Gebari

Blog post:
This week I heard one of my dear Pomona teenagers had been caught in the crossfire of a gang fight. With a shattered hip and a bullet lodged in his liver, he had to undergo surgery. Praise God that the doctor says after therapy he should recover fully. This kid Gebari is someone who has a very special place in my heart. While living near him in Pomona many people saw him as a trouble maker and up to no good, but we saw a genuinely thoughtful and kind teenager who wanted to do good, but sometimes got caught up in bad decisions. We saw a kid who was at a pivotal point in his life where he had to choose either to go with the “bad” crowd or stick it out with the “good” crowd. He was a teenage wrestling and excited about the good news of Jesus. Many times we didn’t have words to tell him --all we could do was love him, encourage the good we saw in him, let him cool down in our house when he was angry with those around him, pray for him and take him to church with us. After coming out of surgery one of his youth works (and my friend) went to visit him—this is what she reported….
“Gebari was eager to pray and hear the bible read. As he was falling asleep, I read him psalm 23. A few minutes after I was through, he said, with his eyes closed, "Can you read it to me again?" I gave him a crystal paper weight that says, "The Lord is my strength," he held it in his hand for a while, and then asked me to put it in a place where he could see it all the time. Gebari was wondering where everyone else was and asked me to bring some kids when I come back.:-) Brian and Megan went to visit him on Sunday evening. He also asked them to pray with him.”
Though I wish Gebari hadn’t been shot, I am so blessed by his willingness to let God be near him while he lies in an ICU hospital bed. I am so proud of this teenager. I am so proud of this teenager who is choosing good when his environment teaches him “Bad” is cool. I’m so encouraged that God can use us even when we don’t have words to say, even when we can’t see it till years later. I’m encouraged that God can use me as I hold on to hope for kids in Phothong --though their lives are so broken. I’m encouraged to see the kids here as precious children of God and not the burdens their parents treat them as. I’m so proud and blessed by Gebari. Please continue to pray for his complete healing and for God’s protection over his spiritual life. Please continue to pray for kids in Phothong to know that they are worthwhile. Pray for me to continue to have hope of God’s transformation of Phothong especially for what I cannot see yet.

Good bye Scott

This week American Idol said good bye to Scott MacIntrye. Though I can't actually watch that show here in Thailand I've been tracking his process. Particularly tracking His progess because we were childhood friends. I went to his Thomas the Tank Engine birthday party, recieved his first "Homemade" CD and listened to it all the time. He might even have been classified as my first school girl crush. It's good to see that he's still making music and trusting God. Best of luck to Scott has he pursues his music.

Marriage

Marriage, it's been on my mind recently.
Maybe because many of my friends in the states are getting married soon or got married within this last year and 1/2.
Maybe it's because I'm surrounded by marriages in Thailand--some falling apart, some speaking highly of encouragment and partnership.
Maybe it's because one of the most common greetings I hear in thailand is "Are you married already or not yet?"
Maybe it's because I'm scared of being lonely.
Maybe it's because the Bible often talks about our relationship with God using marriage terms.
Maybe it's because I'm 25
Regardless of why marriage has been on my mind, I'm learning it's dangerous telling your Thai teacher your thinking about marriage and kids. She just might actually set me up on a blind date with a Christian friend of hers. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Lessons Learned

So I made the one year mark. It went fast, it went slow. Here's a list of some of lessons learned and a few other new insights. Enjoy.

Lessons Learned:
*Laughing at your mistakes is imperative to survival
*Never ever try to flush a baby rat down the drain---wet rat is worse than scooping it up.
*Never ever cut a large centipede in half in attempts of killing it--it becomes two squirming parts.
* Everything seems better when you eat well and sleep long enough.
* Smiles go along way
* Large spiders that get caught on fans and spin off in a dizzy frenzy are funny-- not scary
* Sometimes verbal sounds express more than words.
* God has made us extremely adaptable--we can handle a lot more than we expected we could.
* Those you're called to minister to sometimes are the most encouraging people in your life. (Sometimes they're the most frustrating also :) )
* Hope is a precious valuable gift. Cherish it when you have it.
* Questions can bring answers, but they also can bring more questions
* It is possible to have conflicting emotions at the same time: (joy-despair, fun-stress, love--frustration, and doing well--not doing well est.)
* It's easier to eat "new" things when you try them before you know what they are. (frog jerky any one? Fish bladder, fried bugs --delicious!)
*Anything can be made to look "cute". And I do mean ANYTHING.
* AND SOOO Much More!!!!!

New things I've discovered this year that I've enjoyed:
Music: ITunes!!!!! Sara Groves, Ginny Owens, Brooke Fraser, Jon foreman, Sara Bareillas, Sufjan Stevens, Marta Gomez , Future of Forestry ect
Food: I love Thai food!-- I love how spicy, sweet, sour, salty it is. I like seafood--who would of know? Shrimp, oysters, squid, octopus, fish-- yummy. Fresh Mint and Fresh Pumpkin--I could eat it every day (I love how fresh produce is here)
Activities: I love karaoke and dancing, reading (when it's not required) is so enjoyable, trying new things (like driving motorcycles, catching fish by hand ect), Hanging out with my Thai friends and neighbors.

Things I've missed this year:
Family and friends. I love you guys. (Praise God for Skype and email)
Berries (any kind, anyway), Peaches, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Cinnamon Gum, Cheap Pasta, Cheese, Non- sugary cereal variety--especially Quaker squares. Nuts--walnuts, almonds, Pecan, and Macadamia
California weather--not too hot, not too cold. :) (Though I have to say I've adapted a lot to Thai weather, and have a lower threshold for cold and a higher threshold for hot. )
American commercials and movies--Thai movies are so weird and their commercials are just strange.

It's been an interesting first year, here’s to next year!!!!

california grapefruit

Yesterday an old team mate showed up to visit and snuck in a California Navel Orange and Ruby Red grapefruit. I don't think I've ever been so excited to see fruit before. I did a dance of excitement and had a smile as long as the plane ride to Thailand. It really was the most beautiful and tasty thing I've had in a year. ( as my Thai friends would say, "Christy OVER"; translation--over the top) That's when I realize I've been here for almost a year and grapefruit can make me so immensly grateful.

English Sentances in Daily Life

So I bought this book entilted 999 English Sentances in Daily Life because it had both english and Thai tranlations. I thought it would help me practice and learn more Thai sentance structure. I do think it helped me some with Thai especially now that I can say things I've always wanted to say to my friends, neighbors, or the average joe on an average day:
Some of my favorites:
Remember me to Touch
What underwear color do you use?
It goes to the corn field
Who do you in love with?
Where did they Shout?
Where did you guard your dog?
Did we chop some meat?
We did not rub the knife
He did not hunt the wildlife
He did not cry with reasons
I went shopping at the Red Cross fair
I spoke Chinese poor
Where would you like to join boyscout camp?
I would not like to kiss it
Where can you cut some wood?
I can ride my buffalo
Will it have a tail?
Will it have a lung?
Am I a doctor?

Now I guess I'm ready for some woodchoping at a Red cross fair on something that may or may not have a lung, but at least I can ride my buffalo and know my friends underwear color.

All in the daily life of an english speaker learning Thai.

Smiling Moon

There is a lot of chaos in the world right now. Economic, Political, Social ect. Right now Thailand is politicaly unstable --though I still feel very safe in my area and those in the states need not worry about me.

In the midst of the stress The moon smiled down on us. Literally the moon and two planets formed a smily face. My good friends mother ran to my house and insisted I come out and see it, because in her 60 years of life she has never seen such a thing.
Sure enough . The moon was smiling. My Thai neighbors say its the
gods smiling down on us--offering blessing to the new upcoming year. My Christians friends say how kind of God to offer some joy and peace in times of turmoil.

I do have to say it was a pleasant surprise that the God of the universe orchastrated the skyes to smile down on Thailand.