boom.

Today I got to experience a new part of Thai culture... a University Graduation! (Well, not the actual graduation, but the pre-festivities at Thammasat University!) Remember Supot, our Thai tutor in America? He introduced us, via facebook, to Air, one of his childhood friends. When we arrived in Bangkok, she took Claire and I on our first shopping excursion to JJ Market. And today was her graduation! She invited me to come and I'm so glad I was able to go and support her. 

Now, I don't claim to be an expert on Thai graduations... but I did notice a few differences I'd like to share for a cultural snapshot.

1. Lots of street vendors, selling lots of gifts! Balloons, stuffed animals, flowers, and graduation knick-nacks lined the streets of our 15 minute walk to Thammasat. Every street in every direction there were more things that could be purchased for the graduates.

[check out some of the balloon bunches!]

2. Lots of people. I've been to graduation ceremonies at decently large schools... this beat it. It was packed, everywhere. It felt like the BTS at rush hour, but as far as you could see, down every street and path.

3. Professional Photographers. Everywhere. I think that every graduate hires one. Not kidding. The photographer follows the graduate around and takes hundreds of pictures of them, them and their friends, them and their families, etc. I know this is true, because I think I'm in at least 50 of Air's graduation pictures-- It was an authentic graduation photo-shoot, props and everything.

[l-r: Eve, Air, Me, Faah]

4. Props. There were props and photo-set items everywhere! Giant stuffed teddy bears you could pose with, cardboard school buses you could "sit" in with your friends, cutout faces, people in costumes waiting for photo-ops... it was crazy! One girl's photographer brought colored balls and spread them out in the grass around her, and then had her hold a colorful umbrella while someone else blew bubbles and he took pictures.

 5. Boom. I wish we did boom? boomed? practiced booming? at American graduations! Or, maybe some schools do and I've just never seen it. I'm not sure how best to describe it, so watch this video and then I'll try to explain.

The boomers/boom team (I'm not sure how to appropriately use "boom" in all these contexts) usually all had some kind of unifying marker: matching headbands, capes, facepaint, etc. They would surround the graduate and perform some kind of dance/song/cheer. Many times they often brought props with them that the graduate could hold or pose with. The boom team could be friends/family of one particular graduate, underclassmen in the department of the graduates they were booming, or a charity. The charity boom teams would do unsolicited booms to unsuspecting graduates, and then the family of the graduate would donate some Baht to the charity. It's a great photo-op for the photographer, slightly embarrassing for the graduate, and all for a good cause!

short term missions.

There has been a lot of talk lately about the value of short term mission trips. Some people defend them, other people criticize them. One of the main complaints that I've heard is, "What can a team truly accomplish in one week? What kind of follow-up and discipleship can happen after they leave?"

There are a lot of things I could say: that a short term trip was what brought me here for a longer commitment, that it provides perspective and scope in a believer's life, that it gives an idea of the global nature of the church and the Gospel, that it encourages the long-term missionaries... all of which are true. But there is one thing in particular I would like to share that surfaced during a recent conversation I had with Laura.

One of the things that is really neat about the way Spotswood "does" short-term missions, specifically in Thailand, is that they aren't on some quest to start something from scratch. They didn't fly in, Bibles waving, and start a camp for kids in an unreached slum, or tackle taking the Gospel to the pimps in bars. While that may have given us a sense of heroism, it would have been ineffective. We don't know the culture. We can't follow up in a week. It's not sustainable. Instead, the team was plugged into healthy, preexisting ministries. This is important for two reasons:

Firstly, it means there is follow-up. Our team left, but the ministry is still there continuing on in their mission. If the heart of someone they spoke to was touched by the Gospel, there are people there, and ready, to continue engaging them and investing in them. Our team wasn't trailblazing; our team was coming alongside, encouraging, and supporting the ministries of others before them.

Secondly, it allowed our team to become a part of something bigger than themselves. They were here for a week and that was it. For the Thais though, they see team after team come through. We were just one of many teams. So where is the value of being just another team passing through? The message we are sending, combined with the message of those who came before, is huge. We are lending our voices to the same message; there is power in that! The message of every missionary and every team is the same: Jesus Christ. The Gospel.

Our team's presence, joined with the testimonies of those who came before and those who will come after, speaks volumes. Westerners (from different places and demographics) keep travelling to Thailand, but with the same motivation and message: Jesus. That lends credibility to the ministries of the missionaries who are here-- and collectively becomes a powerful statement regarding the truth and conviction of our message.

Alone, it's true, we may not have rocked Thailand on its heels, but we were another piece and link to a beautiful picture that the missionaries here are trying to construct for the Thai people to see. The Gospel is attractive. The cross is compelling. The message is life-changing.

Why else would twelve successful young adults traipse halfway around the world to talk to detainees at the Immigration Detention Center, share their testimonies in a prison, play basketball in the slums? It's not exotic. It's hot. And expensive. But not just our team, but many teams, have all come and given the same reason for the hope that is in them. They had a life-changing experience with God and were compelled to come and share about it. Short term teams' consistent presence here leads more credence to the message of salvation than simply words alone. It tangibly shows the Thai people that the Gospel is actively changing lives.

That, I believe, is the power of short term missions.

translators.

Since I arrived in Thailand, I have been so grateful for translators. At the beginning, I was at the mercy of whoever could speak passable English. Now, I know enough Thai to get me into trouble (This afternoon I was looking for the razor-aisle, and the store clerk took me to the shoe department... so maybe my Thai/charades could use some improvement!) and haggle prices while shopping. However, anytime something meaningful needs to be said, a translator is needed. God gave me a thought, beginning with Bakery translating a sermon last month at LifePointBKK and culminating with the Spotswood team coming to Thailand.

Translating is a very humbling job. Your words are not your own. You can't say whatever you want or interject your own wisdom. The success of your job is based on how accurately you can re-represent what the speaker is trying to communicate. In a different context. In a different culture. They are not your thoughts or words, but they are yours to convey correctly.

The translator is simply the mouthpiece of another. (Do you see where this is going?)

2 Cor 5:20a states that, "We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." We are His representation to the world. We are His translators! It is our duty and privilege to be given the very words of God. But they are not for us only, they are for us to share with the world. In a different context. In a different culture.

We do not add anything to God, but our lives give meat to His message. We live our lives according to the Scripture, and then we speak the truth of the Gospel. We translate grace by sharing how God has radically changed our lives. We translate His love by showing great compassion and care for our friends, strangers and even enemies. We translate justice by caring for the needs of the oppressed, the orphans and the widows.

We are daily translating something to our culture, but is it the message that God has entrusted us to share? Is the gospel being preached from our mouths and our lives on a daily basis?

Please pray that we would translate well the message of hope that Christ has given to us. It is Good News that needs to be proclaimed, heard, and understood.

Dr. Drew teaching at Church Of Joy... and Archan Thongchai translating!

update.

Where to begin?

I have been in Thailand months, and feel like I need a couple weeks just to process everything that happened this past week; I can only imagine how the team is feeling! Please do not stop praying for them, even though they are safe and back in America. God is at work, and He is doing big things. Please pray that He would continue to impress the hearts of those who came... and use them at Spotswood, in their families and in their school/workplaces to make Christ known boldly.

The last 10 days have been the most emotional 10 days I've had in Thailand to date. I'm pretty sure they will remain record-holding days. The Spotswood Team arrived late on August 9th, and departed late-late on the 18th. The anticipation and week they were here was incredible, and the aftermath and recovery after their departure has been wildly difficult... I've been breaking all kinds of cultural taboos since the team left (mostly just crying in public, which is a no-no in Thailand). But my awesome friends Laura and Claire have been on a quest to cheer me up-- and between them and getting some sleep last night, I'm feeling much better today.

This week was by far one of the best (and different) mission trips I've been a part of. It was really full, very exhausting, but absolutely incredible. On most missions trips the focus is the people you are reaching out to-- on the churches you are partnering with and the people you will be engaging. But this past week wasn't just that for me... after all, this is my home. Instead, a lot of my attention and concerns were for the team, logistics, transportation, etc. I loved being able to facilitate their experience here, and then also participate in their projects.

It was such a blessing and encouragement to have my brothers and sisters here, something I have not been able (yet!) to successfully articulate, but it felt like they poured a concentrated dose of joy into my soul. Being able to see Thailand through their eyes was fun, and being able to hear their hearts as they processed their experiences here was definitely my highlight. I loved every conversation... even the weird ones spurred on by exhaustion and jet-lag.

I can't wait to see how the impact of this week continues to play out in each of the team member's lives. And for all the gifts that they bought to be delivered... they are awesome :) And for pictures to be shared. Stories to be told. And the church to be encouraged.

Hopefully they'll be processing some of the things from this past week on their blog [click here to view it!] and this Wednesday night they will be sharing at Spotswood. If you are in town, please go! It will be a great chance for you to hear about what God is doing here, in a way that is a little more personal than just a blog.

60 hours.

In just 2.5 days (60 hours!) Claire and I will be at the airport picking up the Spotswood Thailand Missions Team! It has been exciting (albeit at times a bit stressful) to be able to lay some of the groundwork for the team's arrival. The past few weeks have been a flurry of activity as we dry-run places, pick up supplies and organize projects. I think that I am most excited about the team getting to see first hand what they have been hearing about for over a year.

My first time in Thailand, last August, I was completely overwhelmed. I didn't realize just how overwhelmed I was until I was three months back in the States and still processing my 7 days here. There was a lot to take in. Most of the folks on the team were collateral sounding boards for that process. As I thought about my time here and as things impacted me, they got to hear about it. Now it's their turn!

Zac recently shared that, "When we get to Thailand it wont be "we got there and God showed up," it will be "God is there and we showed up!" I love that! God is doing really awesome things here... and I love that these twelve people will have the opportunity to see the scope and global nature of our God. He is not limited by language or time zones; He is at work in all places! And then, to be able to take back what they see and hear and experience to enrich the church body at Spotswood... wow!

Please be praying for the team's travel, for the flight, for their health. But more than that, please pray that each person on the team would be changed. That their hearts would be softened to become more in line with the heart of God. Pray that they would be challenged, broken and encouraged. Pray that God would place His vision and heart for the nations in their hearts. Pray that this is not the culmination of a lot of work and prayer on their part, but that it is the start of "greater things" that God will do through them and in them.

Follow their time here:  (links= facebook, @= twitter) 

Laura-Michal- @LMBalderson
Abby- @wheneverispeak
Sam- @samstepanov
Laura- @laurakael 

(Laura will not be flying back with the team... she'll be staying and serving here in Thailand for 3 months with Claire and me! Follow her blog here: www.landryinbangkok.blogspot.com )

Vern- @vernonmathews 
Zac- @therealzacclay
Jake- @thefakezacclay
Zach- @lite2thewrld
Ryan- @halfmysitruc 

Doug- @friardadams
Dr. Drew- @drdrewlandry 

Official Hashtag: #thailandorbust
Official Blog: www.missionsinbangkok.blogspot.com

scarves.

There we were, perusing a rack of skirts when Claire's ears perked up. "Do you hear that?" she asks. Amidst all the chatter of the mall and the music and Thai voices, I couldn't figure out what sound she was referring to. I stopped for a moment, then I heard music and the name "Jesus." Turning around we looked to see where it was coming from. Right across from us was a little scarf/hat/purse shop with a t.v. playing contemporary worship songs! We stared at it, and each other... It felt a little surreal. Were we really watching a worship music video in the middle of the MBK mall in the heart of Buddhist-Bangkok? 

We told the woman who worked there we loved the song. And, she asked if we were Christians... She spoke wonderful English and we told her we were, and she shared that she was also! We asked her about the church she goes to, and she asked us why we were in Thailand, and for how long, etc. Every time things like this happen, I am blown away. I am halfway around the world... but whenever I meet another believer, we have an instant connection.

She told us she'd give us a good deal on anything we wanted to buy because, "we're family." Which, she did. She was very generous and gave us a great discount on some awesome scarves... so I had to buy a few!

Her name is Moni, and I don't know much about her, but I am already excited for the next time I go to the mall and can visit her and talk with her more. Also, I told her when the team comes I'll bring the girls to her booth to do some gift-shopping! Her items were 50% less than all the other places I looked in the mall and they were "narak mak ka" (so cute!). And, it's supporting a sister in Christ, so win-win.

learning thai.

I say "learning"... but take that with a grain of salt. So far I've succeeded in saying that a little boy is "toothless" (instead of handsome), that "I cough" (instead of "I'm embarrassed") and "2nd floor" (instead of "I teach") and that was just today.

Thai is hard! There are 5 different tones, which result in 5 different meanings for many words. "Cow" can mean: enter, white, rice, knee, etc. So much room for "farang error!" My Thai friends are very patient with me, and while my "Thai" is often met with quizzical looks and "mai cow jai" (I don't understand), they have been teaching me a lot!

Ting gave me a small notebook last month to start recording the Thai words I was learning. So far I have over 80 words in my notebook, not all of which I have mastered, but I am practicing! Ching-ching (really)!

Tonight, on our way back from Victory Monument, Aom challenging me to count to 100 in Thai, which I have never done. Numbers have been a bit of a struggle for me. Not because they are particularly hard, but because I don't practice them enough to really be fluent in them. It took almost the whole walk back, but I did it! (Nung, song, sam, sea, ha, hok, jet, baa(d), gaow, sip...)

As hard as it is to get the tones right and figure out where to place words in a sentence, it has also be so rewarding. My friends and even my students have been very encouraging of my efforts to speak in (albeit broken) Thai. It is also fun (sanook) to be able to pick out words that I recognize when I overhear conversations in Thai.

Noo and Aom are also teaching me a song (well, chorus) in Thai... They said this song was really popular ten years ago, which I believe based on the music video! Haha. The chorus is "mai ow na greng jai" which means "I don't want you to feel like your being a bother". "Greng jai" is a very common phrase in Thailand-- it means "I don't want to be a bother/be inconvenient". It is usually used to turn down someone's offer... but usually if you offer again, they will accept. Especially if you couple it with "mai ow na greng jai"!

[I don't know any of the Thai alphabet, but one of my students taught me how to write my name in Thai!]

I think that come September I will sign up for a Thai class to help with some of my Thai grammar and tones. I am learning a lot just by listening and through my many impromptu Thai tutoring sessions-- but I think having a class to lay a foundation would be helpful. Right now, I can only talk to people about a limited number of things... shopping, food, and very basic pleasantries. I would love to be able to share the Gospel not only with Thais who speak English well, but also with those who are in the lower-levels of English. I think that learning more of the language would really help with that.

Thank you for all your support, and "Praa-jaow oii pawn" (God bless you)!

needed: markers!

Many of you have asked if there is anything that we need here in Thailand that could be sent over with Spotswood's August team. Well... this week something has come to my attention.

Thailand is terribly deficient when it comes to colorful white board markers. Each teacher is issued a blue marker... Thailand's only color options are blue, red, black or green. I brought an 8-pack of markers from home, and the students love that I use them (one of them came up after class to tell me how nice it was not to have "boring markers"!). The other teachers have eyed them as well! I would love to be able to provide a stash of colorful markers for my fellow BSC teachers to use in their classrooms.

If you would like to donate a pack or two of EXPO markers, Spotswood will be sending a team to Thailand on Aug 7th, and they can bring them!

FCS families who want to participate can give the markers to Sam Stepanov (she is working in the office over the summer, and will be a part of the August team).

Spotswood families can give the markers to any of the team members: Abby Swauger, Laura Landry, Laura-Michal Balderson, Steph B, Zac Clay, Ryan Curtis, Jake Childress, Vern Matthews or  Zach Piersol.

Everyone else can try to track down my mom and pass them along to her!

Thank you so much in advance for contributing and blessing my fellow co-laborers-- they will love them!

lumpini.

Amidst all the buildings, exhaust, and screeching tires, it takes some effort to find a swatch of green. This morning Claire and I ventured out to find some nature in the "concrete jungle" of Bangkok. Our destination: Lumpini Park. It took about an hour to get there, although there was a detour or two which may have made it a longer trek than necessary...

But, thanks to my dear co-workers in America, I have a handy-dandy iPhone who knew exactly where we were and was able to give us walking-directions back where we needed to be. (Thank you, Catalyst!)

It was so refreshing to be able to walk and enjoy the shade of trees, instead of buildings, and see the local wildlife. Lumpini is known for its giant lizards... check them out!

If there was water nearby, there were also huge lizards. The little "baby" lizards were the size of my forearm... Nothing like the little ones that scurry around in the guesthouse!

I really feel like I am settling in to "Thai Life," and our morning excursions are helping me get a better grasp of the geography of the city. I felt like such a native this morning asking the street vendors how much the fresh pineapple was ("Supparot, taow lie?"), and I understood their answer ("sip baht")! This morning was wonderful to just get away, and I wanted to share the pictures for y'alls enjoyment as well.

Lots of love from the lizards (and Liz)!

rahab.

[warning: this blog post contains content that may not be suitable for children]

It's daytime and the streets are deserted. The last bits of rubbish are being swept off the curbs and the faint scent of alcohol clings to the air. Men are loading trucks with bags full of empty bottles. None of the stores or shops are lit, the neon signs are taking their afternoon respite. Even without their glaring signage, each storefront is still clearly marked. Posters brag about what can be purchased, bought and sold. Welcome to one of the many Red Light Districts in Thailand.

This morning I went with the Florida Team to Patpong... the Red Light District where Rahab Ministries finds its home. The walk there and back was sickening, even in the day time. It hurt to think about all the women, the thousands of women, who service those two streets nightly. The children who have been trafficked out of surrounding countries and are working as slaves in these districts selling flowers and trinkets to foreigners. The whole area felt heavy. 

I am so thankful that there are ministries like Rahab, in the heart of these dark places, reaching out to the women and providing them with hope. The stories that I heard were both upsetting and encouraging. In the northeastern parts of Thailand it is the youngest daughter's "duty" to go into the city to support the family through prostitution... and if there is no daughter, then the youngest son is deemed a "katoey" or "lady-boy" (the 3rd gender in Thailand) and is raised as a woman and then sent to the bars. That is upsetting. But then there are also the beautiful stories... of women who came to Rahab and decided to commit to getting out of the bars. As they were rehabilitated, they came to find peace and restoration through a relationship with Christ. Now, some of them are working as hairdressers, others make jewelry, and others go back to the bars to share their story of hope with the girls who are still trapped.

While prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, it is very overt. The pain is real, and the need is great. I don't know exactly what my role with be in regards to this mission field while I am here. I am still praying through where I can serve and how I can minister to these women. Please be praying that God will open the doors for me in the place where He wants me to serve. And please, pray for the missionaries in this ministry and the many others in Bangkok which are working continually to bring hope, healing and Christ to these women.

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." -Isaiah 1:17

chewie.

During a recent trip to JJ Market, Dylan, Luke, Bakery, Noo and I stopped by the "pet department". After a group vote, Dylan led our group in the motion to collaboratively adopt a baby squirrel. Meet Chewie... the newest mascot of the BSC! Chewie is currently living in a giant pet-palace Dylan discovered outside of our guest-house building. Below is a video from his "feeding time" tonight with Rhonda... Enjoy!

& a few other pictures from our afternoon at JJ Market:

[JJ Market]

[sleeping sugar bears]

[kittens... but note the sign!]

[month one]

Today marks our one month mark in Thailand!

It is truly hard to believe that we have "only" and "already" been here a month. Sometimes, it feels like I've been here a lifetime... (except for the fact that my extent of Thai is 30 words!) and other times it feels like we just arrived.

This week the BSC staff welcomed our arrival and the June birthdays with a little celebration, complete with cake, gifts and flowers! The Thai's love any excuse to celebrate... and it was all well photo-documented. As Archan Thongchai said, "Let's take a picture! It's part of our culture."

This month has been filled with so many mission teams and visitors to Thailand. It has been neat to get to rub shoulders with so many people who not only love the Lord, but also are dedicating their lives to taking His Name to the nations. There is so much camaraderie between those who have the same heart and vision for ministry. I love it! John Lapos is always talking about how "we're family" here in Thailand, and I really do feel that way. Sometimes it's messy, complicated, and difficult, but at the end of the day, we're all brothers and sisters in the faith. It's crazy how you can meet someone for the first time and have so much in common with them... that's the unity that knowing Christ creates. That's the global Church!

Here are some brief bio's of some of your brothers and sisters abroad:

Meet Matt, a 27 year old originally from Florida who is teaching and doing missions in China. He's in Thailand on his visa run-- but taught English in northeast Thailand a few years ago. While he's only here for a couple weeks he's been joining in with the Conversation Corner at the BSC and even came to our small group!

[left to right: Matt, Kyle, Bakery, Lina / getting on the BTS after small group!]

Then there's Rod and Rhonda, an awesome couple who came to Thailand with two of their three kids. They have such a heart for the Lord and a great sense of humor. They're always game to join us for late-night smoothies and are willing to stay up and share stories!

There's also the Lifepoint team-- 9 interns from Smyrna, TN who love the Lord and are fired up to be in Thailand to be trained at the Missions Training School and put that training into action through serving in various ministry capacities in Bangkok and beyond. To read more about their journey, you can check out the team blog, or some of their individual blogs! (I will post more later if I find out that other members have personal blogs)  [lifepoint sending- blog] [ryan's blog] [erica's blog] [brianna's blog] [shelby's blog] [emily's blog]

There are also teams and individuals from other places in the U.S... but I haven't met them all yet. Every time I have breakfast or lunch at the food court at the BSC it seems like there are more farang!

Last, but not least, is the Florida team, five folks from... Florida! They're a part of Calvary Baptist Church, who has a history of partnering with the BSC and serving in Thailand. Two other Calvary folks have been here a while, Paul and Barbara, serving in a ministry they started called "Grief Share." The Florida team led Friday Night Life tonight and I got to tag along afterwards with them to dinner. There's a neat outdoor restaurant near the BSC which is the Thai equivalent of "The Melting Pot" in America... except it's only $4, and all you can eat!

[left front to back: Pat, Rod, Lauren, Meghan / Ryan, Rhonda and Luke]

Thank you to each of you who are supporting us through prayer and/or financially! It has been such a blessing to know that there is an army of people lifting us up... Thank you for being a part of helping us build relationships and show Christ's love to the Thai people. I hope that you are encouraged by how God is using you, through us, to make Him known in Thailand.

desserts.

Okay, I promise that serious and spiritual posts are on their way... (I have so much I am processing and will share soon) but as I just posted about food yesterday, the irony of what happened in class today was too good to pass up! So consider this "part ii: desserts"

The Backstory: Last week I had all my students fill out a short survey about themselves. One of the questions was, "What is your favorite type of dessert?" As many all of my students are Thai, they prefer Thai desserts over brownies, ice cream and chocolate chip cookies (I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that anything could be preferable to home-made cookies!). Last Wednesday we spent a decent amount of class-time discussing what exactly these "Thai desserts" were. I am familiar with the fact that Thai folks think waffles, pancakes, corn and toast are dessert (see picture below of some "Thai toast" we ordered at the mall this past weekend!)... however, I had not heard of a lot of the desserts my students mentioned.

[top: thai custard toast, middle: strawberry jam toast, bottom: condensed milk toast] 

The Main Story: In order to educate me, two of my students came to class today loaded with desserts. Combined, there were 11 different desserts. I was so surprised that they remembered our conversation and brought back a buffet of assorted treats for me to try. Most of them are made from egg yolks... which is why they are the same yellow color (they all taste a little different, though). I felt pretty brave trying so many new foods in one sitting! I did wait to look up their ingredients until afterwards (I thought it was better that way!). All my students were weighing in on which ones were their favorite-- and also on how much I would weigh if I ate them all!! Haha. One of my students told me I should plan to run 30 minutes for each one. When he saw the whole bag, he amended his comment and said I should probably just plan on running all day! I told him to have no fear; I am a big fan of sharing... :) Here is a peek inside my bag of goodies.

[name: thong yod / egg yolk and thong yod flour / bad for folks with high blood pressure!]

[name: khanom / brown=coffee, pink=strawberry, green=thai custard(?), blue=unknown / similar to jell-o, but more solid]

[I'm not sure about the name of this one... but it seemed to be egg yolk with some kind of corn (?) filling]

[name: sang kaya fug tong / pumpkin filled with egg custard / think- pumpkin pie]

[name: foithong / egg yolk boiled in perfumed water and sugar]

[left: pumpkin and coconut milk / right: black beans in coconut milk]

[name: thongyib / duck egg yolks... sugar... made into a flower somehow!]

The Moral: Thai desserts are very different than American desserts! It is hard to describe them, because the flavors are so different from what we eat in America. The closest I get to eating eggs in America is scrambled with salt. I've never eaten sweetened yolk... at least until now! One of the websites I found when searching for the desserts' ingredients had a whole host of other Thai desserts with pictures. If you are curious, you can click here to view more.

In Conclusion: I think that this deserves a little reciprocation... I just need to decide what American dessert(s) would be best to make and to share with my class. Lorena has a recipe for some delicious cinnamon rolls, and brownies and/or cookies are always a winner... Hmmm. I'm open to suggestions! Thoughts? Good recipes?

The End (...of food topics for the moment!)

food.

Looking back on some of my posts, I feel like I devote a lot of time and attention to what we eat here in Thailand. And I think that is because food and community is a huge part of Thai culture. Both New Vision Church (a Thai Baptist Church) and Lifepoint: Bangkok (a Southern Baptist church plant & my church while I am in Thailand!) serve meals to the entire congregation after every service! For the Thai people, building relationships centers around being able to share a meal together... so we get a lot of noodles/smoothies/food!

In America, living like that would put most people in debt within the week, but here in Thailand, food is incredibly affordable. The fresh fruit smoothies we get at Victory Monument in the evenings are only 50 cents! When Claire and I went to eat at the "Halo Pig" we bought 3 dishes of food (and not even the cheapest ones on the menu) and 3 water bottles (we were thirsty!) and the whole meal (together!) only cost $5. Usually a meal is about 30-40 baht. And we get 30 baht to every US dollar. So, "eating out" here is nothing like "eating out" in America.

[this is one of our favorite places to eat... as you can see,  the title is unreadable, so we just call it "halo pig"]

But, while I'm still on the topic of food-- I love the food here. I try not to watch them make it, and I don't want to know what's in it... but everything I've tried so far I've really enjoyed. I think I'm even developing Thai tastebuds. Meaning, that I've started eating spicy food for breakfast. I don't do spicy for every meal, but most meals I do... and I love it!

[eating breakfast outside at the bsc... cow paad gai, my new favorite dish!]

Last time I was here (in August) I was pretty paranoid about everything I ate. I was concerned that vendors/restaurants weren't clean enough, that I'd get sick, etc. After a couple days of living here I realized it would be completely impractical to worry that much about the food. So, I decided I would just eat whatever was nearby, and leave the food poisoning problems up to God... and charcoal tablets!

Apart from the rice and noodle dishes, I also have tried some new fruits: lycee, mangosteen, and this sweet-grapefruit-like fruit. All of which were aroy mak! (very delicious!) I also braved "som tum" today, which is a papaya salad. It is usually pretty spicy and has lots of vegetables in it. I thought my rice/meat/noodle diet could use some greens, so it was my attempt to be healthy! However, the one that I ordered had baby shrimp in it... and by baby, I do mean baby. I've never seen such tiny shrimp before. I could not handle eating them, they were way too crunchy-- but the rest of the salad was tasty!

[some kind of pasta/chicken dish on the left, and som tum on the right]

my room.

It's a little tardy, but here is my room! (I cleaned this afternoon and it seemed like a good time to show everyone where I spend some of my down-time.) So, in lieu of doing a video tour... you all get a panoramic shot! It doesn't give the full perspective because it's all been flattened, but I think you get the idea. The door on the right is where you would enter from the hallway and the restroom is across from the wardrobe. 

[click picture to enlarge]

round one, complete.

Hello! My name is Elizabeth, but my nickname is Liz. I am from Fredericksburg, Virginia-which is one hour south of Washington, D.C...

Thus began every class this week. By my third class today, I was ready to ditch my canned introduction for anything more creative. An acrostic. Or a haiku, perhaps? Despite boring myself a bit, I think that my first week teaching went well. Today was by far the most demanding. Saturday classes begin at 8:30am and are 1 hour, 45 minutes long. My first class (despite being early!) is a lot of fun; I really enjoy the students... and they seem to enjoy me. (At least, they laugh with/at me. I don't know enough Thai to be able to say which with absolute certainty.)

This week has definitely been a learning process. Even though I majored in English, I still have a lot to learn! First on the list is to figure out why you use an article to say "go to the temple" but no article when you say "go to church." If any of you reading have an answer, please feel free to comment below!

It has also been fascinating to see how different each class is. Some of the classes loved the games and engaged really well with the introduction material... while other classes were much more self-conscious about being "silly" in the classroom and speaking in front of their classmates. I assumed the higher their English proficiency, the more comfortable they would be in interacting in the classroom. That was not the case. As far as I can tell, there is no real rhyme or reason to why some classes are laid back and others are not.

Some challenges I was not expecting...

- I have a lot of students in multiple classes... this makes recycling games a no-go. It may be clever and fun for the first class, but it won't be well received the second time if half the class has already done it! 

- Students are very casual about their use of phones in the classroom. Students of all ages (16-60+) seemed perfectly comfortable answering and talking on their phones in the middle of class. Something that I will need to address next week! 

- Maybe it's the traffic, maybe it's the culture, but tardiness seems to be standard for the Thais. I had three students when I began my 8:30 class, and by 9:15, six more had come in. This resulted in me having to repeat myself numerous times... but I did learn that any relevant information that all students need to hear should be saved for the end!

- Trying to explain slang words... "Cheesy", "Corny", "Hokey"- the more I tried to explain them, the more slang words kept popping up. Thai has one word to say one thing. It's not big on synonyms. If something tastes good, it is "aroy"=delicious. That's it. No "tasty", "yummy", "delectable", "delightful", "amazing", "incredible"... only delicious or "aroy mak"=very delicious!

aom and noo.

One of the highlights of my evenings is getting to spend time with Aom and Noo. They are both new believers and absolutely incredible women! 

[Noo, Claire, Me, Aom -- photo credit: Claire]

Tonight was the first evening that Claire and I met with them for a weekly small-group discipleship time. I have missed having a small group since being in Thailand... tonight was good for my heart. (It completely energized me-- hence why I am up so late, instead of sleeping!) I am so grateful that God has given me the opportunity to be a part of these ladies' lives.

One of the things that excites me most about Thai believers, like Aom and Noo, is their testimony. As much as I read about Buddhism, I can never give the testimony they can give: "I used to be a Buddhist, but now, I believe and trust in Jesus Christ." Long after I am gone, they will still be here, proclaiming that message. Praise be to God!

The BSC

[A view from the 15th floor of one of the nearby buildings of the BSC (white building with the steeple). The rectangular building on the right side (with the white car parked in front of it) is where Claire and I live.]

Well, classes are officially under way! Tonight was my first class-class. It is my only level 5 class. Levels 1-4 are taught by Thai teachers, and level 5-9 are taught by the farang (foreigners). I had 19 students on the roster and 16 showed (which made for a really tight classroom). To help lighten the mood and get people talking, I had the students play a mingling game which got a little lost in translation... but I think they enjoyed it? (I'm not sure they would tell me if they didn't like it, but I did warn them that games will be a staple-part of the class!) Afterwards, I had them fill out a little survey about themselves and we discussed it together. 

Highlight of the Class
(This is mostly for the enjoyment of the umw girls... who perpetually must tolerate my conversations on the following topic!)

One of the questions I asked was, "If you could have any animal as a pet, which one would you want?" The best answer? "A sugar glider." That's right, people! Not only did I find out that the Thai people know about and love sugar gliders (aka: sugar bears), but also that they can be purchased at J.J. Market. I think I just made weekend plans.

lunch with mam.

Today, one of my students (Mam) took me out to lunch. She drove us to the restaurant in her car and then ordered the meal for us... Here's what the waitress brought out (in order of my preference):

[Some kind of appetizer... with chicken (?) and corn inside.]

[I'm not sure what this was either, some kind of fried chicken and ...?]

[That's right... there's a giant shrimp floating in my soup! A little spicy, but good.]

[Duck. This dish was really sweet-tasting... but there were too many bone chips to make it truly enjoyable.]

Mam is very generous and kind, and we have really started to develop a good relationship. Today she called me "Nong Liz" (little sister Liz)... and I call her "Pee Mam" (older sister Mam). We had a really good conversation about what she believes as a Buddhist. She is a very strong Buddhist, and was open to sharing a lot of her beliefs with me. Her understanding of Jesus is that He teaches to us to love each-other. While that is part of it, it's definitely no where near all that He taught! I tried to explain that to her... but I think in her mind, America got Jesus, and Thailand got Buddah. Because of our friendship, I know that I will have more opportunities to talk with her in the future. Please pray that I will know how to explain things clearly and that the Holy Spirit would begin working to soften her heart.

Here are a few more pictures from our luncheon (it was in a very beautiful garden).

[The name of the restaurant... I still don't know what it is called!]

why am i here?

The Thai people really sideswipe me with their questions sometimes. We'll be working on verb tenses and bam! They unknowingly give me opportunities to lead the conversation back to the Gospel. And I love that I work at a place where I can honestly address all their questions... in the classroom setting!

One of my students asked me on Tuesday why I was in Thailand, specifically why I didn't graduate from college and build a career so I could earn lots of money. She asked why, instead of that, I was teaching in Thailand and volunteering. What an open door to share the truth of God and the goodness and faithfulness of His Church!

I was able to share with her during a previous lesson about what I believe as a Christian. On Tuesday, I was able to build on that and share that it was my relationship with God that brought me to Thailand. I told her that God wanted me to come here because He wants the Thai people to know that He is good, that He loves them, and that He wants a relationship with them. I told her that having a relationship with God has changed my life. It has given me peace and joy and purpose. I told her that I am able to volunteer here, because other people who also love Jesus are supporting me. I said there were many, many Christians in America who also want for the Thai people to know God (which is so true!).

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to brag on Christ, and on what He is using you to do (from America... in Thailand).

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

update.

Thank you so much for all your prayers over the last few days. I am happy to say that I am feeling quite a bit better. I even left my room today to visit with Claire in her room (change of scenery!). My mission for the weekend is introducing real food (crackers ≠ real food) back into my life. While this whole experience has been altogether quite unpleasant, I am so grateful for it.

1. Because getting sick in Thailand was one of my biggest fears in coming over here. I was really dreading my first time being really sick so far away from home. And, it wasn't as terrible as I imagined. Dani was a great nurse, Claire made my cracker-runs to the 7-11, and I survived. Now I can move forward without a lingering fear of "my first time sick in Thailand." It happened. And it's behind me!

2. Because I got sick the week before classes started, instead of my first week teaching. There is no way I could have been in a classroom like I was feeling... and to miss the first week of my classes and have to find time to make all those up would have been close to impossible. Praise God in His perfect timing that He allowed me to get sick when I was able to have a few days to rest and recover without feeling panicked about all I was missing!

3. Because it gave me time to rest (I'm not sure how many hours I clocked asleep... but it was quite a few!) and, towards the end, read. I have some books that I've been reading on my Kindle: Empty Promises (finished!), The Explicit Gospel and Sifted. And I was able to make a dent in all three. Even though they all are quite different, each of them promote the centrality of the Gospel in our daily lives and the need to root out anything that would take priority over Christ. Something I need a daily reminder of.

So that's my health update! Claire and I are continually so encouraged by all of you who post us notes and send us emails. Thank you for the love and prayers you faithfully send our way!

prayer requests.

I have a couple specific prayer requests that I would love your prayers for:

Since Tuesday (it's Thursday night as I write this), I have been really sick. My fever broke last night, but I am nowhere near 100%. I am so grateful that one of the other teachers, Dani (she's also a nurse), has been here to help take care of (and medicate) me... however, without going into all my symptoms, it hasn't been pretty. I was able to eat some crackers today though, so that's progress! Please pray for my continued recovery and strength.

Term 4 starts on Monday, which means 8 classes/week will be added to our tutoring-load... vacation is over! All the teachers get one day off a week (in addition to Sundays) and mine will be Monday this term. Which, is a blessing as it affords me an extra day of recovery and preparation. Please pray that Claire and I will boldly seize opportunities in our classes to share Christ with our students... and that God would be working in the hearts of our students.

David and Jen McCaman and their baby Josiah just arrived in Thailand last week. David will be the pastor at Lifepoint (our church home here in BKK). If you want to read their first blog post, click here.  Please pray that they would continue to adjust to Thai life, and that they would avoid any more illnesses. (Being sick is kind of a theme here in Thailand...)

[our first week at lifepoint / photo credit: witt kaminh]

There are also some short term teams on the horizon!

-- Lifepoint team (from Smyrna, TN) arrives July 2nd (leaves Aug 12th)
They will be participating in a Missions Training School in the mornings hosted by Lifepoint: Bangkok, and then doing various ministry/outreach activities in the afternoons/evenings. Click here to watch a short video they made regarding their trip! It's really good.
-- Calvary Baptist team (from Clearwater, FL) arrives July 7th (leaves July 20th)

Please be praying that God uses and grows each of them, and that Christ is made much of during their time not just in Thailand, but also when they return home.

And, speaking of teams on the horizon, the Spotswood Team will be arriving in Thailand at the end of Term 4! (That's in 42 days... but who's counting?) Please also be praying for them-- for their hearts to be made ready, for their bodies to be prepared, and for the funds needed to be raised. (For those of you on twitter, search: #Thailandorbust)

postcards!

While at the Teak Palace I picked up a string of postcards... and am eager to send them out! If you would like to receive a postcard, just email me (lizswauger@gmail.com) your address. Supplies are limited. First come, first mailed :)