The Little Lights in My Life

These are pictures of some of my students. We spend a lot of our day outside with the kids. We are really getting attached to them. They brighten my day and make me smile. I know that we are here because these precious children need Jesus and the love He gives. I can not imagine life without them.
This is one of my second graders. She was super excited to have me count how many times she could jump over the rope. This little girl randomly appeared in Brittany's classroom one day we all kept seeing her and asking, "Is she one of ours?" She definitely is now. She speaks not a word of English and has a fascination with fake finger nails and stomachs.

This sweet little boy is one of my 2nd graders and makes me smile every morning when he greets me with a huge smile and a hug.

This little boy often comes into my classroom while I am teaching. He likes to think that I don't see him. He also likes to try to see if he can sit down without me noticing him. He never gets away with it.

God's Love

Life continues on in the manner that has become “normal.” The day to day is exhausting and I cherish the weekends, although they fly by too fast. In spite of the exhaustion I am feeling God’s presence and help daily. Church has become a vital time of encouragement that prepares me for another week. Today while singing in church I was reflecting on the week and praying that God would search my heart and bring to my attention things where I had fallen short or needed to work on. My attitude was one of expecting “condemnation” for my faults. As I was praying this we began singing a song that really showed me that God had searched my heart and knew my flaws but loved me abundantly anyway. He works on me to make me more like Christ but He loves me perfectly throughout the process. I choose to focus on God’s grace and mercy towards me instead of focusing on the ways I fail or the things that I should have done differently. The words of a song by Jimmy Needham pop into my head almost daily he sings, “Christ’s blood commands my guilt to leave.” I am reminded that my sins have been paid for by Christ and no longer have power over me.

“At the Cross” by Hillsong
Oh Lord You've searched me
You know my ways
Even when I fail You
I know You love me
Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me
At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?
You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me
You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done
And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
Oh.. I know You love me

Little Lessons

Well another week is finished. They just seem to fly by. I don't even remember most of what happened but I am very thankful for the weekend. This week has been one of small victories that encourage us through the days. We are learning that most things do not work when you need them to and that nothing goes as planned. I've been reading a little book called God Alone (a book of devotions) that was a gift from a good friend back home. Everyday has been a devotion that feels as if it was written specifically for whatever situation I am facing. The first day's idea was that our fruitfulness for God is dependent on our fellowship with Him. There is so much to be done here that I feel very overwhelmed. I also have a hard time knowing that results do not happen overnight. Two themes that keep popping up are: faithfulness, perseverance, and dependence on God are all necessary for us to see fruit and that fruit grows slowly and little by little. I'm learning to rejoice in the small things and to say "may pen ray" (that's alright) to the numerous little things.
The highlights for this week would have to be the relationships that we are building. Sunday we spent some time with another ministry team that is mainly from Australia. Their ministry is really an encouragement to us and we enjoy getting to know them. This week we have also been making great steps in our relationships with our Thai teaching partners. They have always been generous and kind, but communicating is difficult since they speak only a little English and speak even less Thai. On Wednesday after school Khru Oi (the third grade teacher) invited us to go eat ice cream at Big C. She drove us in her car and we did a quick shopping trip for school supplies.(Big C is a grocery store that is kinda of like a mall with restaurants and additional shops) Then we went to this delicious ice cream shop that we had never been to. When we tried to head home the car had trouble starting but did start just enough that we could back out into the way of other cars before it died again. So we all hopped out and pushed it back into the parking spot where a nice stranger fixed it for us. (At least we were with Khru Oi who was able to ask for help.) She also invited us to go to the talaat (market) with her this weekend. On Thursday she spent some time at our house in the evening which was enjoyable. My teaching partners Khru Pat and Khru Pear have been very kind as well. We are starting to be able to communicate a little better and are enjoying each others company.
Side note: Sarah and I flagged down the ice cream cart/motorcycle vendor yesterday. We each bought a container of ice cream just for fun. Mine actually had milk powder and some calcium (most ice cream is not made of milk or anything dairy).

Funny story for the week (which actually happened a week or two ago)
One of my students has CP and manages to get around quite well but still has some challenges while at school. He has such a sweet spirit and is very smart. One day when he went to the teacher's bathroom (which he uses because it is more accessible) he locked both latches on the door even though one of our English speaking teachers was just outside waiting for him. This student suddenly started calling out for Daniel to save him from a snake. So Daniel (in his own words) said he pictured this huge snake coming out of the toilet about to attack our student. So Daniel, like a superhero, kicked the door in and witnessed a small worm slowly crawling towards our student. I just thought you would get a kick out of one of our stories about our students/school.

Photos from Khum Kantoke

These women were in front of Khum Kantoke. One was making leis that were given to all the guests, one was cutting fruit in decorative ways, and one was playing a musical instrument. This is Misty and I posing in a gold room specifically created for picture taking.

Brittany and I at dinner. Notice the leis (made by the woman out front)

This was our dinner, they just kept re-filling the bowls when they started to get a little low.

Misty and I at dinner. You can't tell we are sitting on the floor.

More Photos from Doi Suthep

Just part of the mountain - the trees were quite large. Around the temple

Bells for good luck

Another part of the temple

Photos from Doi Suthep

The view of the city from Doi Suthep. Images of Buddha from the temple at the top of Doi Suthep.

One part of the temple: it is all very ornate and extravagant.

This is the dragon/snake at the very top of the stairs right in front of the temple. There are matching dragons at the bottom.

The stairs up to the temple.

Doi Suthep and Khum Kantoke

Yesterday was filled with Thai culture. I woke up fully intending to do laundry but at the last minute decided to travel up the mountain to the temple at the top of Doi Suthep. "Doi" means mountain in Thai. At the top of this particular mountain there is a Buddhist temple that is frequented by monks and loyal Buddhists trying to earn merit. The trip up the mountain was pretty uneventful although Kalena and I did get to enjoy the trip from the "trunk" of the Land Rover with the seats that face sideways and where the air con does not reach. Needless to say we were not feeling very good by the time we reaching the top of Doi Suthep. Once at the top we had to walk a little ways to get to the base of the temple stairs. While climbing the stairs I noticed several young Thai women hiking up the stairs in very high and uncomfortable looking shoes. Once at the top we paid the foreigner entrance fee and started to look around. We were reminded to keep our heads below the monks and images of Buddha, to take off our shoes before entering the temple, and to not have any public display of affection while in the temple. As we walked through Joel explained a little bit about Buddhism to me and I just felt sadness for the people crowding around the monk hoping to receive merit to weigh against their sins. I was also burdened for the little boy monks who were there to earn merit for their mothers (who cannot really make enough merit for themselves), to receive an education, to be fed, or a combination of all of the above. They are part of the reason we are here, to help those boys be able to receive an education in a much better place. We walked around the temple for awhile and then hiked back down. Kalena and I braved the ride down the mountain again in the way back of the car. We noticed many of the young monks walking down the mountain barefoot in the hot hot sun. Our vehicle seemed to get overheated because the breaks ceased to work very well towards the bottom. We did make it safely and even got dropped off at the grocery store for lunch (while Joel took the car to be fixed).

That night my co-teacher Daniel and his wife Noelle invited all of us teachers to go to Khum Kantoke for a traditional Northern Thai dinner and show. The location was gorgeous and we had a great time. We sat on the floor at low tables, but there was a pit under the table that you put your legs down in. They brought us delicious mixed vegetables, beef curry, fried chicken, pork skins, spicy sauce, fried bananas, and some other unidentifiable but delicious things. The show included Thai singing, dancing, and instruments. It was entertaining and a good experience. At the end they even convinced two of my co-teachers and one of our volunteers to join them in dancing. After dinner we all gathered outside to watch them light these lantern type things (kind of like small hot air balloons) that they released into the sky. The whole evening was very enjoyable and a nice glimpse at Thai culture.