Thailand in Winter

The Final Weeks...

2008-02-25T09:21:00.004+07:00

Highlights of my last few weeks in Thailand: Jared my missionary friend in Mongolia came to Chiang Mai for a class and conference, so we got to hang out a few times. Good to see him! I also was able to visit with the parents of one of my best friends - they were at the conference too. Chiang Mai is the place to be! I can't wait to see who I'll meet up with over the next few years here in Chiang Mai and Asia. God is good to bring friends and encouragement no matter where we end up!

P'Opal showed me how to eat a chicken foot. Not my favorite...

TLC! The new building is mostly finished, and this Sunday we met there for the first time!

The upstairs auditorium is carpeted, and can fit a lot of people! God, fill it with new Thai believers!

P'May and P'Apple in the beautiful kitchen. P'May is the office manager at TLC, and P'Apple is a pastor along with her husband.

Happy Valentine's Day, the Thai Way!

2008-02-09T21:10:00.000+07:00

On Valentine's Day, Thai school children exchange heart stickers and decorate their uniforms to celebrate the holiday and appreciate their friends. At our Valentine's Day party last Friday, we gave each other stickers in true Thai fashion. Here, Wor and I are dressed in red for the holiday.

June on the left gives Evie a sticker

Saa shows off her hearts

P'Opal and Apple

and chocolate-covered strawberries! mmmmm. I must say though that California strawberries are still my favorite.

In other news....this is the slug I found on my living room floor and scraped up to put outside on a wall. It was very flat and at first I didn't even know it was a slug.

Motorbike 101

2008-02-06T09:19:00.000+07:00

This is a usual sight - three people, book bags, anything. Little kids sit up front and hold on to the mirror bases like handles, or sit in back with someone. Dogs ride in the basket or in the back. Driving with just one other passenger takes enough balance, I can't imagine two or more!

Not exactly a car-seat friendly mode of transportation!

"The Guinness Book of Centre Records"

2008-02-02T21:17:00.000+07:00

This past Friday Night Party theme was "Record Breaking." We all had so much fun trying to be hungriest, quickest, smartest, and even hottest... take a look! My friends Paew and Apple. Apple became a Christian in December!

Chubby Bunnies, so fun. I must say that I think it was my first time ever playing...

... lovely. Two and 3/4 pieces of bread and two giant marshmallows later, we had a winner!

P'Jom, Wor, and June had a competition to see who could eat the most peppers in 3 minutes. June ate 3, Wor ate 2, and P'Jom ate 1. These peppers are HOT. Last summer I used some to make salsa, didn't wash my hands after touching the seeds, and had an awful burning reaction on my palms that lasted for hours.... Just a suggestion, don't touch the seeds!

Wor, are you ready?

What a fun night!

And by that I mean... - signs from a park

2008-01-28T21:02:00.000+07:00

So is it a "Pavitation" or a "Pavition"? Well, really a "pavilion"...

And when I say "vowel" I really mean "pond," but who doesn't know that?

Graduation

2008-01-27T21:32:00.000+07:00

Jeab, my student from the summer of 2006, graduated this week. I was able to see her on graduation day and take a picture together.
Fong (just above me) graduated too, and friends from last summer celebrated with her at the Centre - clockwise from me: Fog, Kwan, Dear, Gyou, and Gok. Gyou and Kwan became Christians last year, during and soon after my summer trip.

What a day!

2008-01-27T18:56:00.000+07:00

January 27, 2008, a day that will go down in history...
I ran my third race, a 6.57k (4mile) run. I placed third in my category (females 21-30 years old), and had a "podium finish" complete with a trophy!

......and.... my bike was stolen. :(

This is me filing a police report at the station, with my key and no bike.

But, God is good and has already provided another bike for me! My roommate Jen has inherited a truck from another missionary, so I am able to use her bike. It's newer (and it actually locks! the other one didn't), and I feel much safer on it.

What a day, what a day.

TLC Building, in progress!

2008-01-21T10:18:00.001+07:00

Here is TLC's new building, on its way to completion! Please pray for the building progress and for the church - we are hoping to move in by the end of this month!

My Second Race

2008-01-21T10:10:00.000+07:00

Here is my number and finisher's medal from my second race - 10.55k / 6.55 miles. It was fun!

2 Weeks of Classes, Check!

2008-01-18T22:03:00.000+07:00

I have now finished two weeks of classes for my degree program. This is a picture of everyone in the classes. Students are from America, Korea, the Philippines, Finland, India, and El Salvador, serving in the Philippines, Thailand, Vanuatu, Northern Asia, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, France/Germany, and Indonesia. What a group!

McCormick Hospital "Minimarathon"

2008-01-13T13:36:00.000+07:00

My first race! It was a 6.78k race (4.21 miles), and it was a lot of fun! Five of us from class ran: (L to R) Ivan, Tammy, Col, me, Jake. Run, Biola, run!

God is faithful to answer prayer!

2007-12-16T11:33:00.001+07:00

Ning, Apple, Pin, and Weaw - now all sisters in Christ!