Passing On What Matters

In case you're tuning in to things just now, I'll let you know that the focus for this particular trip has been English learning.  (Check previous posts for a low down on our Team and some of the expertise we have on board this time around.)

To that end, all our children have been assessed and grouped in similar English competency levels, four or five to a group.  Lukmee is the keen one in my little group, arriving early, finishing each task carefully, and ready quite well at our level. 

Recently we 'informally' added Reena to our group.  She is the daughter of a newly arrived staff couple.  Everything is a bit new and overwhelming for her here at Hot Springs, but joining us at the table really seems to have helped her get to know a few of her new friends a little better.  Not knowing Reena's English reading level, and since the others hadn't arrived yet, I asked Lukmee to read her one of the books we've have more or less mastered at this point, called "Fluffy is Little" (Pat Harrison, Blueberry Hill Books).

Lukmee was eager to do it, moved over closer to Reena, and kindly showed her how to point her finger under each word.  She had to check with me for just a few of the key words, but then went back to her teaching role with a gentle confidence.  At the end of the reading, even though she was the one who had done all the 'work,' she congratulated Reena and told her she'd done a good job!

Is it just me, or is it exponentially endearing when one kid wants to help another kid?   And isn't it even more so when that one kid has herself been through sad and awful things, and yet is able to turn around and offer grace and welcome and a sense of belonging to someone else.  

Sitting in that moment I believed I was watching a small and simple kind of moving love that just keeps getting passed along.  And really, isn't that what we hope to be doing in this wholly wonderful adventure that is New Family Foundation?  Welcoming children to change the story and rewrite something desperate into something full of hope.  And isn't that what we hope all our kids have the chance to pass along to others around them, perhaps their own children one day, making the changes that just might ripple through an entire region on into the future.

We can forget sometimes, how much the small things matter.

They do.

They matter jing jing (true true).

Morning Light

Tangmo and Wanmai

Because of the LORD's great love
we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself,
'The LORD is my portion (security);
therefore I will wait for Him.'
Lamentations 3:22-24

We saunter down before breakfast on Sunday to catch the sunrise.

Not surprisingly, some of the children are standing in what has become my favourite spot to capture something of the morning magic.  They feel it too.  The air is cool, the sky wakes up, the colours are rich, the sun is faithful.

New mercies.

Meena

Every one of us need them.  Some of us may be more aware of, and therefore more grateful for them. Standing in this gentle dawn, not saying much, just side by side these precious beloveds, my heart is overwhelmed.    

Pakin, Atom, Muay, Meena

Do these children have any idea?  

Oh, how much I have received!  

Even now, in these misty moments, my breathing becomes slower, longer, taking into my lungs, my very cells, as much of these new mercies as I possibly can, right here, fully present.

Beemai

I think these are the moments I feel most alive.

Lukmee and Wanmai

 

A Normally Not Normal Day

 

A normal day.  Whatever that is.  Because yesterday the power went out.  And that's normal but random so, how do you plan for that?

By now we're getting into more of a regular routine at least.  Early with the children singing sleepy salaseurn (worship).  Breakfast, which is always delicious and always "more than we can possibly" - but somehow we do.

Yesterday we only had 2 hours of ESL prep before heading out to our day trip to Doi Sutep.  More pictures from that lovely excursion to follow.  But for now, here's the lovelies all lined up.

Arrived back at Hot Springs a little late to do reading with the kids, but assessments continued, thanks to "Crew" (Teacher) Cheryl.  Some disappointment at not getting any more checks on their cards.  But all was made right with a little box of Smarties and the promise that we'd get our act together by tomorrow (that's today).  Da says it's all okay.

And it was.  We goofed off a little with some fun photoshoots.   And then the power went out and we had to improvise a bit with a flashlight for a while.   It's all about adaptability.

And of course, just as we made our plan B for how to do evening worship without power (not too hard really but a bit of re-jigging would be in order) the lights come back on!  Yay!  

In all the normalcy of the not normal day, this sign post along the way on our outing reminded me of big things happening on the other side of the planet, just south of Canada.  Prayers and strength and peace, yes, peace over all of it.  And is it okay that being here helps make sure I don't get too swallowed up in the rhetoric?  

Normally normal normality.  

I'm just embracing it.

On the Fridge

It's more than just a Saturday morning thing to do.

Any time we bring out the paints and brushes (last supply boost thanks to Abby from our July trip), the creativity flows in no end of fun ways.  It's such fun watching the different personalities emerge in their artwork.  Some are after quantity, producing piece after piece of wild colour and bold brush strokes.  Others are more into precision, taking time with one creation, carefully nuancing hues and filling in details.

And always, it's  peua Sponsor.  'for my Sponsor.'

Suradet reminded them again this morning at worship time.  "Your Sponsors have the pictures you've painted held up with magnets on their fridge."  He's referring to how often he's seen this for himself, when in Canada and invited into your homes for a meal.   It surprised him at first.  Right there on a fridge in Canada is a child's hand painted creation beside a picture of one of his kids!  He tells them again this is a sign of how much God must love them, to provide for them a family in Canada who wants them to be safe and well fed and have every opportunity to become all God created them to be.  

These first few days are going by so fast, and yet are already rich with the evidence of the tenderness of God.   Today (Monday) begins our reading program in more earnest.  As I write, Team members are preparing various English activities and games that we hope will enhance both the learning and the fun.

So, Sponsors, brace yourselves.  We'll be bringing home more pieces of art and love for your fridges, or wherever you night want to store the treasures from your Treasure.

 

The Timing of Typhoons and Other Arrival Adventures

Colour, not realizing I was taking the picture, excited to find what's in his packet.

A calm morning after a good night's sleep is a great way to wake up on our first day here.  Jet lag doesn't really hinder sleep until the second or third nights, given how exhausting it is physically just to get here.  So this morning, there's been at least a little bit of alert time to reflect on our first hours here.

I feel we've had a fair share of wonder already.  For example, the typhoon thing.  But more on that in a second.

Moses and Pakin comparing their packets, both thinking they got the better.

The first evening gathering is always such a reward for any hardships of the journey.  The children, so polite even in their anticipation.  Those first fun songs, and also their very true voices of worship to begin.  I always love introducing the Team, especially those who have not yet been here.  First impressions and shy hellos all around.

Muay, two thumbs up!

And then, the Sponsors' packets!  If you ever doubted the power of simple expressions of love through thoughtful gifts, I dare you to be present for those moments when our kids open the packets prepared for them by their Sponsor.  Priceless.  In a personal blog post over at Bread and Honey I mentioned the telling response of one of our girls to receiving beads.  Kids squealing, showing off their gifts to others, trying on hats and marveling at all the colours of the markers.  

Atom, so very pleased.

Since I mentioned it briefly in the previously-mentioned Bread and Honey blog post, I'll explain a bit here about the typhoon.

It had a name, Kong-Rey, was Taiwan's biggest storm in 30 years, wrecking havoc on Taiwan's east coast, and shutting down the capital city of Taipei, our transfer point, for a duration of time.  See article here.  I'm reading about it this morning feeling rather sobered.  Certainly, I'm glad we didn't know anything about this as we were making our valiant attempts to board in Taipei.  

It was one of those get-in-the-bus-and-be-driven-to-the-plane-where-you-board-climing-those ridiculous-steps boardings.  Driving rains, gusty winds.  We were only outside for the briefest of moments, from the bus to the stairs, but we had to hang on tight to each other, and got really wet just the same.  And some of our luggage arrived still significantly damp, presumably from the cargo transfer.  

I'm personally rejoicing over the fact that, at the time our ignorance of the severity of things meant that my biggest comment about it at the time was that, up until then my hair had managed fairly well during all the travels.  Are you kidding me?  This storm shut down the airport literally hours after we took off!  At least, that's how I'm reading the timelines in the news today.

So...thank you Lord for Your provision of safety!!!  And thank you everyone for your prayers!  

There's a whole lot more to write about on any given day, and more pictures that could be posted.  But we will try to keep everyone updates on all the wonders of our time here now.

On to sorting all the English Learning materials we brought along.

Happy November 1st!

At least it is for us!!

Between a Stone and a Hard Place: An Update on Our Current Situation

 

The flood waters may have receded in Chiang Mai, but the ripples of clean-up and fall-out continue.

Many people have been affected by this crisis in Thailand, and our prayers are with them.  New Family Foundation visited Chiang Rai earlier in these flooding events, to bring water and supplies and encouragement to the people there.  Overall, Thailand has seen an unprecedented amount of rain this season, and the flooding has been severe in many regions across the country.  Lots of people are suffering.

Our focus of late, however, is the overlapping events of both the flood, and Suradet's diagnosis of a kidney stone.  Anyone (myself included) who has experienced the painful and all-consuming symptoms of trying to pass a stone will understand this particular kind of suffering.  For Suradet, however, his discomfort has been elongated by the fact that the procedure that is needed, and that his doctor has put him in line for, requires medical equipment that was damaged in the flood.  [Check it out here for a glimpse into what they are all dealing with at Lana Hospital where our staff health insurance is recognized.]  

Due to the widespread nature of the disruptions, non-urgent cases are being deferred.  This means that an initial visit to Lana Hospital in the first week of October resulted in an appointment for the procedure on October 10.  On October 10 he was told to come back October 17.  On October 17 he was told to come back November 7.

Because Thailand's health care system is largely private, there may (or may not) be an alternative route we can take at another hospital not covered in our insurance, involving cash payments.  However, since the whole of Chiang Mai is affected, it is likely we would be put in a long line there, even if we reallocated the funds.  Also, just to make note of it, there's an ethical piece in that, if we had the money, we'd likely be pushing someone who doesn't have the money further back down the line.  That's how it works.  

Right now we wait.  

Suradet, while uncomfortable in a prolonged kind of way, is not in danger.  And he knows that if the pain becomes unbearable he can go to the secondary hospital.

Against this backdrop is the return of the children from school break on or before October 25.  And then the arrival of our Highview Team - Norma, Cheryl, Evangeline and myself - on October 31.

Yesterday was a difficult day.   The November 7th date was hard to hear.  And we seriously considered cancelling the trip. There were many messages back and forth, and then a Zoom call to be able to see each other's faces and catch the nuances of all our 'big feelings,' as we made some hard decisions together.

In the end, we're still a go.  

The Team members are more than willing to accommodate expectations while there.  We will step up our participation in the general running of that big, wonderful family, and lower our expectations for any outings or extras that are normally part of a Team visit.  Other supplementary help from Bible Students and other friends of NFF have already been brought in to support the care of the children, which remains paramount always.  And of course, we trust that our presence there will encourage and strengthen Suradet in this long ordeal.  As honourary Mom to Suradet, I will go and be with him at the hospital on the day of his procedure....trusting that it will not be put back any further.

So.  Your prayers please.  Of course, we continually bring Suradet before God asking for healing and also patience, and a relieving of the pain while we wait.  For Yupa, and the extra load that she is carrying.  For the children's safe return to Hot Springs and a good start to the next school year.  For the safe travels of our Team.  And for us all to be open to all that the Holy Spirit is bringing to our attention to form us more and more into the likeness of the Son.

Our last post concerning the floods in Chiang Mai had an overwhelming response.

Thank you, everyone who is tuning in, and taking notice, sending extra funds for this, and offering words of support and encouragement.   It all makes a huge difference.   

When It Rains, It Pours

There's a lot going on right now at Hot Springs, and I hardly know where to begin.  Most of this only developed over the weekend, so this is all new news.

Let's just go to the flooding in Chiang Mai first.

It's common for areas of the world that experience a 'monsoon season' to have episodes of flooding following periods of relentless, heavy downpours.  You can see the preparation for that everywhere in Thailand, where large culverts run alongside the roads, and deep cement gutters, usually covered with steel grating, are a built in part of city streets.  

This season, however, has been extraordinary.  Last month Suradet and Yupa visited the northern region of Chiang Rai to bring supplies and encouragement to communities hard hit by flooding there.  Now it's the Ping River, which runs straight through Chiang Mai, that has overrun its banks, causing major flooding in some of the most densely populated neighbourhoods of the city.

For a three-minute visual, check out this video of the flooding coverage here.

For anyone who knows the area, has walked those streets, shopped those markets, visited at those hospitals, this is way more than just news about a disaster somewhere else.  It's real.  And very disturbing.

Next level 'real and disturbing' is, of course, how it affects us at Hot Springs.

Good news is that our property is situated at a high enough elevation 45 km from the Ping River with no other rivers or streams close enough to cause immediate danger or damage.  Our children are safe and dry.  Praise God for that.  

Where it hits home, however, is in food shopping.  The downtown markets where we fetch fresh produce, fish, eggs and rice are all flooded.  That presses a food scarcity outward as people stretch outside of the city to find groceries.  This sudden increase of shoppers only adds to the understandable panic buying often seen in any sort of crisis (remember trying to find toilet paper during COVID?).

Suradet tells me they are eating a lot of pumpkin.  That's thanks to a productive first time experiment this summer growing an entire patch on the property.  When we were there in July, we could see all the blooms at the ends of healthy-looking vines.  Little did we know how much we would need it!  Of course children do not live on pumpkins alone, which is where other produce from our own garden will be well used.  As the days move forward I will keep you posted on the food situation.

Another implication has to do with the coming school break in October.  Normally, this is a time when the children can go back to visit family members in the village.  As well, the Staff get a short break, and an opportunity to do some of the bigger work projects on the property.  Right now, however, many roads to the village are flooded.  No one's going anywhere.  We will do everything to prioritize the children's care and safety always.  This does mean, of course, a reorientation of expectations over the next weeks.

In the midst of this, Yupa's mother Sangwan has just returned from a hospital stay, recovering at Hot Springs because she still needs extra care and attention.

And one more random thing we just don't need right now, Suradet is dealing with a kidney stone and is in severe pain.  He has a procedure scheduled for October 10, but it is booked at one of the hospitals experiencing flooding.  We don't know if this will delay his procedure or not, but it seems likely at this point.  Having experienced kidney stone pain myself, I do not wish for him to have to endure one minute longer than necessary, let alone have to be in that difficult mental and physical space of not knowing how long this will go on.

Yupa, who clearly has a lot on her shoulders right now, messages me saying, "Nothing is impossible with God."

At the moment, there is really nothing pragmatic we can do.  The rains have stopped, so there's that to be thankful for.  And officials are talking about opening some dams and other government level interventions.  But there is no real disaster relief systems in place for the majority of the population.  It will be a while before things can go back to any semblance of normal.

I hate being this far away.  Daily contact and updates don't seem enough.  So I invite you to pray with me.  Pray for the country, for the people, for the food shortages.  Pray for stamina and presence of mind for Suradet, Yupa and the Staff at Hot Springs.  Pray for supernatural healing, both for Yupa's Mother Sangwan, and for Suradet.  Pray that hospital schedules can stay on time.  Pray for the children who are experiencing this too, in their own way.  

How this affects our upcoming trip - due to leave October 30 - remains to be seen.  I will keep you posted on that as well.