A Whole New World

This month our team is working in Kongtaneang, a very remote village in a province of Cambodia. It has been an adjustment to say the least.

As the first foreigners to visit this village, we have found ourselves the focal point of all the locals' attention, free time, and curiosity. Men, women, and children alike can be spotted at all hours of the day shamelessly starring into the barred windows of the church in which our tents are pitched. Never have I understood the plight of the zoo creatures as I do now! The day of our arrival we found ourselves on constant display. After experiencing the heat we're up against this month, we decided to ask the pastor to encourage the locals to give us our privacy, as we have the habit of peeling down to our skivvies during the hottest afternoon hours. Along with electricity limits of 7pm-10pm every night (thus the only time we can get the help of fans) and having the same water basin used to flush our squatty potties as our shower/ face washing water, we've had a lot to process:)

Our ministry is to teach English twice a day at a Center located a short walk away from the church in which we stay, and do home visits in our free time. Pastor Vrrack, who taught himself the English language alone in his home, is the head teacher of the elementary aged students and a shining light for Christ to the surrounding Buddhist community. Despite the rough living arrangements, it has become clear to our team that God has ordained for us to be here. The children, being the poorest in the community and typically left out of life's adventures and blessings, are eager and excited to practice with the new foreigners. One of the main things our contact desires is for us to help the students with correct pronunciation, which has been a perfect window of opportunity for us to share the Word. Reading poetry from Psalms, teaching the younger children stories and parables...the possibilities are endless. We feel SO blessed to get the chance to show these children love and acceptance, to be servants and helpers to Pastor Vrack, and to get to serve as this community's first impressions of Westerners, young Americans, and most importantly Christians. Please pray for our team to have a continuing spirit of honor, unity, and a posture of servanthood. Pray that God will open hearts and minds and speak through us to the children and families we meet during our time here in Kongtaneang.

On a special note, pray for financial provision!!! I still have $4,000 to raise in order to be fully funded and one member of our team (Kim Brown, check out her blog as well) is in danger of not meeting the required $10,000 deadline that is quickly approaching. Thank you!

Last Lesson

Today was our final day teaching English in the schools, and I must say, God saved the BEST day for last. The school we visited today held around 120 students grade pre-K through 6th. Each class was attentive and participated in the various learning activities we presented them. As usual, the five of us split up and spent the morning hours in 30 minute rotations between grades. Some of the things I reviewed included colors, the alphabet, common greetings, and months of the year. The thrill of having foreigners from a distant country that were 'native English speakers' was apparent on their faces and made it a joy to find fun methods of teaching them.
After lunch we performed the assembly. Since our last performance we added a simple silent drama depicting the many things we give our hearts to that don't last, until we give it to Jesus and He keeps us eternally satisfied. Throughout all our songs, dances, and skits the kids watched with complete focus. (Which was a nice change of pace from the usual murmur we encounter at schools)! Afterward they thanked us repeatedly for coming and dog-piled us for hugs. When we finally made it to the truck we had a half circle of smiling faces waving us goodbye. It was such a great feeling to have so many children hear the message of Christ and also be able to physically feel His love through us.

Once we settled back in at home, the neighborhood kids began showing up for our daily evening of Uno games, soccer, coloring, and English. Many of the children who come, including Fern (who accompanies us to church and speaks English very well for a child of 12...and is pictured above after performing a traditional Thai dance for us), live with grandparents or relatives because their parents have traveled elsewhere to find work. They are always starving for attention and thrilled to receive so much of it from the crazy American girls. Our evening with them ended (as it always does) with a series of at least 2 hugs from each child and promises to continue our tradition tomorrow. As they hesitantly left, we again reminded each one how much we love them and how beautiful ( Suai in Thai) they are. I wish a part of me could remain here just to continue to hug them every day, but I am thankful to God for letting me a small part of the blessings that are to come to Chaiyaphum.

Home Improvement !

This week our time is being devoted to serving our host family and the neighborhood children. Our mornings have been spent mixing concrete and building up the concrete fence around our host family's property. After eating breakfast and washing the dishes, we all suit up in our 'work jerseys' and begin by mixing the concrete. Once it is approved by Nan, we commence the building process. It's a nice change of pace... jamming out to our ipods and taking breaks for sliced coconut. There is great satisfaction in looking at the tangible progress after two days of hard work.




Around 4pm, after an afternoon of cleaning the house or fishing in the local river, our attention turns to the children that consistently appear at our door each day after school. For the next 2 hours our team will divide into various activities; usually involving English lessons, playing Uno, tossing/ kicking around a ball, and helping Ram's sister prepare our dinner. It has been pure joy getting to know the children that live in the surrounding village. They are constantly smiling, attempting to ask quesitons in English, and when feeling brave they will shyly walk up and wrap their arms around you. The little girls, ranging in age of 3-12 years, are always hungry for love and attention and eager to give us hand made drawings and pictures. We hug and laugh and attempt each other's language until dinner is ready and they slowly trickle home.

Out of my element:)

Our first week of ministry here in Chaiyaphum has been spent visiting two primary schools nearby. During the mornings and part of the afternoons we rotate between grade levels and classrooms and teach English, and on the first afternoon at each school we have been performing an assembly in front of the entire school and staff. No one on our team is a teacher, or considers themselves great with kids, so we have really seen God's strength, energy, and creativity come to life. Not to mention his grace! The contents of the assembly program were left completely up to us to plan, with the goal being to share about Jesus. I was suprised to learn that the schools are perfectly ok with this; because we teach English for free they let us do and say whatever we want in the assembly.




We put together a combination of dramas, songs, and short testimonies that never fails to get the kid's attention. Some parts are serious, many are funny, and our team has enjoyed working together in every performance. It refreshes me when I hear their laughter and see their smiles as the crazy Americans entertain them.


Today we helped mix concrete and make a foundation for the concrete wall Ram and her family are creating around their property. It has been a nice change in pace and is giving each of us some time to reflect, consider new ideas for teaching, and get some laundry done! Later Ram and her family are going to show us some property they're hoping to buy for future ministry purposes and take us fishing...You really never know what is going to happen next here in Chaiyaphum.

After many hours and miles of travel we arrived in Chaiyaphum. After settling in and taking a trip to the nearest store (about a 30 minute drive each way) to get some detergent and toilet paper, we sat down with our host family for our first meal here. We ate a delicious welcome dinner of fried chicken, rice, mixed vegetables with chicken, and a variety of fruit in a circle on the floor of our host home. It is extremely insulting to show the bottoms of your feet (the dirtiest part of your body) in Thai culture, so we're careful to cross our legs or squat as many locals do. We spent the remainder of our short evening getting to know one another. Ram is a 32 year old mother with a two month old baby girl named Esther. She is the only one who speaks English and, because of that, our saving grace and liaison to the rest of the family. Her husband, Nan, is a doting father and guitarist. Her two parents are both in their sixties and precious. It took me all of 5 seconds to fall in love with Ram's father. He is a slight man of small build; a face wrinkled with a lifetime of smile lines and wisdom. He is constantly pointing at things and eager to communicate through whatever means possible.
Ram's husband played a few songs on the guitar while her father sang us songs about Christ. Even in Thai, a language I can't understand, I know God is smiling as he hears the sweet sound. Ram explained that her 69 year old delicate father often rides a bike around on weekends, visiting homes in her village and those surrounding, singing songs of Jesus, preaching, and praying. What an amazing missionary, changing his world one hut at a time. I'm so glad I'll get to see this beautiful being in heaven:)

On our way to Chaiyaphum

After a week of worshiping, training, and chillin as a squad of 43; we're splitting off to our final destinations for the month. My team will be heading to North East Thailand, a village in the Isaan region called Chaiyaphum. It will take a 12 hr bus ride followed by a 6 hr van ride, but we've stocked up on snacks at the local 7-11 (yes, they are quite prevalent in Thailand) and are hoping to sleep through most of it. Being together this week has really encouraged all of us and I think each team, like mine, is ready to be launched into our different ministries. It is very humid here in Phuket and I'm just hoping for a lil cooler weather as we go north.

Finally in Thailand

After about three days of travel on planes, trucks, and buses, we finally arrived at our temporary destination, Phuket Thailand on Saturday. After two days of training and getting familiar with our immediate surroundings the rest of our teams arrived today. We'll all go through a few more days of training before splitting off to various locations throughout the country. My team will be going to NE Thailand, a town called Isaan I believe, along with three other teams for the remainder of the month.
Thus far, what I've seen of Thailand has intrigued me. Beautiful architecture and tropical scenery, spicy and flavorful food and mostly welcoming glances. And OH the humidity, as I type I am sitting just feet from a fan and still fighting my body's desire to sweat...It hasn't gotten too hot, but the humidity makes up for it. It is so nice to finally have our entire team together, to reconnect and launch forward into the next phase of this month.