The Good News Is I Didn't Break My Ankle

I guess when the day begins with a sensational skyscape of Asian colours at sunrise, you've probably got to be prepared for God to show up. Today was one of those days.

We'd put off the highly anticipated waterfall trip until the unseasonal cool weather ended and our Thai family could peel off some layers and enjoy the sunshine a bit.

The drive to the actual waterfall included stopping to pick up our picnic food at a very rural outdoor market, stopping to pick up some pictures I wanted printed off while here, at a thoroughly modern Kodak store, and a stop off to boy Bee's school to check on final grades (which are posted publically outside the office). All this with all the kids loaded up inside and outside the van in ways that would be highly illegal in Canada, but perfectly normal here.

Side note: I confess to a certain amount of glee in passing some westerners in a van who were pointing at us in shock and amazement, and rolling down the window to wave hi. :)

Okay, NOW we head to the main event. We take a wrong turn down 7 km of crazy winding roads up a mountain, only to arrive to dusty parking lot and unclear directions up very steep paths. This leads to a "garden waterfall" which translates into any language as "not enough to play in".

I can't tell you how disappointed I was. I was HOT! And the thought of plunging into cool water and playing with the kids was the only thing keeping me trudging up the hill. But our kids - if they were disappointed, I couldn't tell. They laughed at the trickle of water provided to cool your hands, checked out the near-by craft market, and took it in stride. I may have been the only (slightly) cranky one in the bunch.

Since the waterfall was the whole purpose of the trip, we did our picnic there and went off in search of the real waterfall. Of course this meant 7 km back down the same crazy road, and up another 7km road, just as zig zaggy.

We eventually did find a real waterfall. But only after an hour side trip up 264 steps to a Buddhist temple and lookout spot. Spectactular view of Chiang Mai. Another story.

This real waterfall was truly worth all the efforts to find it. Like a garden paradise. Not as wide and bubbly like the one last year that Megan, you would remember. But every bit as heaven touched.

We all jumped right in, splashed around, took pictures. It was glorious. For about 15 minutes.

Without warning a large silvery snake, about 5 feet in length dropped down from above us and landed within feet of Miki. Her scream set off the other girls and immediately a panicked scramble on slippery rocks became a serious danger.

Ever try to get safely away from a large poisonous snake on slippery rocks with 5 screaming girls clutching at you? Not possible.

Suradet went after the snake (I know!). And I went down, slid about 4 ft straight down and wedged my foot between a rock and a hard place, literally. I could easily have broken bones or smashed toes. But mysteriously, my foot fit perfectly in the cleft. As if somehow all the water running over that place for all those years, was wearing away a size seven space just for me.

All I have is a minor scrape, some slight swelling, and a heart hurting with gratitude for a God who sees my coming and going to and from Thailand, and did not let my foot slip into danger.

With the threat of another reptilian visitor hanging literally over our heads, our delight in the water was somewhat, um, dampened, and we basically headed home after that.

Psalm 121 was the reading I chose for our evening worship tonight, as I recounted our day together, thanked the children for their incredible attitudes, and reminded them of God's loving watchfulness over their lives, and my own safety. This was not lost on them. When I went down they were VERY concerned and haven't let me walk unaided since, despite my declarations of "chai, leuri" which loosely translates into "It's all good!"

And it's not lost on me. I am headed to bed feeling a mighty sense of being loved by a God who sees all, all the time, on the hills, where I lift up my eyes.

So whoever of you are praying for my safety, thanks! Don't stop.

And the only problem now is that today's events make what I WAS going to write about seem rather tame. But I will say that, just as a pointer to anyone thinking of coming on a future trip, if you have to open the lid of your meal carefully so nothing jumps out, you probably don't want to eat it.

Five more days. Tomorrow is the visit to the hospital with Nut. I'll keep you posted.
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