Just Me and the Pi-Sua

A rather large, black butterfly (pi-sua) just paused on the binder beside me.

I'm sitting at the dinning room table, following a lovely, unhurried two hour meeting with Suradet, Yupa and Boy our translator.  You really can't rush these things when every word is spoken twice, and you need to be all the more sure you've communicated things well.  It really didn't feel like that long, though.  It was a happy, productive time planning for the visit from the Team next March, Day Camp ideas, general conversation about life at Hot Springs, and some deeper heart-sharings between co-laborers.  And we prayed, in both English and Thai.  

Esther has been thoroughly occupied all morning, first teaching her second lesson to very eager students, all girls, who have practiced diligently since yesterday morning, and were apparently ready to take some important next steps.  After that, she left to go back to our room and practice on her own.

I have stayed to go over my notes from the meeting, run through the required 'paths' for my online Greek course, and write this blog post.  That's when the butterfly paid me a visit.

Sometimes it would be easy for me to forget that I am half way around the world.  Other than the fact that I am indeed mindful and missing all the important relationships God has so generously gifted me with in my 'regular life', I find that by now, my 10th visit, I feel so at home here that I forget I'm not.  Until an exotic creature rests on my binder for a breath.

Plans are taking shape as our visit unfolds.  Yesterday's trip into Chiang Mai was very successful.  Canadian dollars were exchanged for baht.  A few various and sundry items were picked up at Big C (think Wallmart on steriods, Asian style).

We dropped in on Bee (Suradet and Yupa's son) at the new, modern mall called Promenada, where he is working to help pay for his education next year.  He's at the information desk and looks quite grown up and important in his suit and tie :).  

Then we hit the Christian bookstore (Dave, Heidi, Megan, remember how last year someone parked on our shoes?) to pick up Bible 'shirts' (covers) for some of the kids who don't have them.  It got fairly hot by the end of the afternoon, and I was regretting my decision not to have a nap and not to turn on the air conditioning.  Thought I could get away with just the fan, but later I was feeling slightly unwell.  Much better after a cold shower and a good sleep (mostly) last night.

For evening devotions tonight we will head over to Yupa's Mom's to worship together and pray for her.  She has apparently had a small stroke but didn't go to the doctor with her initial symptoms.  We will know more after we see her. 

There's talk of riding an elephant, of a market visit, of course, and plans for a party later this week.  Other things have been mentioned, but we'll see what actually unfolds.