Weighing In

It's the least favourite part of packing for me.  Weighing the bags.

After all the planning and purchasing of teaching supplies, figuring out how the Sponsor's packets are going to fit, and adding this time the happy extra weight of new books for the English library, actually putting everything into the suitcases gets really persnickety.  A pound or two over limit here.  Switch things around and now it's too much for the other bag.  But there's a bit to spare in the first bag.  And lots of room still in the third.  And back and forth it goes.

It's even harder when I have to start deciding what just can't come along for this particular trip.  Because there's two of us this time, I had hoped there would be lots of weight space available.  But, alas, a few things have been left behind to take next trip. 

This weekend, as I was struggling with the weighing, I felt another kind of weight.  It happened when someone asked me what the main goal of the trip was.  I realized there were at least four.  And they all had some weight to them.

English Literacy
One of the best gifts we can bring to our Hot Springs family and the community beyond is to teach English.  Without question, English speaking Thais have more opportunities opened to them in almost every profession, particularly in terms of vocations of influence like teaching and civic leadership.   We would like to give this advantage to our kids.  So, a principal purpose for our going this time is to continue the reading program we have initiated at the beginning of this year.  Hence, all the books.

Future Planning
As mentioned before in previous posts, we are seeking to be pro-active in making plans for a new property and building project for our children.  Currently we are situated on land that is not deeded, and the government has since stipulated that all children's homes be properly registered on land that is deeded.  Conversations with Asia's Hope and continued prayer and planning by Suradet and Yupa keep us moving forward, imagining significant changes for the future.  Wisdom and discernment are needed.

Encouragement and Support
Always, one of the main reasons we go is to just be there, face to face, to offer encouragement and support to both Staff and Children in their day to day ministry as a family.  Teaching Bible and ESL in the evenings, preaching on Sundays, visiting church members, connecting with the community in a variety of ways - all are why we want to have a physical presence and help in the work.  It's why this is a partnership and not a project; a relationship and not an impersonal donation.  This one, to be honest, isn't as weighty as much as it is awesome.  Nurturing these relationships is of such importance though, and the more I read about cross cultural relationships, the more I am aware of how uniquely good this is.

Directed Reading and Research
This month away carries an added weight for me in terms of it being the fulfillment of the field assignment portion of my current course.  While there, the Bible and ESL lessons, the sermons, and a research paper will all need to be completed and handed in.  While much has already been accomplished towards this, it's that time in every semester, I guess, where the crunch is on.  I will need to plan out my days carefully - not always the way it goes in Thailand.

So in these past few days, things have actually seemed a little heavy already.  And then.

I leave tomorrow knowing that some people I love very much are not well.  And while they have assured me that they are fully behind what I'll be doing these next four weeks and have offered their blessings on my departure....And even with my own 'inner sense' that nothing that's happening at home warrants the disruption of all the plans laid out for this trip....Still.  I find myself wishing that somehow I could be in two places at once.  And I'm reminded again of the hard places trust can push me up against. 


Tonight, this moment, this quiet moment here before the fire to rest my list-laden brain, my trust-pressed heart, is a gift.  And not surprisingly, in the calm I find a deep gratitude as well, of course.  I'm so grateful for all that it means that I get to keep going to Thailand.  This is a sensational life! '

But more.  What a gift to know a God unbound by time and space, and to leave all things in His grace.  Perfect timing.  Writing the story.

 And I am in awe.  Again.

Leaving the house at 7 a.m.

Introducing Evangeline

There's always lots of excitement and lots to do in the last weeks leading up to departure.  With the count down on, one of the new things I'm enjoying in preparing for this particular trip is getting to know Evangeline.

A recent graduate of WLU with an Honours BA in Film Studies, Evangeline is curious to see what God is doing in other parts of the world.  She responded to my invitation (through City Watch, KW's ministerial prayer group), and following two meaningful conversations together, her tickets were purchased!

We leave Tuesday, October 30th with the plane lifting off at 12:40 p.m.

So far, Evangline and I are thinking that we're going to get along just fine!  We seem to have a lot in common, not the least of which is a love for ice caps (I even know where we can get a pretty good one in Chiang Mai).   I am enjoying her calm demeanor combined with a splash of risky, being willing to embark in a first-ever off-the-continent adventure.

Evangeline will be most welcome at Hot Springs as we continue our English Literacy program with the children there.  The simple act of reading to or being read to is a powerful agent in assisting the children to become more confident of their English language skills.

We will take with us the bountiful outcome of the fundraiser book party held earlier this month through Usborne Books and the generous participation of so many.  Just for fun, here's a list of the new titles we are taking with us.

The Snow Queen
How the Camel Got His Hump
How the Elephant Got His Trunk
How the Whale Got His Throat
The Story of Baby Jesus
The Easter Story
Noah's Ark
Stop that Cow
Night and Day
Antartica

Photo Credit Kristyn Hiemstra

What is Poo?
The Perfect Pet
Late Night at the Zoo
Living in Space
Egyptians
Dinosaurs
Bugs
Ancient Greeks
Moon Zoom
On the Moon
Wild School
That's Not My Snowman!
Pirate Pat
Fox on a Box
Frog on a Log
Racoon on the Moon
Giraffe in the Bath
Kangaroo in the Zoo
Croc Gets a Shock
Snail Brings the Mail
Bug in a Rug
Shark in the Park
Llamas in Pyjamas
Goat in a Boat
Bee Makes Tea
Chimp With A Limp

A few things you might observe about the list.

One, all the rhyming titles do indeed provide a wide variety of simple books to encourage reading confidence.
Two, there's a combination of story and non-fiction to catch the varied interests of the children.
Some titles may or may not lend themselves as being more interesting for the boys, who up to this time have had to read a lot about little baby pets.  Of course we let the children choose the books they want to read, giving ample opportunity for non-gender-based reading.
Three, we're going to have a weight challenge again.  This is always the case, which is a happy problem to have.  With Evangeline coming along there will be more weight/space available, and we will do our best to bring every book.  If not, I will just some aside for the next time :).

As I was swimming/praying this morning I had that eager, happy realization that I will soon see all these beautiful faces again, be among community again, be welcomed into belonging again.  In this time of fasting from my own community here at home, my heart is hungry.  These days, I must confess, I pray harder that somehow, in the midst of all my heart receives while I'm there, I can bring enough to balance it out.

Photo Credit Dave Driver