Every-Other Days

I'm tempted to call this series of pictures "Spicy Food Faces".  

However, it's more the need for antics than antacids that prompts these crazy shots.

Yesterday

We are gone for most of the morning, searching for more reading prizes, snacks and gifts for friends back home.  For this we arrive at what I call 'the indoor market down by the river'.  A great sprawling of booths under tin and cement all smelling of fish and incense, packed with people.  The small pouches I purchase to encourage some of the older readers are the first sale of the day for the pleased women who takes my baht.  I know this because she takes my bills and touches everything else she has for sale as a means of bringing luck.  On our way home we stop at Central Festival, an impressive five story mall, all decked out in Chinese New Year finery, to book our tickets for Saturday's movie outing with the kids (thanks everyone who bought gift certificates at Christmas).  I marvel again at the contrasts of this place.  Smelly fish to ultra modern.  

Today

We are having a 'home day'.  Turns out to be a day that Megan and Esther test their millennial computer skills, with the help of Ethan from home  My new computer is apparently not getting along with the internet connection here.  I spend the first part of the morning trying not to have a white-privilege freak out while my friends laugh and problem solve their way in and out of depths of my computer's programming with confidence.  Success!!!  I reclaim some time and quiet head space while Norma, Megan and Esther take a walk down to Café U-Noka.  Laying low now, in the warm afternoon, prepping for Bible lessons and Sunday's service, waiting for the kids to come home from school.

This every-other-day thing is intentional.  Our hosts work hard, and when we're here, let's face it, we're extra work.  So keeping things balanced is helpful, good, healthy.  And...drum roll please.... we've finally managed to elbow our way into the kitchen to do dishes!  Only took 11 years!

These are good, solid days.  Restful in the midst of working/serving.  Loving and being loved.  Knowing and being known.  

The First Few Flurry

It's always interesting how the first few days can just sort of happen in a quiet, upside down, turned around sort of way. We're never sure what time it is, what day it is, and if we're hungry or not.   Where are those labels I 'll need for tonight's lesson?  I was sure I packed those!

That sort of thing.

Despite the discovery of a 'spider of unusual size' in Megan's bathroom, all of us have slept well these first two nights, still recovering from the journey itself.   There seems lots to do, with unpacking and settling in, sorting out all the teaching supplies (where are those labels?) and reading prizes, and....just being here.  Having time and space for the kids...which I'm hoping happens at some point today, it being Saturday and a great day for reading.

Today Esther will join us, fresh back from her YWAM graduation (which we were able to attend last night) and ending six months away from Canada, pressed deeply into the kind of learning six months of intensive discipleship training does to a soul.

Our team will be complete.  Norma, Megan, Esther and me, here together for the first two weeks.

It's cool over night, about 17 C, making for fresh mornings and a day-long welcome absence of humidity.  Anyone who sent a hat for their Sponsored child...it was keeping a little head warm this morning for worship, as were fleece blankets, scarves and gloves.  Even us Canadians are admitting that it's a bit chilly (compared to the 32 C of yesterday afternoon), and we've got our jackets and slippers with us as we welcome the day in the circle of this family.

With no extra staff here currently, we will be participating more in daily chores.  At least that's our hope.  So far we've been shooed away from the kitchen sink or any other kind of work so that we can still recover from our trip.  I'm hoping, however, that we will wear them down and be in there up to our elbows very soon.

And so goes the first few days of unhurried flurry.

Such a place of contrasts this.

I'm reading the autobiography of a pioneer missionary to Thailand, Daniel McGilvary.  It's fascinating to read of some of his own impressions, some 100 years ago, that seem familiar to me as well.  Other than the comment "our quick passage of only one hundred days took our friends by surprise" (so I won't complain any more than it takes more than 24 hours to get here), there are some things that don't change.

He writes:  "The first work of a new missionary is to acquire the language of the country.  His constant wish is, Oh for the gift of tongues to speak to the people!"

I've prayed the same prayer.

"The syntax of the language is easy; but the 'tones,' the 'aspirates,' and 'inaspirates,' are perplexing beyond belief.  You try to say "fowl." No, that is "egg".  You mean to say "rice," but you actually say "mountain".

Yup.  Pretty much.

But perhaps the quote I'm relating to most so far.  "I felt very small for the great work so solemnly committed to me."

Yup.  Pretty much.

As these cool, fresh days unfold, I am open, curious, eager.  
And still looking for the labels I was sure I had with me!

Back and There Again

None of us are newbies, so we know what we're in for.  And it's all good.  Even here at almost midnight, we're feeling the excitement in these pre-boarding minutes.

Norma, Megan and me.  And once we get there we'll meet up with Esther who's been away for six months now.  What an experienced team we are!'s

For this second trip back Norma says she's going back to see her sponsored child Praweet, for sure.  But also, and here she pauses for emphasis, just to be there.  I get it.  Most of us who've been get it.  There's something truly healing and joyful about the place, the people, the way life is slower and simpler.  And there's so much love.

This will be Megan's fifth trip.  She's looking forward to seeing all the faces that she's missed.  She's also looking forward to some of the cooler evening temperatures and lack of humidity this time of year, compared to the record-breaking 'cooker' trips we've shared in the past.

I've lost count.  Honestly.  I'd have to go back and figure it out.  But I'm heading over with the same excitement, anticipation, longing as I do every time.  Can't wait.  Just....can't wait.

There are fun times ahead with planned out Bible lessons in the book of Exodus, a whole slew of new games from Esther's outreach experience, outings, singing, reading, and - like Norma says - just being.  At least that's what's more or less planned.  Then there's all the adventures we don't know about yet.  The ones waiting for us.

In our commissioning on Sunday Erin Ogilvie-Fisher prayed that we would be "safe but not comfortable".   Such a wise prayer.  That's what we'll press into.  Those places that challenge and change us, mess us up in all the good ways such adventures do.

Boarding soon.

Stay tuned for more.
Much more.