Singapore Mission Team

During the OMF conference, I met some fellow-S'poreans from NUS!!! They are here in Thailand for a missions exposure trip organised by VCF (Varsity Christian Fellowship). It was really nice meeting more young people from S'pore who are excited about missions. (I really should write an entry about the GPC's mission trip in June.)

They've been in Lopburi for the last 4 weeks or so I think, staying at the Lopburi Youth House and going into the schools and the university to teach English and have evangelistic activities at the Youth House. I'm just really thankful for the opportunity to meet up with them and interact with them. It's always so refreshing and exciting to just hang out with these young people (sometimes they do make me feel old though...) and hear them share about what God is doing in their lives and what God has been teaching them about missions. I've really enjoyed just going to the Lopburi Youth House...reminds me of Grace Fellowship in Chiang Mai...

lil Khun...

I was browsing through some of the pictures I'd taken but have yet to upload anywhere and I remembered that I meant to put this up...

These are shots of Khun, Kak's puppy...this was taken when they first got it...30 April...

This was taken on 10th May when lil 'Khun' was still small and cute...it actually looked like it was posing!

...these lil ones just grow so fast... This was taken on 22 June...just before I left...it looks so different!

Aw...I miss the kids... (you have no idea what I'm talking about do you?) *heh*...I'm just being all sentimental like an old lady...

July 2008 Prayer Newsletter

Glory Mission Team - Chiang Mai
Praise the Lord! We shared the gospel in 4 schools, a group of Shan children and a local market. It was amazing to be with a mission team again, the joy of the Lord filling our hearts as we served Him together. I was really glad to just meet my Hang Dong (Chiang Mai) ‘family’ and friends. Pray for all those who have heard the gospel in one way or another...that God would continue to work in their hearts.

Leaving the Northeast
Saying goodbye to the kids was much more difficult than I imagined. I realized that most of them are awkward with farewells and didn’t even wanted to say goodbye to me because they just didn’t know how to. Thank God I didn’t have to leave Isaan and travel on my own. God provided Sijmen & Annelies as companions on this last leg of our time in the Northeast and that really helped make it easier for proper closure. Please remember the Dong Bang kids and Phii Motdaeng in your prayers! Pray that God will continue to draw these kids to Him and they will respond to Him in His time.

OMF Conference
Praise the Lord for a wonderful time of meeting up with old friends and getting to know more people in the big OMF family here in Thailand. I’m so thankful for this opportunity to see everyone before I head on home. It was also a precious time of looking at what God has been doing in my life and I really enjoyed the messages and activities at the conference.

Language Studies and Level 2 EXAM!
I have 4 checks, 3 written assignments and a exam to complete before I head on home. It just seems so daunting! It seems that the more I learn, the less confident I get. Somehow, the ‘negative’ monster is also attacking me in this area. Pray for discipline, perseverance and humility.

Lopburi
I’m so thankful to God for bringing me full-circle and back to the place where I first started this journey. It’s lovely to be in this little old town again. I’m quite enjoying the routine of a full-time language student. Pray that I’ll be able to just simply enjoy my last weeks here in Thailand before I go home and fix my eyes on our Loving Father instead of being a ‘busy Martha’.

Future directions
I’ve been trying to pray and think what I should be doing when I go back home to S’pore… I know I want to prepare to come back to Thailand again to serve Him here as a missionary. But I haven’t quite decided how long I would want be home before I come to Thailand again. I don’t know which course to take and what I should be doing before Bible college starts in July 2009. I don’t know how I should be serving Him when I go back to my home church. I want to take it slow and not be overly-anxious or think to much, but there are many decisions to make and planning to be done. Pray for God’s wisdom, guidance and leading.

Going home...
Yes! I’ll be arriving in S’pore on 8th August and Wan (my closest non-Christian Thai friend who used to be my language teacher) will be going home with me! I will be bringing her around S’pore and play host while trying to orientate myself on home ground again. Pray that God will continue to work in her heart!

害怕

In some ways, I’m terrified of going home. I wonder if I can fit in. I have doubts if I can cope with the changes that have taken place in other people’s lives. Somehow, I sense that people have moved on and I’m left behind. I’m afraid no one will understand me anymore. As it is, I feel like I’m losing some of my English words and names. My brain is working hard to retrieve information that hasn’t been used for a long time.

I remember being away in Malaysia for a week when I was in secondary school and when I got back, I saw a bus (public SBS bus) on road that it shouldn’t be on. (I didn’t think it might be one that wasn’t picking up passengers and making its way to the bus depot or something.) I panicked, thinking that there might be changes to the bus route during the time I was away. I wanted to know what was going on! I didn’t like change to take place without me being informed and oriented first!

I know I can’t expect everyone and everything to remain the same. But at the same time, my fear is that I wouldn’t know how to cope with the changes that have taken place…both in me and in others.

I started ‘feeling odd’ about going home soon after I booked my airticket home. I had no idea what was going through. Why was I getting so negative and edgy about everything? It was only when I went to a retreat for short-termers and they briefed us about preparing to go home that I realized why I was going through all that.

One particular article that they gave us was particularly helpful and insightful…here are some bits that I extracted from that article…

Re-entry: You Are Never the Same
It seems strange to think that re-entering your home culture would cause culture shock, but it does. And, sometimes it is worse than the culture shock you experience when you enter that new culture. The reason? When you leave your home culture for a new one, you expect things to be different. When you leave the foreign culture to return to your home culture, you expect things to be the same. In one case, you are experiencing the shock of difference but in the other situation you are expecting that everything will be just as you left it.

There are several reasons why you may experience reverse culture shock. Change is the underlying factor beneath the reasons.

You. You have changed. You are not he same person who left for an assignment in another culture. Your contact with other worldviews, life styles and values has left its mark on you. People remember you as you were before you left. They don’t know how to relate to the new you. In some ways you may even seem life a stranger to them.

Home culture. Your home culture has changed. New TV shows, slang, styles, technology, business practices and medical breakthroughs emerge quickly, and you were left behind.

Family and friends. Your family, friends and colleagues have changed. Life has not been standing still for the people that were part of your life before. When you left they filled the vacancy with other people and activities. Plus, their lives were impacted by weddings, births, illnesses, deaths, graduations, job changes and geographical moves. The people you left are not the same either. Everyone has changed, and change means readjustment.

What you might experience…
*Even though you have lots of acquaintances that you maintained while being away, you have no close friends. Your close friends have filled their lives with other relationships as soon as you left.

Dealing with reverse culture shock…negative emotions…
*Sources – not being heard, sensing people do not care, getting back into a fast pace without time to “decompress,” to come to terms with what the cross-cultural experience means, meeting other people’s expectations as though nothing has changed, having to pretend that you are up-to-date on everything

*What can you do?

• Give yourself some space, more than you think you might need. You can always accelerate, but it is usually hard to slow down once you have re-entered the fast pace of life. You were probably not expecting to change so much when you left and thought the readjustment process would be quick and smooth.
• Tell a few trusted people that you need time with them just to listen to you. Tell them this would be a special ministry they can have toward you.
• Some people find journaling a good way to deal with stressful emotions. Writing about your thoughts and emotions can be very therapeutic.
• Avoid self-pity. You are richer for having had the experience in the new culture. You are the blessed one, not the victim. It is quite normal for those who have not had a similar experience not to fully appreciate what has happened to you. Accept it.
• Identify the most significant ways you have change and what those will mean in your job, church, home and community. Keep these in mind as you re-enter life in home culture.
• Take it one day at a time. There’s no need to be embarrassed if you lack some knowledge. Just ask others for help!

I’m taking the advice from this article and I’m going to REST and REFLECT when I go home. I need to take it slow. It’s very tempting to just launch right back into the life I was used to before I came to Thailand and just get all busy, pretending that nothing has changed. But I AM going to try to take it slow…and try and ease back into ‘normal’ life in Singapore.

I didn’t realize that negative thoughts and emotions about going home had already launched attacks way before I arrive home. Pray that God will help me battle all these NEGATIVITY and WRONG ATTITUDE! For those of you who are reading this back home, I guess I also need to prepare you for my homecoming…I look forward to how God can use what I have experienced here in Thailand to bless you (and not be a ‘burden’ or bore I hope!).

Catching up....*pant pant*

I've been slacking too much...well, not exactly.

There was the seriously exciting mission trip in Chiangmai, where I got to know many new people from my church (most were from Roy's CG!). I was very encouraged by the group and had a wonderful time serving the Lord with them. It was also really nice to meet with my big FAMILY in Chiangmai (Hangdong Grace church, Pastor Tharawat and family, Grace Fellowship at Chiangmai University). I also got to know Hannah, an American-Korean lady who's helping to teach the kids at the 2 temple schools. There's too much to write...and I shall attempt to do that in another entry when I have more time (no idea when!!!).

I travelled back to Dong Bang village (took me more than 12 hours) and started packing right away. Amidst all that packing and chaos, I had to say my goodbyes to the people in my village and the church. It was really hard saying goodbye to the kids in my village and to Phii Motdaeng, the only Christian in my village.

Some of the kids didn't want to come to look for me the evening before I left. I was disappointed and really puzzled. Yesterday, when we've finished moving all the furniture and luggage, I decided to pop by the school to say goodbye to the kids. The kids I was close to refuse to even look me in the eye. Were they ignoring me? I felt hurt. It was then that I realised that they did not want to say goodbye to me. They didn't even know how to react when I gave them a hug each. They were stiff and unresponsive. Then one of them started sobbing. I didn't know what to do either, so I said goodbye and I left. I just felt really sad as I rode my motorbike out of the village for the very last time. Did I say goodbye to them properly? What's going to happen to them? It felt really crummy not having to say goodbye them properly. It was the least I could do...all I can do now is pray.

Packing and moving may be tiring...but it's the goodbyes that really drains me. Oh Lord, give me strength and sustain me...

I killed my first snake...

Last night...I killed my first snake. I was anything but a pleasant experience. I only did it to defend myself. I still shudder when I think about the whole experience.

I came home to find the whole place covered with the wings of a certain kind of insect that comes just before or after it rains. They come in swarms, attracted to lights at night. They then shed their wings and get eaten up by ants/lizards/frogs etc... When I got back, all I saw were the wings. The predators obviously had their fill. Lizards here are so big and fat!

Before I went to the toilet (I have to go out of my room to go to the toilet), I took a peek at the outside area. There was a snake...not a big one (maybe 80cm long?)...and it was just sliding about. I saw it raise its head as it moved towards the stove...not sure what it was doing. It didn't look poisonous and I thought it would go away. But as I opened the toilet door to step out, the snake was right outside and started to move in a little. *ARRRGHHH!!!*

I splashed some water on it to see what it would do. It simply stayed very still. It was kind of half in and half out so I moved towards it and slammed the flimsy plastic door on it and kicked on the door a few times hoping it would smash the snake. I was hoping to see its guts spill or bleed or something to prove that it was dead. But it just simply stayed very still. I had no 'weapon' since I was trapped in the bathroom and I didn't want to jump over it to get out of the bathroom. I imagined the snake rearing its head up to bite my foot. *panic* I took the toilet brush and aimed for the snake. It moved...it was still alive! It was still at the door. Slammed the door against it a couple of times. (Dang...the toilet brush was stuck against the door as well!)

I still couldn't be sure if it was dead or alive. *praying frantically inside my head* In the meanwhile, it managed to start moving a little a slither into the bathroom to the corner away from the door (and away from me as well *phew!*). I ran out of the bathroom and started to look for something to kill the snake with. I don't own a parang (machete) so I went to my room and grabbed my mop (the sponge kind...I hadn't used it for a while so the sponge was just dried and very hard). I went to the bathroom and used the mop and just whacked the snake for erm maybe around 20 times? It was moving in between whacks so I just kept at it...my mop was coming apart because I was using so much strength. I just had to make sure it was really dead! I couldn't have a snake stay in my bathroom! I smashed its head a couple of time and this time I was really sure it was dead. Although it still hadn't had it guts spill out of had blood oozing out of its mouth. I was panting by then and went to put the mop down so I could grab 2 brooms to just take it out of the bathroom. I was definitely not brave enough to use my bare hands!

When I got back, it was moving!!! Maybe it's something OPPOSITE of rigor mortis...it was simply turning and turning...I was kind of freaked out. But I was sure it was dead and waited for it to stop moving. Finally, I picked it up and flung it onto the grass outside. This morning, the ants were all over it. I'm sure it wouldn't have threatened my life. But I wasn't going to take chances with a snake in the toilet!!!

creepy crawlies...and more...

I definitely won't be missing these creatures when I leave Thailand...

June Prayer Newsletter

Language Studies
I am currently trying to finish up the work for 2 modules as well as write up some reports that I have to hand in. That means I have quite a lot of work to complete before joining the mission team in Chiang Mai next week. Pray for diligence and perseverance.

Glory Mission Team - Chiang Mai
From 13—20th June, I’ll be joining the mission team from my church to share the gospel to school children, university students and people at the local markets. Pray for journey’s mercy, protection and for God to work in and through us as we proclaim His truth to these people.

Packing up & Farewells
It’s time to pack, say goodbye and move on again. Pray for strength and God’s grace as I try to find closure in relationships and ministry.

Kids in Dong Bang
I have enjoyed ministering to the kids in Dong Bang so much that this has become more of a source of joy rather than a ‘duty’. It will be really difficult to say goodbye to everyone. I will having my last Kids Club session this Saturday. Pray that I will be able to conclude this ministry in a way that glorifies Him. Pray also for all these kids to continue going to church for Sunday school even after I’ve left. Pray that in God’s timing, there will be a great harvest from the seeds of the gospels planted in the hearts of these little ones.

Others in Dong Bang
Pray that the church members from Waeng Yai church will continue to visit and do follow-up with those interested in the Bible from this village. Pray for Phii Motdaeng & her family— that Motdaeng will stay strong in her faith, that her husband, Prakong, and her daughter, Eis, will come to faith one day. Pray for Phii Wongwian and her family to come to faith. Pray for the villagers in Dong Bang, especially for those who have already heard the gospel, that they will truly see the light of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Youth Ministry at Thalunglek
Sijmen, Annelies and I will be leaving and On, a member of the church in Waeng Yai will help to take over this ministry together with the representative from World Vision. Pray that God will continue to work in the hearts of these children and youths.

OMF Conference
This is a yearly affair where all the missionaries in OMF Thailand come together. This is a time of catching up with old friends, learning more about the various ministries in different parts of Thailand, spending time in reflection and getting refreshed and energized by God. This will also be a good time to say goodbye to many friends.

Future Directions
I feel quite lost now that it’s nearly time to go home. I will be returning to S’pore on 8th August. I haven’t quite decided what to do when I go back home or when I will be coming back to Thailand, and I’ve become quite anxious just thinking about all these things. Pray that I will constantly go to God in prayer and be sensitive to His voice. Pray for God’s peace and guidance.

Stress
As you can see, there are many things going on this month. I have many things that I need to do (language reports, packing, farewells, wrapping up ministry, mission trips) and many things to think about (reflecting about my time here, contemplating future plans). And as usual, moving and saying goodbyes is really difficult for me. Pray that I will be able to juggle all these things and just keep close to Him amidst all this busyness and stress

Looking back...

I’ve always thought of life as a journey – as we walk with God and experience the ups and downs of life, He refines, molds and changes us so that we might be ready for our final destination – heaven.

These two years have been really amazing in so many ways. As I look back, it’s odd how even the bad parts seem to be ‘good’, and I realized that they are also a part how God has blessed me here in Thailand.

I’ve learnt so many precious lessons…

(1) When we offer our lives to Him as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1), the returns He pours back into our lives is so much more than we can ever expect or imagine!

In these last two years, I’ve seen how He has blessed my family. My father has kept his job and has been recognized for his many years of faithfulness and my mother has a part-time job that keeps her occupied in this season of her life where all her children have grown up. Both my parents are also more open to attending any church events that we invite them to. My brother, Roy, has a good job, and more importantly, has grown so much in his faith. Before I left, he was always someone I was worried about and was often in my prayers, because I could see how he was not walking with God. And now, he’s actively serving in church, attending BSF, belongs to a wonderful CG and will be coming to Thailand on a mission trip with his CG this June. It’s not just what he’s doing, but when I converse with him and when I pray for him, I can sense that God has truly been working in his life to change him. As for my other brother, Jack, has been voluntarily attending church regularly, and we are praying that in God’s good and perfect timing, he will give his life to Jesus too.

Since I quit my job and started preparing to come to Thailand as a missionary, God has met all my needs. I must admit that there had been times when I worry about not having enough. Even though I trust that He is my Provider, my paranoid worldly instincts just can’t help putting doubts inside my head. But now, when I look back, there was never a time when the situation was even close to warrant any worrying! In fact, He has blessed me with so much that I can help bless others as well!

Many times, we think we’re out here to minister and help others. And yet God uses these people whom we pour our lives into to bless us. I can testify to how God has provided lovely companions in the kids in my village. In my mind, I keep thinking how these are the people I’m supposed to serve in humility, I’m here to teach them about God and show God’s love to them. In the last few months, I’ve seen how God sent these kids to me, not just so I could give to them, God also sent them to me so I could have friends to play, laugh and eat with. Through them, God showed me His love, encouragement and taught me precious lessons. It’s been such a joy being with these kids that it never really felt like ‘work’. That, to me, is the greatest blessing – the joy He gives to me when I serve Him.

It is really lonely to be out here as a single. I try my best not to dwell on that, but on how God has put me in an organization that has many other missionaries around me so that I can have family and friends. I’ve discovered how much of a people person I am in that I can’t spend too much time on my own or I’d start going crazy. He’s provided friends from so many different countries (including Thailand of course), and I’m also grateful for all the support from my home country. I’ve come to realize how every time I send out my prayer newsletter, I feel an extra boost of energy from the prayers offered from the hearts of many brothers and sisters out there. It’s a spiritual battle out here and the evil one often tries to put me down by telling me how alone I am in this, and how no one out there really understands what I’m going through. It’s then I cling on to His promises and think of all the people who pray for me and have sent me messages, emails and letters of encouragement.


(2) Suffering brings about growth. Paul said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” (Phil 3:8)

Indeed, it is in the darkest nights when we can really see how bright the stars are. It’s when everything has been stripped away, when all things I cling to for comfort are taken away from me that I realize that the one thing I really need to cling to is God. During my ‘dark’ times, when I feel like a failure – helpless, useless, depressed, confused and full of self-pity, the rational and logical side of me goes in to hiding, and it is then that I just cling on to the only thing I can hold on to – God’s Word. And times like that, it’s no use reading and trying to process and understand what He is saying, all that I can do is recall Scriptures I have memorized. These are the promises that I really cling to even though every other voice that cries out to me tells me these promises can’t help me feel better and get out of this ‘darkness’. And it is only when I look back at these times that I realize what He was doing, how He was stretching me and teaching me to simply go on my knees and cry out to Him…that the best offering on the altar is not the perfect works that my hands can accomplish, but my broken self that is completely surrendered to Him.

Sometimes I think that I have not suffered at all. This is nothing compared to what many martyrs have gone through – Stephen, Paul…many other missionaries and Christians in countries where there’s severe persecution. But I have to remind myself that this is where God has placed me and He has a part in this. So this is NOT nothing. This is His work, and He has called me to join Him, and He is the one who sees and knows and understands far more than I ever can.

It is not exactly the suffering itself that brings about growth. But because we have Christ, we are able to respond to suffering differently. And we grow because of what we learn through responding to suffering. Every time I cling on tightly to His hand and weather another bad patch, He teaches me something new about Himself.

(3) Even as everything on this earth is changing and passing away, learn to set our minds on things above. (Col 3:2)

These two years, I’ve had to move quite often. It’s really hard for me to ‘end’ relationships, uproot myself and make my home in a new place all over again. This experience has really opened my eyes to how transient this world is. There are times when I feel like I don’t belong anywhere and I don’t know where my home is. I’ve never realized how the idea of a home is so important to me. It’s a place where I belong and feel completely comfortable and at ease, a place where there are people to return to. Here in Thailand, I never really had a home in the sense that I’d have a family to go back to. And that is something that’s really hard for me. I dislike being alone, working alone, eating alone…prolonged solitude is a torture and really drains me.

Nothing around me is ever constant and predictable. With that, I lose my ability to plan and control the things of my life. Situations, friends, ministry...everything keeps changing…so much so that I really cannot set my mind on the things of this world. If I do, then I start getting lost and dizzy, and then I panic. It’s then that I am forced to change my focus and fix my eyes on the things that do not change.

Things that have eternal value are the things that do not change. God is the very essence of that. Heaven is my eternal home. It’s not just a family or people who are waiting for me there. God my heavenly Father is waiting for me. I’ve learnt not to focus on the ‘work’ in ministry, or the people, but the eternal values involved. This is the work of an eternal kingdom where the inhabitants are eternal beings that belong to Him. Each would either spend the whole eternity enjoying Him in heaven or burn forever in hell, separated from Him. And it is life here that would determine our eternal destiny. I may not know whether each person I have ministered to would go to heaven or hell, but I do know that He has given me a part to play in helping to point the way to Him. And so with each day that I feel lost and lonely on this earth, I know that I can call heaven my home and He, along with the multitudes, will be there to welcome me.

My fav...

Aw...

I went to school to teach the other day and I haven't seen the kids for awhile cos I was away in Bangkok for the weekend. As I approached the school on my motorbike, I heard shouts of "Khruu Michelle is here!!!" and then I saw a couple of kids jump for joy. What a welcome! I later heard that the kids were disappointed to hear that I wouldn't be there that day because I was still in Bangkok (not true).

It was really nice to be greeted like that...I love these kids. They were super excited to learn the words to the English songs I was teaching them. It was a good day. Made me smile every time I thought of the kids jumping up and down, happy that I had arrived.

Lots of pictures...

I've uploaded lots of pictures on facebook...you can go have a look if you want...
There are quite a number of albums...if you're not registered on facebook, you might have to click album by album from here...
Click here (1)
Click here (2)
Click here (3)
Click here (4)
Click here (5)

Enjoy! I'm too lazy to put photos up here cos it's takes waaaaay too long...maybe when I have more time on my hands...

How have I been doing?

Thought it's about time I did some blogging...other than the usual prayer newsletter.

I finally have the office to myself. Everyone's away. It's been a lonely couple of days. Eating all 3 meals alone everyday is draining me. I'm gorging myself with books...I'm glad there's a library here. I no longer enjoy eating. That is scary. I still eat though. Dun worry...I don't think I'll ever be an anorexic. Food just doesn't taste good anymore...especially when I have to eat alone. Most of the time, when I have to eat alone, I eat and read at the same time. To prove my point, it's 2.30pm and I have yet to have lunch simply because I dread it. Meals used to be something I looked forward to. Man does not live by bread alone...but I miss the days when I enjoyed my 'bread'.

These nights, there are just too many insects. Going to the toilet is a nightmare because I have to go outside...where there are insects EVERYWHERE. I can't kill them all...believe me...I've tried.

These couple of days, I'm not doing so good. I've got the blues (not the flu). The negative thoughts and feelings just keep hitting hard...can't fight them all off. Just felt like I really went under for a day...just feeling really bad...lonely, miserable, feeling useless, lost, confused...cried and cried till my eyes were sore. I prayed, cried out to God...that He'd pull me out of my misery. The worst thing was, I couldn't even figure out what was wrong or what triggered this. It just came out of nowhere and simply nailed me. Was it spiritual? Maybe. There was a funeral near my place for a few days and I had to pass by the tent every time I went out and came back from outside. The people were always sitting around, gambling...I had no idea why but it just gave me bad vibes seeing the kids gamble. I don't know if it's all because of the funeral...

It's good that my friends have blogs...I like to catch up with what's going on in the lives of the people I care about. Somewhere along the way...the letters and emails and phone calls dwindled. I think of myself as a crummy friend who can't even bother to send birthday cards to friends. I don't know what is wrong...but I just feel very very far from home and the people I used to be so familiar with. Right now, I really want to go home. And yet, at the same time, I'm fearful of not being able to fit back in. I'm in a really weird place now. I'm 3 months away from going home and I'm terrified. I don't quite know why. I'm stressed thinking about saying goodbyes, packing, getting rid of all the STUFF that I've accumulated, more language checks and my final exams. Everything's up in the air. The only thing I know how to do it to just clutch on real tight to my Father's hand...and trust that He knows the way...and He'll lead me through this...

May Prayer Newsletter...

Language Studies - I am now working on 2 modules that do not require daily lessons with a language helper. Progress has been really slow and difficult. Pray for motivation and discipline.

Children Ministry in Dong Bang - Praise the Lord that He has been bringing more children to my home. Every Saturday, I have Kid’s Club, where they kids come for games, songs and learn about God through strories from the Bible. Much is still unpredictable, but as the kids get to be more familiar with me, it seems that they are learning to trust and even like me. Pray that God will continue to speak to them through the Bible stories, and use me as His channel of love and blessings to them. More of these kids are also going to church with me on Sundays, and tagging along when I go to the next village on Fridays for activities with the kids there.

Youth Ministry at Thalunglek - This is a collaboration between Waeng Yai Church and World Vision to reach out to the youths in this village. We organize activities at the village school every Friday afternoon. So far, the turnout has been pretty ok. However, we do see more of the younger kids coming regularly rather than the youths. We are thankful when the youths do show up. Just 2 Fridays ago, we introduced the Bible to the youths and taught them how to find verses in the New Testament. Pray for the youths who have received the New Testament bibles, that they will hear God speaking to them through His word.

Gambling and Funerals - Since the beginning of April, when there was a funeral in my village, I heard about the gambling. It’s a very popular pastime, with both adults and children. It is not uncommon to see adults gambling in Singapore during funerals or even during the Chinese New Year. However, over here, when I see adults set up a mat and have children in my village gather around to gamble, it troubles me. I’ve heard how many adults are addicted to gambling, yet they do not stop their children from gambling. It’s a horrifying thought what kind of values are passed onto these children. And I suspect gambling is not the only vice that’s being passed on. Drinking, pornography, promiscuity…it really disturbs me. Most of the time, you do not see these things out in the open. But with the funerals (there was one in the beginning of April and one this week) and the Thai New Year (mid-April), I see the children gambling out in the open almost everyday, and most times, it’s an adult who’s ‘organizing’ it. I feel really bad for the children, but and the teacher in me can’t help but want to tell them it’s wrong, that it’s a vice. But who am I to voice my disapproval when everyone else in my village condones it? This last month, there have been many ‘spiritual rituals’ going on…funerals and merit-making at the temple and in individual houses. Pray for me as I’m beginning to feel the strain of the spiritual oppression in this village.

Phii Motdaeng - Please pray for her to grow in her relationship with the Lord, and for God to give her strength and guidance in living out a Christian life in a spiritually oppressive environment. A few months ago, I passed to her a little booklet that gives Thai Christians guidance with regards to a number of Buddhist rituals that most Thais are involved in. It seems she still takes part in merit-making rituals at the village temple and helps out with funerals and various rituals that take place in people’s homes. I’m not sure whether she is actively still worshipping spirits and Buddha or not. Pray for a breakthrough in her faith, and for her to start going to church regularly.

Waeng Yai Church - The partnering church in the next town has broken all ties with us due to misunderstandings. A few of our members have left as a result. Pray for us to find other churches to partner so that the believers in Waeng Yai can have fellowship with other believers in the area. Pray also for the church members to stay strong in their faith and not be embittered by what has happened. Missionaries still play a key role in the leadership of this church. We are still trying to train up leaders. In view of the fact that there will not be any missionaries around for a period of 3 months, pray for God to grow this group of believers to lead themselves and continue to be encouraged to reach out to the people around them.

April 2008 Prayer Newsletter

Dear all...I realised I forgot to post my latest prayer newsletter here...sorry!

Language Check
Praise the Lord! The check for both modules went well. It was great that I was able to spend time with Khruu Wan and play badminton while I was back in Lopburi as well. Pray for discipline and wisdom as I work on my next 2 modules.

Children Ministry in Dong Bang
Ministry has been ups and downs as usual. There were days when I felt such a connection with the kids. Many of them flocked to my place the day before Easter Sunday, and even though I was doing everything alone, I was really convinced that God was working in the lives of these children and that He was using me to teach them about Him. I spent the whole day with them without feeling tired! Yet, there are days when it just seemed like I just couldn’t understand them or make them understand me, and there were times when it felt like there was something that stopped the kids from coming. Attendance for Kids’ Club has been really unpredictable. I know God is still teaching me to just look to Him, wait upon Him and learn to be flexible. Honestly, the children have been a real blessing as I spend more time with them. They love to sing, play games and go on evening walks with me. I enjoy having them over at my place, where I have some simple things for them to do like playing games, watching Christian VCDs, reading Christian literature, art & craft, and singing. Pray for more kids to come! Pray for my relationship with them, as their friend and teacher, that God will use me to touch them, and their families as well. Pray for opportunities to do ‘home visits’.

Student Mission Team from Central Thailand
This last week have been such a blessing. An OMF missionary working with university students in Central Thailand brought a team of 11 Christian student leaders and students to Waeng Yai, Khon Kaen to expose and train them in evangelism and mission work. I miss being in the company of Christian youths and it’s been really encouraging and refreshing to get to know these Christian students and work with them. We’ve been preaching the gospel at the market and in a couple of villages. They also helped to run some evangelistic activities for kids and youths in Thalunglek and Dong Bang (my village). This is really a godsend and has given quite a boost to the various ministries here in Waeng Yai. Pray for the hearts of the Isaan people here, where many seeds of gospel have been sown. Pray that the members of Waeng Yai church will be spurred on to be enthusiastic about evangelism. Pray also I will be able to follow up and build on the relationships that the team has helped to establish, especially with the people in my village.

Waeng Yai Church
This is the church that the OMF Isaan team has started in Waeng Yai town more than a year ago. There has been some disagreement amongst the church members, and we’ve been having some problems with some members from a partnering church in the next town. Pray for wisdom and patience amidst all these problems.

Busy week...

Even though it's the holidays, it feels like I'm busier somehow (which is a good thing btw). I think it's because I'm preparing for my language check coming up on Wednesday...and also because of the school holidays, so the kids come over to my place whenever I'm home. Oh, and the weather has also been super duper hot...which makes everything seem more tiring than usual too.

Before I launch into what I've been up to, I just want to let all of you know that I finally have running water...even though it's from the pond just outside my place...yes, the water is a little 'brown'...and I haven't really dared to taste it...as in, erm, when I'm brushing my teeth that is. There are bits of the pond in the water...but it still beats having no running water...

Monday - laundry, grocery shopping, birthday party...really can't remember what else...
Tuesday - language lesson, kids' club at Waeng Yai, had lovely dinner with Annelies
Wednesday - team meeting, kids' club at my place, Bible study
Thursday - meeting with World Vision about Youth Project in Khonkaen (it was a whole-day meeting in THAI! MY head was ready to burst by the time we left...)
Friday - prayer meeting, Youth ministry in Thalunglek (we taught the kids how to make pancakes!), Good Friday meeting
Saturday - I was with the kids from 8a.m.-3p.m. cos we're changing kids' club to Saturdays and I'm handling it alone. We played games, watch Christian VCDs, did craft and colouring, a little bit of storytelling...all related to the Resurrection of Christ...it was a busy but fun day...and I had about close to 20 kids!
Sunday - Easter service (8 kids from my village went to church with me!), we went to a village and I had to preach the gospel in Thai because none of the Thais were available. It was really scary...pray for the 5 ladies who heard the gospel message!

I've put up pictures of the youth meeting on Friday and the kids' club on Saturday on facebook if you're interested!

bits...

It's getting really...unbearably HOT...temperatures are rising...my doorknobs feel hot to touch...that's how bad it is...soon, I''ll see condensation on the inside of my jars of creams, bottles of perfume, amongst other things...it's like an oven...days like these, I really miss my house in Chiangmai...and the aircon in my room...and places I can escape to when it's hot. Here? I'll just have to bear with it. What can I say? I think I've been spoiled.

I still don't have running water...that has stopped for more than a week now...not a single drop. This is bad...they're saying this can last till May....MAY??? I feel a little dizzy just thinking about it. But I think I can get used to having to go outside (it's not too far away...just a few steps that's all) and get water from the big water jars...afterall, I'm thankful, I don't have to go up/down a hill a few kilometers away to fetch pails of water...

This weather makes me thirsty AND hungry...all the time...and not to mention a lil cranky and impatient...such a trying thing...this HOT HOT weather...and I think it's only going to get progressively hotter until end of April. Pray for mercy...that I won't go mad in this weather.

Also, I have killed a total of 4 scorpions in my house! I have to say they're not very big, probably smaller than my thumb...but still, it's going to be nasty if I get stung by one.

Ok, that's all for now...have to go...

Btw, I've uploaded more photos on facebook...have yet to write about other stuff...will do that another day...

New Mailing Address

I'm so sorry...I forgot that I haven't posted my new mailing address here on my blog...and I thought I did.

So here's the new mailing address:
202/4, Mu 3,
Amphur Waeng Yai,
Khon Kaen 40330
Thailand

Water Situation

I haven't had running water for 4 days...

It's a bummer. But it's not all that bad actually. My landlady has 5 really big jars of rain water stored for drinking...yes, I drink rainwater...it tastes much nicer than bottled water if you ask me. I've resorted to using 'drinking' water for everything else...showering, washing dishes, brushing my teeth...
Still...I'm hoping for the water supply to come back soon...

This is the water tank that supposedly stores water for times like this...but the electric pump isn't working and I've used up all the water in the tank just before the water supply got cut...I've learnt how to use water sparingly...I can clean myself thoroughly (erm...maybe not wash my hair lah) with half a bucket of water. How? I use a bath towel...I can scrub myself clean, then just rinse! It's the best invention EVER...

This is the container I use for washing dishes and brushing my teeth...

Kampung life...

Sorry this blog has been so quiet lately. I guess the most exciting post I’ve had since I moved would be the one where there were maggots in my fridge. I’m happy to announce that my fridge doesn’t stink anymore and I haven’t died of food poisoning or some nasty bacteria from my fridge.

Coming back after Chinese New Year was tough. I felt really lonely, and plus that yucky fridge incident really got me down. I felt so tired and discouraged about ministry as well. Things were just going really slow and I didn’t seem to be making much progress with the adults and the children in the village.

Just this last week, God has been answering my prayers. He has been bringing the children to my house…to play games, learn how to play the guitar, to sing, draw and colour, read (more like flipping through and looking at the pictures), and basically just hang out since they are quite free and TV isn’t all that appealing all the time. We’ve also gone out on walks together, which is really nice, cos I get my bit of exercise and I have great company. They are not afraid of acting silly, singing off-key, and just have a really good time without trying at all. You have no idea how it really lifts my spirit when they start singing all the Thai Christian songs we’ve been teaching them…without any prompting from me at all! They never make me feel like a foreigner or an adult…even though they do treat me with respect…I’m just really grateful they are willing to have fun with me. They are really receptive and would do almost anything I initiate or get them to do. I’m so humbled by this experience. God has taught me that while I’m here, thinking that I’m to minister and teach these children…He has also sent them to me…to be my friends, my students...my joy.

This is really different from my experience in Chiangmai where the kids are shepherded by their parents most of the time and don’t get the freedom to run wild and play. Over here, the whole village and the surrounding rice fields…it’s just one huge playground…where they can run around, cycle everywhere, bring their catapults out to shoot at birds in the trees, bring a blue iguana to school (yes, one of the boys had this really scary blue iguana on his bag…or maybe it’s a chameleon since his bag was also blue)…go home for lunch during lunch break at school. This is the KAMPUNG. As much as I miss the 7-elevens, supermarkets & restaurants…all the conveniences the city has, I’m happy where I am now. God has shown me so much beauty in this place and in the people here.

Every night, I can see a startling number of stars in the sky. The insects here are so loud…it’s like a live orchestra. Everytime the sun rises and set, there’s this amazing blend of colours in the sky…and together with the trees and rice fields…it all looks wonderfully amazing. Sometimes, I just wish there was someone else here with me to share all these. So many times, I simply long to have someone to talk to. It’s just really quiet at night…when the children have gone home and almost everyone in the village have gone to bed…and that’s when my brain gets really loud. I can here all my thoughts…they’re bouncing around in my head…waiting to get out…I have to try real hard not to talk to myself…convince myself that I’m still sane…that I should probably go to bed, or read a book or do something so my head wouldn’t keep thinking that it needs to have someone to interact with.

4 more months in this beautiful village just seems so short. I really want to stay here and see what God will do in the lives of these people, especially the children…what He can do through me… And yet, 4 months of being alone…living alone…coming back to an empty house every single day…having no one to talk to at night…it seems so long. I just pray that the next time I come back to this beautiful land…I won’t be alone…

(*ok, for those who don't know, KAMPUNG means village in Malay...I think...we use it to refer to a village in the countryside...)