beach.

I know that the life of the missionary should be "rough". After all, serving the Lord means living a life of dying to self, suffering for the sake of the Gospel, and the abdication of all earthly possessions, right? It almost makes me feel guilty at times to be doing missions in a country where I have electricity,  a western toilet, and a real bed with A/C. (Does this even count as "missions?")

Regardless, one of the things I have learned, under Pastor Doug and Pastor David (LifePoint) is that God loves blessing His children. God loves seeing us enjoy His gifts, His goodness, His creation, and having that enjoyment reflect back in worship to Him.

All that pre-amble to say... God gave us a really neat opportunity to go to south Thailand (Phuket) for a 4-day beach trip with two of our Thai friends, Noo & Aom. We were able to have some time to decompress, relax, recharge, and wonder at what our God has made!

Noo & Aom planned a fabulous trip on a shoe-string budget, and took wonderful care of us as we travelled the country! Here are a few pictures from our time in Phuket...

[Off to Phuket! Claire, Noo, Aom, Laura, Dani]

[Beautiful water!]

[Aom and I before our first snorkeling excursion]

[Phi Phi Island... idyllic]

[Egg Island, another marine rich snorkeling spot!]

[Sunset on Kata Beach on our last day]

But lest you think the whole trip was honky-dory, (or get too jealous), I want to share with you a little mishap from our first day at Karon Beach. When selecting our hotels, we found that Karon Beach was rated the "nicest" and also was the least seedy spot for tourists, so our first day we were quite eager to hit the sand and soak up some sun. After a couple minutes in the water, however, our fellow missionary, Dani, started twitching. And scratching. We asked her what was wrong and she said that there were sea lice... Sea. Lice.

If you're like me, you're imagining all kinds of terrible things (and opening another tab to WebMD it). Being infested, sheet washings, special shampoo and body soaps, bite marks... But Dani assured us that all they did was bite ("All they did"). Well, we stayed in the water for a grand total of 10 minutes before our entire bodies were assaulted by their tiny mouths (and teeth!). They are invisible, hurt like the dickens, and were everywhere. So we proceeded to return to shore and spend the remainder of the day sweating it out under umbrellas... braving the water only for brief interludes to splash off. 

I have to think that these bugs are seasonal, else I can't imagine anyone going to or recommending this beach. But Dani assured us that the other beaches would be fine, & thankfully, they were! Here are the beautiful, but infested waters from Day 1:

Thailand prides itself in being a "free country." And indeed, there are hardly the precautions and restrictions that we are so fond of in America. While boating, lifejackets (and really everything) was optional. As the Thais say, "Up to you, na!" So, when the boat stopped and they said we could jump off the boat, Laura and I did. No waivers, no warnings, just "jump!". So, from the top of our double decker boat we leaped. And again. And again.

We also had the opportunity to canoe and walk through some caves (which involved wading through knee-high water at parts...). This was one of my highlights. The caves were absolutely beautiful, and crawling through them to emerge in a little enclave of greenery and bright skies was incredible.

Having time to reflect, think and get some space was a welcome relief. As extroverted as I am, it is nice from time to time to simply lay on the beach and listen to the water with only the company of my own thoughts. I also was able to swim some laps in the ocean, have an afternoon run on the beach, and eat my body weight in pineapple and watermelon!

It was also really valuable time to be able to spend time with Noo & Aom and get to know them better, and have late night chats with my lovely room-mate, Laura.

[Laura & I at "The Beach" Beach]

[Aom, Noo & I at the place where they filmed part of James Bond: Man with the Golden Gun!]

For those of you who have donated specifically to the "do something fun while you're in Thailand" cause... thank you! The past four days were a huge blessing and encouragement and you were a part of that. I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the photos from our trip!

mailing things.

There has been some confusion as to whether or not people in the States can send things to Thailand. As my own mother was confused, I thought I'd post something brief to say-- YES! Yes, you can send anything (apart from guns, explosives, cash, and aerosols, you know, the usual banned items). If you wanted to send a letter or package, my mailing address is:

Attn: John Lapos
Liz Swauger
P.O. Box 832
Bangkok 10501
Thailand

And, just know that it does take a while for things to get here, so if it's a month later and I haven't thanked you or mentioned it-- it's probably just because I haven't gotten it yet. It takes about 2-3 weeks for our mail to reach the US, but I've heard it takes around 1-2 months for US mail to reach here.

So should you find a few moments, I would love to hear from you (in any format, written & mailed or electronic)!

[month four]

I feel like I just wrote my "month three" post... It's hard to believe it's time for another one already!

This morning I was able to catch up on a lot of the correspondence that has fallen to the wayside over the past few weeks. It was so refreshing to block off a chunk of time and be able to write real emails to folks and catch them up a bit on life here. I love getting mail and I do try to be responsible and reply to it all. In addition to catching up on emails, I also dropped off my absentee ballot, went for a run and painted half of my fingernails. What more could you want from a day off?

...Besides getting caught up on laundry. My room looks like the laundry monster threw up all over it. (In my defense, I am currently sharing one washer/dryer with 13 other people!) But today, today is also the day it all gets washed, and, if I'm feeling ambitious, perhaps even folded and put away.

Running and training for the Half-Marathon is going well. Some days are really hard, but I am making progress and I count every long-run completed as a total miracle! I'm in my 14th week of training, with only 5 weeks until the race. If you would like to sponsor my run (which is to benefit the Kelley's adoption) click here to read more! My goal is to raise $500, and as of today, almost $300 has already been pledged!

Term 6 ended on Saturday and we have three weeks before the next term starts (although two of those weeks I'll be busy with mini-course). This term was different from others because the majority of my time was spent tutoring rather than in a classroom setting. It was a nice change of pace and I love having that opportunity to get to know students on an individual basis.

[Some snapshots from the first week of mini-course]

I finished my first "pleasure read" since I arrive in Thailand... The Hobbit. Wan, one of the girls I tutor, wanted to practice reading, so I picked the book! While we didn't get through it all during our time, I did finish it on my own. The last time I read it was when I was in middle school, so it was like reading it for the first time. I'm looking forward to the first movie installment coming out this December!

So, there's a little update on Liz. Overall, I'm very happy here! God is teaching me so much about myself, ministry and what it means to love others. I love having Laura and Claire with me as well... it has been wonderful to be able to process and grow with them. While I can't believe we're 1/3 through our first year here, I am so grateful for all that God has done and is doing. Please keep us in your prayers, and thank you so much for your continued support and partnership!

[Some of our Thai, American & Australian friends at the BSC... after one of the Friday Night Programs]

mini-course.

God is so good. I love saying that. I love saying it even more after He shows me His goodness in a new way. Mini-course has been one of these things hanging over my head since I found out about it... What is it? No one could give me a clear answer. "Hundreds of kids," they said. "Chaotic, unruly," they continued. "No structure, good luck!" they finished up. "They" freaked me out a little! Today was my first day and granted, it had moments of crazy, and there were hundreds of kids, but I am grateful that all of those things are within the control of my God.

In the weeks leading up to mini-course, I was a bit at a loss... after all, how does one prepare for something so seemingly foreign? God convicted me to really pray about it. To pray over what specifically I would teach, even down to the games we would play. So, not expecting too much, I did. And He really shined. Of course I was nervous, after all I haven't been trained, I don't speak Thai, there are so many reasons I'm not really qualified to do this... But Jesus was a teacher. And He loved kids. And He knew exactly what needed to happen today, and He did it.

There have been so many of these little faith moments since I have been here. Times when I am forced to hold out my hands to my Father and say, "If you don't give me ___, I have nothing." Francis Chan has a great quote in Crazy Love that keeps coming back to my heart:

"God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through." 

It is sooo hard to willingly (or unwillingly) be put in situations where my only option is reliance on the provision and wisdom of God. When I'm just not clever enough, or creative enough, or talented enough, or fill-in-the-blank enough on my own... and the only one who is is Christ. Despite it being difficult and feeling a little uncomfortable, (you try being completely powerless over something, and see if it's not unnerving!) I think it's a good place to be.

Laura and I had a really good conversation a few weeks ago about how we can grow in our faith. How can we become more strong and bold and courageous in our faith- both practically and in prayer? I think the way this happens is through little faith steps. Moments when we let go of the assurance that our talents and giftings give us, and let God show up instead. Yes, of course He gives us skills to use and glorify Him with... but they are just a tool, it is still Christ who is to be fully relied upon.

Thailand is helping me realize more and more that I am not capable and not able; I am not good or loving or talented. But He is. Every day I am reminded that I am not great, but my prayer is that this realization will cause my view of God to be greater. Me being "stronger in my faith", means rooting out those areas where I rely on self, so that Christ can be Lord there instead. It's not really becoming stronger at all, it's identifying and recognizing more areas of weakness- which will then breed a greater dependency on God. Maybe that is why Paul could write:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Cor. 12:9-10

Thank you, to all who have been praying for mini-course. And for those of you who haven't, no fear, this is week one of three, so there's still plenty of time!!

fall and what-not.

I know it's been a while since my last post, but Fall has been on my mind... so I had to give it a proper tribute before moving on to other things.

There is something so beautiful about the heat of summer losing its edge and the cool nights creeping in to cool the day. The leaves bursting with colors and falling, crisping, being collected. Cider available at every store, powdered donuts, cinnamon, browns and burnt oranges.

Even if you don't carve a pumpkin, decorate your porch with hay or eat fresh corn on the cob, it's all still there to observe and enjoy. Sometimes things coming to an end is peaceful... Nature wrapping up before the winter sets in.

[source: nostalgic-wanderlust] 

It's not anything like that here. No warm Fall glaze casting a filter over Bangkok. Here it is endless summer. Some days are warmer than others, but every day is hot, punctuated only by the near-daily rains. Seasons seem non-existant, although those who have been here longer are accustomed to the nuanced shift from rainy season to dry season, with a brief interlude between called "winter".

I do love it here and the weather has grown on me a bit. It is not nearly so oppressive as it was when I first arrived. I've been assured that rainy season is the most pleasant of the seasons and that I'll be wishing it back once the heat index hits 117 and there is no rain for months. And yet, I do feel twinges of homesickness when I see folks back home enjoying the culture of Fall.

This has forced me to put on my metaphorical apron and start being inventive on how to bring Fall here. It's my day off today, and the rain cancelled my long-run, so I've been getting work done in my room. Currently, my toaster oven is heating up a pot with a mixture of cinnamon and other spices in it. The smell of Fall has now successfully permeated everything in my room, including me.

I've also invested in some stock-baking items and organized a couple of my shelves into a make-shift kitchen. There are very few ovens in Thailand, so learning to cook/bake by toaster oven is necessary... if you want to use it for anything more than a glorified potpourri warmer. By the end of this year, I may not be the best cook around, but I can guarantee I'll be much more inventive than when I arrived!

Well, that's all for now. I hope you make time to enjoy this season... And please crunch on some leaves in my memory!!

"What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God." -Ecc. 3:9-13