When in Thailand

So we've been here for a little over 4 weeks and it has been absolutely amazing! Everything is completely different than it is in America, yet it seems so natural and right. There are things that happen that my team is completely ok with but of it were to have happened in America we all would be complaining. For example our water doesn't always work, in America this would be a huge complaint. Here it's just normal and we've learned to just laugh when the water shower shuts off and you have a head full of shampoo. I have for sure and I think its safe to say we have all really grown a ton in gratefulness and learning to worship God in all circumstances!

We have also been really blessed at the relationships we have been able to build with the Thai students and have been able to engage in lots of  conversation with them. Our main outlet to hang out with students is through lunch at the complex. We meet new students and reconnect with friends. Then our nights are often spent at some sort of practice. KKU freshmen are BUSY!!! Like seriously I thought I was busy but they wake up at 5 for freshy sports practice and have class and meetings all day and ten either cheer practice or another sports practice until about 9. Then homework and whatever else they have to do during the day, they normally go to bed around 12 or 1 to get back up for a 5 am sports practice! I would be exhausted! And it makes trying to hang out a bit of a challenge as they have very little free time. So we started going to their sports practices :) they freshly science badminton team actually practices at night at the body which provides a great way to build friendship and serves them a lot. Cody and I have also become the "frawng mascots" to the science softball team. They have really taken to us and allow us to practice with them and eat with them after practice. Other sport teams( EVERY FRESHMAN plays a sport these aren't super competitive teams) we are involved with are table tennis, shooting, fencing, crosswords (scrabble), and the entertainment teams.

Freshly games will be next week and start Sunday with the softball games. We are going to go to their first game Sunday morning before church, and any others that we are able to make through out the week. As well as being at the badminton and other games as well.

Last Saturday we went on a day trip with about 50 science students. We went to the temple which opened the door to a TON of conversation and allowed us a very easy doorway to share our love with the students we have gotten to know. After we went to central (the mall) and had a scavenger hunt. It was a lot of fun and the Thai students got to experience an American game with their favorite frawng. Side note: multi lingual scavenger hunts are hilarious and lead to some really funny encounters. It was a great time to go deeper with students and to introduce them to more members of our team as well as full time CO staff members.

A huge praise! Su (a second year science student) is now a brother on Monday night!!!! He has been investigating for some time and has been one of our deepest relational contacts after briefly meeting last years CCP team. Thailand is less than . 5 % and there is a huge need for the Truth to go forth everywhere. One of the major requests of the permanent team here is for there to be Thai men raised up who know the love. The majority of Cs here are women and there is truly a lack of strong male believers. So Su is truly an answer to many many requests and we are asking for there to be many more Thai men and women who will come to know the father through the work we are doing at KKU this summer.

 Request:
I'm sick today :( as well as physical sickness has been a huge struggle for the team here. Joel had his appendix removed on Friday night. Jen and Dominic have dingay fever. Dominic had ecoli. Several people have been to the hospital and have been sick with illness that prevent them from being on campus for a day or two. The health of the team is a huge equest as we want to be active and on campus with students.

For there to continue to be interest amongst the Thai students!!! That we would be able to share our stories, the truth, and connect them to the full time staff that are here and allow them to hear from the Thai staff how their lives have been transformed.

For Thai men and women to come to know the truth.

For Thai b&s to be encouraged by our team and to continue to grow and mature in their relationship

To continue to meet and build relationships with freshmen science students.

Specific Students :)
Act, Tangmay, Nuuk, Aun, Make, May, Pbam, Bee, Cream, Lookmoo, Mooauy

Incredible :)

Well we left Memphis at 8:47 AM on Friday (5/25) and arrived in Kohn Kaen at 12:30 on Sunday afternoon (5/27).  Khon Kaen is 12 hours ahead of Memphis, but nonetheless we were still on a plane or in the airport for a very long time, but it really wasn’t awful.  Our flight ternary was from Memphis to Houston to Dubai to Bangkok to Kohn Kaen.  I won’t bore you with too many events from the plane ride, except just to let you know there is a reason Dubai is not known for sushi for a reason.  We got off the plane in Khon Kaen and went to the house to change and then jumped right into training and had our first authentic Thai meal at the church.  Then we found out who our  partner is for the summer.  My  partner is Laura and we are working with freshmen girls who are in the science faculty.  She is pretty awesome and I really enjoy spending time with her and learning from her how to do live in Thailand. 

Monday morning we started at 8am and had training we discussed Thai culture and customs and some do’s and dont's of Thailand as well as some basic language Training (which well let’s just say tones are complicated and my minimal Spanish schooling does little to help).  We then went to campus to eat lunch and get our first experience meeting Thai students on campus.  We ate lunch at the complex, its klai-klai (similar) to the University center at the U of M.  There are several food stations and some little stores that sell just about everything you could ever need to live successfully at college.  The complex is kind of like its own little town, there is a beauty shop, a place to get you nails done, and just about every other service you may need.  Our team eats lunch at the complex or another food place on KKU’s campus to meet students and then invite them to hang out with us that night.  Monday afternoon we went on a city tour and visited a Buddhist temple and a spirit house.  They were very interesting and at the same time broke my heart to see idol worship so blatantly displayed.  However, I was reminded that we do the same thing in America even though it isn’t as clearly displayed.  

Ok so if I continue to go daily this is going to turn into a book (which it may become anyway) as we have experienced so much in our short time here.  So I’m just going to hit some more highlights of our time in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Well we left America and arrived in a land with few (none that are enforced) traffic laws, where rice and noodles and pork are eaten at EVERY meal, most houses have their own spirit house on their “front lawn,” and where lizards are welcomed to roam your house as they eat the mosquitoes.  And after all the changes that come with moving half way around the world for the summer all I can say is that I love it! The people we have already met are incredible, they are open to talking to two frawng (foreigners) that just walk up and ask to join them for lunch and ask a zillion questions about their lives.  Thai culture is incredible and the students are so willing to help me learn about their culture and their food.  Which let me just tell you my idea of spicy and their idea of spicy are not one in the same and I may have eaten more soybean sweets than I really care for. 

My team is incredible and we all get along really well.  All 5 of the guys and Rebekah and I are all working with science students so we get to see each other a lot in the complex and interact with the same students quite often.  Last Thursday we had a dinner for the Science team and got some amazing time with our brothers and sisters.  It was amazing, we broke up to lift one another up and Aw spoke to our Father on my behalf  in Thai.  Though I’m not honestly sure what she was saying in Thai, it was definitely the highlight of my week.  I cried as I realized that HE truly is the father of the nations and that the students we are interacting with now will be the Thai students who are with future CCPs.  I can’t adequately express how wonderful and truly amazing it was.

Saturday we (both CCP teams and Thai students ) got to go to the Mercy House it is a  orphanage for children who are HIV+ in Khon Kaen, Thailand.  We got some singing with the kids and play with them.  Rebekah and I taught the girls and the Thais how to play red rover and it was absolutely hysterical to see college students and little girls playing the game we so loved to play on the playground.   The orphanage was very well taken care of and the children are well loved, however my father definitely used it to further my desire to adopt and care for the least of these (James 1:27).

This week we hosted a party for Thai students to meet the CCP teams and build relationships with them.  We had about 50 students show up and hang out with us which provides us with a great way to follow up with students at lunch or after class or even a badminton practice at 5:30 AM. Side Note: Badminton here is not like badminton in the states.  It’s intense and Thais go all out, I never knew it was possible to sweat that much playing badminton.  Also lots of Thais play it.  We play on Sundays after church and had the Freshy games team practicing at the church on Saturday.  There were probably 60 to 70 freshmen there for badminton practice.  We joined in and my skills are definitely improving so if anyone wants to play when I get home. Please let me know J.  At the party we taught the Thais the Cupid Shuffle as well as some other dances.  They loved it and well sometimes it is definitely good to be known as the crazy frawng and you just have to embrace it.  The Lord has already begun to bring students up to us after the party who want to hang out with us and know why we are here.

Ok so I mentioned badminton so I guess I’ll mention softball, it’s kind of a new sport in Thailand so lots of people don’t really know how to play.  So Monday morning Laura and I are going to the science freshman’s practice to help teach them some softball skills and basic instruction.  Yes I said help, as in I’m going to teach them in my limited Thai and um did I mention it is at 5:30 AM so this should be very, very interesting.  We are asking that it will go very well and create an automatic bond with girls on the team and that we will continue to help them until freshy games in mid- July.

Ok so I feel like this blog post does not do justice to my time here in Thailand as it has been completely incredible (I know I need another word but simply can’t think of one).  There is no way to express here what all the most high has been doing and is continuing to do in my life and the life of Thai students.  So here is just a glimpse and well I guess I’ll just have to talk to you about it in person when I get home. And hopefully I’ll get better at this whole blogging thing.

P REQUESTS:

·*      that our team would LOVE the L above all things and remain FAITHFUL to do the work He has called us to do.

·        that He would continue to build genuine relationships with the Thais specifically freshman girls who are studying in the science faculty both at lunch and through various sports practices.

·         that Thai students would show interest and would come to know the father. Specifically for Aun, Make, Nan, Puter, Lukemoo, and Som-O.

·         the health of the team, we have had some sickness related to food and such. Thankfully so far I have not had any problems and our team hasn’t had any major setbacks.

·         that the Thai brothers and sisters would be encouraged by our team and that the key students would grow in boldness as they share their life alongside us with their class mates.

·          that we would be lights in the city of Khon Kaen as we live in a city.

Prajow rak khoon... God loves you! and hopefully I'll be able to get pics up soon.

Maysa (April)

Thailand

So after 36 hours of a plane ride we finally arrived in Thailand :) we had a few bumps in the Memphis airport, but other than that it was great.

So far we've gone to campus for lunch yesterday and today to meet students. I'll be working with Laura and the Science faculty girls. I'm really excited and have already made some great contacts. Also we are still doing orientation and some training.

More updates to come :)
April or Maisa I've been called the last 2 days or so!

Climbing on elephants

Rebekah came over for a few days before we leave for Thailand :) which is tomorrow btw!!! Yeah I still can't believe that is happening.

So while in Thailand we have been warned not to climb on any statues. Well while in Memphis we went to the zoo and decided to climb on the elephant instead.

not in Memphis anymore

Pretty ladies on the Thailand Team :)

So this summer we will be working on the KKU campus, now you might say we will fit right in because, well frankly we are all college students so being on campus... yeah we do that A LOT. 

In fact, we love the college campus so much that at our last training we decided as a team to eat in a college cafeteria (at SEMO) instead of anywhere else in Cape G (hehe I'll abbreviate as I have no idea how to spell Gir......).  We ate at Towers (the all you can eat food place at SEMO), and yes the SEMO students used their meal plan to get us in.  Now please keep in mind that I think I have eaten at Memphis' Fresh Foods once all semester. Now SEMO was definately not Memphis, for starters there were a ton of students on campus on a Saturday afternoon, there were scooters EVERYWHERE, and you could tell that everything was situated around the dorms.  It is definately not a commuter school.

Yes this is all a little random, but it got me thinking about how different KKU is going to be.  I can't wait to eat in their food court, walk their dorms, or hang out with students.

Leaving in 22 Days!!!

1 MONTH!!!

So in exactly 1 month I will be on the plane on the way to Thailand.  A little crazy, huh? Well I definately think so but I could not be more excited.


Khon Kaen, Thailand (pic thanks to Google)

In honor of my upcoming trip here are some fun Thailand facts 

• Thailand is 513,115 sq. km and borders Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia.
• as of 2010 Thailand had a population of 68,139,238 people.
• 78.4 percent of people living in Thailand are Thai, and 26.5% of the Thai people are Isan (this is the people group I'll be working with).
• 85.32%  of the population is Buddhist

Thailand Team

I'm going to Thailand this summer!  I am going for an 8 week trip with CO  and I'd love to talk more bout it with you anytime, anywhere :)
WARNING: for the next couple of months that will probably be a lot of the focus on this blog. 
So this weekend I got to see part of my team (we go to 3 different schools) and it was an absolute blast!  Every minute we spend together is absolutely great, and is normally filled with laughter. 

Thailand Team girls
L to R: Rebekah, April (me), Amy, Chelsea, Anna

I am so excited to get to know these lovely ladies (and the guys) better through out this semester and I absolutely can not wait to be with them in Khon Kaen, Thailand this summer.  We have team training again this weekend, and I absolutely can not wait. 

Oh yes we will certainly be those crazy Americans...