Fun Factor Plus

 

"Bai teo" means 'out for fun', or a little getaway or outing. That was us yesterday.

With an early start, a stop along the way to pick up our lunch for later, and at least one bathroom stop, it took us the better part of the morning to get where we were going. Even before that, you can only imagine what it would be like to prep 17 kids and 7 adults for a day trip. And even before that, the girls had to get all dressed up. Best not-school-not-church clothes. Make up even.

When you're in such a big family, these times are rare. Better make the best of them.

But finally we were off on our rollercoaster adventure.

The word 'rollercoaster' probably conjures up something of an amusement park environment for most of us, at least it did for me when Yupa suggested this for our 'bai teo' this visit.

In actuality, we ended up riding more of a jungle coaster, with some fast turns yes, but more just coasting along the tracks that took every advantage of the gravitational pull down the side of the mountain. Appropriate amount of nervous laughing in the line. Pairing off of the smaller ones with an adult of one of the older girls. Happy screaming around the first fast corner, and big smiles coming up the track at the very end.

Next to lunch, where we found a restaurant willing to let us bring to the tables the chicken and sticky rice meal we had packed, while we ordered several plates of 'som tum', a spicy papaya salad that almost every Thai child will tell you is their favourite food.

From there off to the Queen's Botanical Garden for a magical 'canopy walk' under the tropical rain forest, some happy browsing through the greenhouses, and a visit to the display of tribal villages. Some of the children gave little cries of recognition at the familiar, jumping on the riding card, or climbing up into the huts. Beemai even 'played' at making a meal around the fire pit - just like how she remembers from her village.

Last stop was the Museum of Science, still on the grounds of the Royal Garden. But it was getting later in the day, we zipped through, truth be told. But I was still glad we could expose them to the excellent interactive learning stations, and even just enjoy the wonder of God's creation in the displays of flowers, forests and minerals.

So much fun. All of it. And so much more.

We talked about it at supper. The whole picture of the benefits of these kinds of trips. Fun, yes. And all by itself, that's worth it. To bring joy and lifted spirits and a sense of wonder at how great life can be to this family of gathered children...yes. Fun, yes.

And.

Think of everything else that happened.

More exposure to urban life for children who've never seen a city before coming to live with us. So important if we want to encourage them to become influencers in their own country.

Making good memories to hold on to, balancing out early childhood experiences that would not be so happy. And making them together with our family. Forging relationships that can last a lifetime.

Allowing them to observe various occupations along the way, allowing them to add to their repertoire of 'what I might want to be when I grow up'. As Karen pointed out, maybe some of them will be curious and want to study more science when they get the chance to choose. Or engineering, as in 'how do you get a coaster track to stay in place on the side of a very steep hill/' or 'how did that canopy walk bridge get built?' And so much more.



And the encouragement that they are loved and important. That their Sponsors would make sure they didn't just have the basics, but the fun extras as well. That God would have written this incredible story to connect us from the other side of the world.

You are seen. You are loved. You matter. Let's go have some fun. and then some.

Our thanks, our gratitude is enormous for this.
I know many of our beloved supporters might never be able to come in person. But yesterday - and every day of course - your presence was very much with us. Your love was tangible.

You were very much the PLUS factor for our day of Fun.