So, I realized today that it has been almost two weeks since I last posted anything, and with only two weeks left in Thailand I should really get back to this blog. I am so amazed that the time has gone by so amazingly fast. I am leaving for the Philippines two weeks from tomorrow, and I will be there for 20 days before returning to Bangkok. At this point my plan from there does not exist in concrete or plane tickets. I had originally planned to be home by now and then my plan changed to stay longer and go to the Philippines. And now I have the opportunity to extend my trip further, to visit a dear friend in China, possibly, or even to go the Malaysia to work with some YWAM people working down there for a week or so. Then I could return to Chiang Mai and teach another course in September, which is something I would very much love to do. So, I don't really know what is going to happen at this point. But I am extremely excited about the opportunities that are opening up before me. I feel like I have mentioned some of this in a previous post, but it might just be Facebook that I am remembering. So, oh well. Anyway, I am now trying to figure out if I can make all of that work out and still be able to continue forward with my plans for January which involve another potential trip to the Asian continent. I really hope it all works out.
Anyway, after all the exciting news, some prayer requests, please keep one of the Evangel team members, Laurin (not Becker) in your prayers as she has been feeling very under the weather the last two days and she was not able to teach her classes last night (The classes were still taught, but not by Laurin), and it would be great to have Laurin back to full health and energy for these last two weeks. Also, this Sunday we have another Quest event. If you will recall, these are events we put on and make available to the students with the understanding that we will talk about Christianity. The students are welcome to come, have fun, learn about Christianity, practice more English, fellowship with Thai believers, build relationships, and ask questions. So, please pray that this event has as good a turn out and better than the last one. Pray that the students would be open to learn about a God who loves them and wants them to love him and that the students would build relationships with the Thai believers. This is a great opportunity.
Last Saturday one of the Evangel team members (Zach) left to return to the states (he could only come for the first course) and another Evangel student (who could only come for the second course) named Calvin arrived on Monday. So, it has mixed up the team dynamic a bit, but it's been very exciting to have a new person around now that the rest of us have been here for a month and we can show him the ropes. Especially since I saved his life before her even arrived in Chiang Mai. Hehe, apparently he got separated from the group of people he was with in Bangkok over the weekend before he came to Chiang Mai and he posted on facebook that he needed someone to contact one of the leaders of the group he was with down there and tell them that he was at the police station. I saw his post and sent him the phone number he needed to get a hold of them. It was an entertaining introduction to the newest Evangel team member before he even arrived, and it made a great story when he did finally get here. After hearing said story, btw, we immediately taught Calvin the words necessary to get back to our hotel from anywhere in the city on a sahng taw. So, fun times.
Anyway, yesterday we taught out in Ban Pong again, as we do every Tuesday and Thursday and Laurin was not able to come so I taught the third grade class for an hour with Prin there to translate and sing a couple songs on his guitar (Prin is one of the church staff that drove us out there since Lauren has been very busy this week preparing for a class that she will be teaching soon, I honestly can't remember what the course is or where, but it's been a lot of work for her. But Prin is married to Sarah, who is from Belfast and she's an amazing person who took me to lunch on her motorbike last week and it was very exciting). But teaching the 3rd graders was a lot of fun. They were a little shy, but having Prin sing some songs with them really got them moving and excited about what was going on, so I actually enjoyed teaching the class a lot. One of the boys in the class has a Thai mother and French father so he speaks Thai and French, which is pretty impressive and his English was impressive for a 3rd language in a 3rd grader. (It reminded me of one of my kids in Jordan who spoke Arabic, English and German). I was very, very encouraged after teaching that class. As many of you may know the idea of teaching a classroom, especially of young people (below university age) has terrified me and been utterly unappealing to me for a very very long time. But Thursday might have finally changed my perspective on this topic a little, especially now that the 4th, 5th and 6th graders at that school know us now and they know that when I say "Simon says 'touch your mouth'" it means "be quite", and they love it.
With Zach leaving last weekend, Dr. M went down the Bangkok with him and to get Calvin and bring him back, at the same time, Laurin and Krager (the rest of the Evangel team) took an opportunity to go visit another missionary a few hours outside Chiang Mai at the school/orphanage that she is running out there. I chose to stay in Chiang Mai and enjoy a weekend along. It was a pleasant break from the kind of constant people action of the trip to this point and it was very refreshing. This has overall, been a week of blessing and encouragement for me. Last week was a very difficult week for me emotionally and spiritually as I was struggling with some homesickness and loneliness among other things. But this week has definitely been a high point of my trip thus far. Looking forward to two more like it and three more in the Philippines. And then... who knows after that but God? Time will tell.
;)
Be blessed,
Kristen
P.S. I had some pictures to add to this post, but Blogger decided that it didn't like my internet connection enough to let me add them. Will try again soon.
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