Oh Ye of Little Blog

Sunrise Over the Mountain

It's the day before that it hits me.  Tomorrow I leave for home.
And always that same weird time warp kind of feeling.  How could it be time to go when I just got here?  And how could time have gone by so fast when it feels like I've been here for way longer?

Is it the time difference or my heart that messes me up like this?

In looking over the communications and postings of the past four weeks, I am surprised that there's so little.  It's true that we had to cancel the mountain trip (due to washed out roads), and that we didn't actually go into the schools  with our ESL program (due to new educational guidelines).  So in a way there was 'less' to write about.

But life here is rich just in the context of this family and these eager kids and their heroic parents.  Different experiences, from the mundane to the extraordinary, happen every day. Truth is there's so much here to reflect on at any given moment.  And usually Hot Springs is a perfect place for that kind of musing.

Not so much this time.

Several reasons probably.  One was the extent of my seasonal fatigue when I arrived, and on top of that, catching a rather bad cough and a touch of the traveler's bug right out of the gate.  Those first ten days to two weeks it was enough just to make it to morning worship, prepare sermons and evening ESL and Bible lessons, and sneak in a nap when I could.

But later on, even in this last week when I've had the time, I've been more prone just to be here than to write about it.  There's lots to write about yet, I know.  Being a guest at a Thai Buddhist wedding.  The unfolding story of the purchase of the new property.  Observations and delights about the kids themselves.  Deeper things in my own soul that always happen when I'm here and this far away from my 'normal' life.  It's all there.  I just haven't blogged about it yet.

And there's the fact that as I write these words a beautiful man at home who's lived a long and godly life, is gently breathing through his transition from all that he's lived out here to the eternal, spectacular life he's about to step into.  And there's a hush I feel, even from here, and I want to respect that.

So, more stories later.  Some on Sunday, February 4 when the Thailand Team gives our report at Highview.  Some later after I'm home and sorting myself out in the wee hours of the morning.  And some will perhaps have to wait until after I'm done these next four months, which I want to do with great focus and love and energy and grace.  After that, time to write I think.

I'm reminded of a Steve Bell song that sums up the bigger story God is writing here.

"Oh we know in our hearts that this must be the work

of the One who looks over us all.

The love we've been given,

The love we all share

Is the greatest gift of all."

And yesterday Suradet led in what has become my theme song for this whole Thai experience.  There's a story behind that too, but for now I'll just end with the words to the chorus.  It reflects the impossible overflow of gratitude that basically undoes me every time it's time to go.

And now

Let the weak say 'I am strong'

Let the poor say 'I am rich' 

Because of what the Lord has done for  us.

If You Expect the Unexpected Is It Still Unexpected?

This might be the only picture of the whole Team to together in Thailand.

 Time for an update on this unusually unusual visit to Hot Springs.

Despite the slower feel to this year's trip, this is one of the first mornings I've had to sit uninterrupted and record some of the happenings.  Sam has arrived safely home and Bill will return from a weekend in Bangkok later today.  It's warming up after a cool-for-Thailand weekend where I admit I was glad for the long pants, scarf and long sleeve jacket I had brought for the mountain.  Still much better than the weather we're hearing about at home.

Saiy came to church!!

Sam's two weeks here has been quite a 'thing'.  We will get a fuller report directly from Sam on Sunday, February 4 when the Team will share their experiences.  For now, I would encourage us to be praying for Sam as he readjusts back to Canadian climate and time zone, and processes all that did and did not happen while we were here.  It is quite remarkable, really, how much of what we thought we were going to do we didn't get to do.  That takes something of a toll on the psyche, and when you're far away from all that's familiar, it takes even more personal stamina to keep on 'going with the flow'.

Hair cut day.

Bill arrived on January 6 and has fit in around here very well for a first timer.  It helps that he has a good appetite for different kinds of foods, and is generally well traveled.  Again, we will hear from Bill directly on February 4.  But it has been pretty cool for me to have someone I've know as long as I've known Bill (since highschool - Ken since kindergarten) come and see my 'other life' here at Hot Springs.

Dow is learning to play guitar. (With Any)

Both Bill and Sam have been huge assets in the ESL support we provide when we're here.  I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but we've set up a reading club where, when the children complete the reading of 24 books they can choose from an assortment of prizes.  The books are a combination of the library they have here (which was far less extensive than I had remembered) and from books we collected for the purpose of going into the locals schools.  When that didn't pan out, we just used them for the book club, and it's been great.  Thanks again to all who donated easy reading books about winter.  They are fascinated with snow and it has helped encourage the reading.

 

Bill reading with Eak. 

I'm pretty sure we're going to do something like this each time we come.  Learning as we go.  Thanks to Laurent as well for contributing to the prizes. 








So that's one thing that's actually worked out like we expected.

Everything else, not so much.  No mountain trip.  No ESL in the schools.  No zip line for Sam.  Even the coffee shop down the street was closed the day we walked there!

It will be the theme of both reports in our series "Expecting the Unexpected".  January 28 we will hear from the Haiti Team, and February 4 from the Hot Springs Team.  While this is somewhat 'normal' for missions trips, I think you will agree, when you hear our stories, that these two trips have required an increased level of flexibility and surrender as we have navigated our way through completely out of our control kinds of circumstances.  Some of it has to to with weather, and some of it has to do with people's decisions, and ripple effects.  All of it stretches us in ways that are often uncomfortable, even to the point to wondering why we came in the first place.

Special couch for the preacher.  Hmm......

When I realize that I haven't actually reported anything since January 2, and here we are two weeks later, it's partly because of this.  So much easier to blog about wild adventures.  But when plans are cancelled and you're left with the ordinary stuff of daily life, and not too much is happening....  Except, I guess this is what Suradet and Yupa, Jaroen and Dtu live out every day.  And to be with them in the quiet ordinariness of that is a good thing too.

Having said that....I did get to go to a Thai Buddhist wedding yesterday.  That's another blog altogether.  Just one learning moment from that experience though.  Thai skirts need to be tied up pretty tight or they'll fall off.  Hard to explain, but it's just the way it is.  And no, mine stayed secure, but at the expense of my comfort at the reception as they kept bringing out more and more fantastic food!!!  Oy!

New Years' Pictures As Promised

Check out the link at Bread and Honey for pics of New Years' Eve celebrations at Hot Springs.

Of Washed Out Roads and New Plans

(More New Years' Pictures to Follow)

We didn't get to go to the mountain for New Years.

This is a big disappointment.  So much so that when the telephone call comes, Suradet's face tells most of the story even before he give us the news.

The unusually heavy rains (for January) have literally washed out the road to the village.  This is that last little part that happens after anything resembling a paved road.  That the steep, rutted narrow lane way that takes a hour to go 11 km.  That red, treacherous, impossible-to-doze-off-even-if-you-weren't-already-mesmerzied part of the road. That part.  It's gone.

Literally washed down the side of the mountain.  This isn't even as if there was a landslide blocking the road way.  This is a road that's just gone.

There was a pig fattened up just for our visit.  There were hand made gifts ready.  There was a New Years' Service and other festivities to participate in.  We had gifts too, and a lot of expectations, to be honest.  In our farang world, more often than not the plans we make more or less happen sort of the way we plan they will.  At least, it's not that often that roads just disappear.

This was why we rushed away right after Christmas.  This was a big part of Sam's especially hope for this trip, to experience first hand village life, and to get to know Suradet's family a little better.

But the road is gone.

Takes me a day or so to get my head around this, to be honest.   No mountain trip?  Wow, that kinda sucks.  But there is this.  Had the road washed out AFTER we were there, it would have meant that we would be 'trapped' in the village until the road could be rebuilt.  I'm not sure exactly how long that takes, but apparently it's long enough that we can't even think of planning another time before I go.  Longer than a month, that means.  Longer than Sam's ticket home, for sure.  Weeks, maybe months?  That could have been an adventure, yes, but still.

So we celebrate New Years here.  And, hey, that's not all bad.  Just like at home, the kids get to stay up way late, trying to stay awake, watching a movie and eating food.  Pounded sticky rice is a traditional mountain treat, and so amazingly yummy when it's fresh and warm.  Sam and I got to help with the pounding.  (Again I am impressed with the physical strength of these people!)  There are small banger fire crackers that help with the celebrations.  And at the point of count down (sort of) we sing and pray the new year in.

Just a note:  In an event-oriented culture, apparently even the countdown to the new year doesn't have to be that precise :).  I think we were about 2 minutes late, even by the clock we were using.  Love it.

So 2018, here we are.  Unexpectedly not in the mountains.  But "expectedly" amazed by the richness of life, even in the adjustments, even in the disappointments.  Because I'm not in the mountain.  But I am surrounded by a cozy bunch of sleepy children who mean so much to me.  And I am under an almost full moon pounding sticky rice like it's been done thousands of years before this.  And I am guided by a loving God whose timing is perfect, and plans are good, and knows.  He knows.

As we miss count in this next year, I find I am "expectedly" deeply content.