years ago when communist tried to come in an turn Thailand communist. It's an absolutely beautiful trip up to this mountain village. We stopped in a Chinese tea shop where we got to try all these different flavors of tea, and then I bought a tea set, and gift for my God-daughter and nephew.

God is truly blessing us through the ministry here in Thailand. So many faithful Christians are scattered all over the place. It was good to be able to share in fellowship with them and encourage them letting them know that Christians all over the world are praying for them. I hope this blog is helpful in letting you get a brief glimpse into that world, and I ask that you would pray for these people from wherever you are!

Baptizma!

Today I was pleasantly surprised when La and I arrived at church this morning to see a large crowd of people sitting outside waiting for Sunday School to start. The house church members from Khorat, which I visited last September, all came to join us at Concordia Lutheran in Phong Phet. Apparently everyone else knew about it, but anyway it was great. Another thing I didn't know is that the reason they came was for the baptism of 4 people in their community! Wow! Currently they don't have a pastor, so our Pastor Taweep visits them periodically to bring communion and in this case they came so he could administer baptism! What a blessing it was, not only to be in worship again with them, but also to witness the baptism's of these 4 special people and to welcome them into the Christian family. Everyone who came you could tell were wearing their best of the best clothing. For some, they have 1 outfit only, that they wear to all special occasions. This helped me to recognize some of the people I met when I went to Khorat with our team. I sat in the back so Goi could translate for Seth and I (the only 2 English people). As I looked around at all the people there, I couldn't help thanking God that he has instilled such a strong faith in these people. It radiated off their very being. They are hard laborers, some of the older people you could tell that time had taken a toll on their bodies from years of working in the rice fields, til they got to the point where they were permanently hunched over. Yet they still came rejoicing. (Just so you know, Thai's don't smile for pictures usually, so even though they look unhappy, they really aren't :)

When the 2 adults that were baptized went to sit down, there were such big smiles on their faces. It was almost like, even the Thai's unique ability of maintaining composure couldn't withhold their joy. Then the 2 children were baptized, and I couldn't help but think of the power of God, that the faith God gives us doesn't depend on our understanding it. The power rests solely in Him.

Every once in awhile, I get discouraged in life thinking, how long do I have to wait to be rejoicing in heaven, because often life can feel like it's dragging me down. The epistle for today was from 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10 and it talks about how we long to be with the Lord because the burdens of this world often seem hard to bear. It made me understand that I am normal, that we are all normal who feel this way, but that we find our hope in the Lord. And it's days like today that encourage me; then I understand what God has called us as Christians to do in this world. We are to be witnesses to the hope that is within us, given to us in our baptism.

When it rains it______

So, today I got caught in one of my first (of many I'm sure) rainy season downpours. There was just nothing to do to avoid it. Instead of me doing a chronology of details, I've decided to share my thoughts of this experience.

"That does not look good.

Dear God, is there anyway you could slow this down just a little bit before I have to get out of the van?

Let's see...how can I pay the driver, open the door, grab my corn and bag, and open my umbrella without getting drenched?

Oh, we're stopping!

Oh, hello! Who are you and did you just ask me if you could share my umbrella?

This umbrella really was only meant for one person, but it's OK, I'm already soaking wet. Especially my pants.

I'm glad I tied my drawstring pants tight, otherwise I'd have to hold them up.

Why am I standing under this awning? I'm already soaking wet and my clothes are going to have to be peeled off?

Might as well make a run for it. TAXI!

Watch it stop as soon as I get in.

Is the water on the sidewalk seriously running over my feet?!

AHHH! It's freezing in here! Can you make the air conditioner in this car any colder?

Oh wow! I could swim in that puddle!

Puddle? This street is a river! Look there's even waves crashing against the curb!

That guy looks really ridiculous! Seriously dude, you're riding a motorcycle in the rain in 7 inches of water. That poncho is doing nothing for you.

It's so fun to see how people react to the rain. Those school boys made a game of dodging all the downspouts. That guy isn't even trying to stay dry. He's just strolling along. That group of people moved to high ground because they would disappear in the gutter.

Unlikely people are brought together for one goal-staying dry. That's why there are 40 people huddled under the bus stop.

Does running help you get less wet?

Now would not be the time to be idly standing on the side of the road. That is unless, of course, you want to get showered in curb-dirt water by all the passing cars.

My parents Dodge and Chrysler van would never make it in this flooding. The power steering belt would have been long gone.

I hope the taxi driver knows where he is going.

Oh gosh, there are puddles on the floor! Was I that soaked?

Why are there so many people out? Hello! It's pouring people!

I have never seen so many barefoot Thai outside of a building. Look, even those two business ladies. Speaking of which, I'm glad I wore these flip-flops.

They have those plastic hair covers here too?

Please tell me we are not going to stop here forever. I can't imagine that one of the royal family decided to come to Nonthaburi during rush hour to create a traffic jam.

Do you see that?!?! Those cars have water up to their headlights over there. Man that sucks!

Ah, home sweet home! And we're wading.

I should write a blog about this.

May

It's hard to believe that I am already my first week into June and I am back in Thailand after a whirlwind month. Not one day went by where I wasn't going someplace, running an errand, or visiting with someone. In some ways I'm glad to have had today to just sit in silence and recover from jet lag, but in many ways I still miss not having one moment of silence to myself, because in reality I had great company every single day.
Starting with Mother's Day after Dwight and I made it to South Solon I got to spend the afternoon with my whole family and meet my first niece Ariana who was born in December. Almost immediately when we got there my parents rushed everyone outside for a family picture since it was the only time that we would be together to do so this year.
The next day I got to spend some time with the school kids at Risen Christ to tell them all about Thailand. They asked me all sorts of questions and were especially enthused about the fact that people in Thailand eat bugs. I let them practice using chopsticks and they all got to feel Thai silk. When it comes to talking to kids about this stuff, I could do it any day!
The rest of my first week was spent doing random "I'm only home for a short time" things and getting paper work done, including getting my international driver's license! I even got a chance to volunteer at church with our new building project. Basically I moved a few piles of wood around, hammered a few nails and spent a majority of the time asking questions, but the guys were really patient with me and I had fun. It's so exciting to see the changes happening at Risen Christ, and I can't wait to worship together with everyone there next year in the sanctuary!

By the time I left for Chicago on the 21 my trip was already half over. I got a huge tank of a rental car and crazy enough, they said it would be more expensive to get a smaller one. Tell me how that works out? Anyhow, I had no problems getting to the Thai Consulate in downtown Chicago with my Mercury Grand Marquis, and after that I went straight to my Alma Mater! Oh it was so nice, and even though I spent the whole afternoon talking to people, I didn't make it past the Krentz Center. I did however get a chance to catch up with my co-workers at CougarNet the following day at Wingstop, and I got to see my supervisor before that at Starbucks. That Saturday was booked straight through. I spoke at my fieldwork church Christ, in Oak Park and they had a nice luncheon for me. It was great to see everyone there and see what is going on with them. I then popped around to a few more places before heading over to the Leiningers house for some barbecue and I got to read Grace her bedtime story. The crown is because Grace let me be the princess that day! Following dinner and chatting, I visited with my friends Erich, Fernando, Beth and Jake at the Chicago-famous Sub-T's for their B-G's or butter garlic fries. No worries, I was still fresh enough the next morning to present at Bethany in Chicago and even took a breath mint or 3 for the garlic taste. Jake Beth and I then went to yet another Chicago favorite-Johnnies for Italian Ice and Italian beef. Mmm so good. This ended my trip of Chicago.
Next stop Denver, I went to see the one and only Sarah Steiner who is an uh-mazing friend and has also been a leading lady when it comes to telling people about my mission work and how they can support it. So it was great to get a chance to hang out with her and her family. For some sightseeing we got to go to Garden of the God's in Colorado Springs.
On Wednesday, I had to say goodbye, but the good thing was that I was off to see yet more family in Cleveland. I got to stay with my Aunt and Uncle in Parma and the following day I got to speak at the church I was baptized in -Bethany in Parma. The neat thing was that after the service was over Pastor Zahrte came up and said hi to me, when he is usually living in Florida. He introduced himself by asking if I knew who he was and then said he was the one who baptized me! So that was neat. Here I was talking about how great it was to speak about mission work in the church where the Gospel was planted in my heart and then to have the pastor come up and greet me! It was also neat that my parents were there in the same church where they had been married 30 years and 3 days earlier on May 25th! All around good times. My Grandpa gave me the picture that he cross-stitched for me(with help from Grandma too). It's a beautiful picture of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. I can't wait to hang it up in my house or apartment some day!
Finally, I was home for the last few days of my "home reconnect". Man did those fly by. Saturday we went with Becky, Aaron, Marshall and Ariana to the Creation Museum in Kentucky, which meant I got to spend some time just being the cool Aunt that I am and played with Marshall.
June 2 was Dad's birthday so several of us got to spend the day with him. He's the big 51! Just a baby I know, but it was nice to finally be home for one of his birthdays. I had to say goodbye to Becky, Marshall and Ariana then, and that was hard. I guess it didn't hit me until Marshall wouldn't let go of me and was crying because he knew I wouldn't see him for another year. I sure do miss him! My last night was spent swinging on the front porch with Mom and Dad, just the way it should be.