How Blessed I Am!

Walking down the streets of Thailand used to seem like such a big deal. Lately I've been noticing myself forgetting where I am more often. Forgetting that I'm half way around the world from where I grew up and from what I really know. Then it will hit me. Why is everybody staring at me? Oh yeah, I'm the only white person on the street. It's in those moments that I remember how blessed I am to have found a place where I feel content so far away from home. God truly has blessed me. The amazement that I'm actually here and the desire to share Christ's love with the people here only grows stronger the longer I am here. Thank you God!

God knows us so much better than we know ourselves! He knows what we can live without and what we will be so much better off with. One of the ways God continues to reveal his provision is through the friendships he brings my way and the activities he gives me to do. The following pictures will show you a little glimpse of how blessed I am.

Brenna is one of my dear friends here. Since her birthday was on a Saturday, we had the chance to spoil her on her birthday. It was fun!

This was after a music night at the Baptist Church located on our school. It's so fun to be around all of my brothers and sisters in Christ even if they don't speak my language!

This is Kurt, the med. student we met who is traveling around Thailand for a month looking for clinics to do work in. (Yes, he is as strange as he appears in this picture *smile)

And now for some pictures of my class!

Measuring how much their plants had grown in science. These girls are GREAT!

Playing Fraction Bingo. I am continuing to love my kiddos! They are so much fun. I feel so blessed to have such a well-behaved class of students! Praise God for that so I can actually focus on the material I'm teaching them a bit!

Another co-worker and friend's birthday party. We got to enjoy some Swensen's! It was delicious!!!

Thai Barbeque is one of the best dining experiences (in my opinion) in Thailand. You get to cook as much as you can eat on the little bbq right at your table.

We had to get tested for syphilis to get our work permits, so here we are waiting to be tested. This was quite the unique experience!

I felt very confident using the bathroom here! hehe

I was supposed to get the baby I will be visiting from here on out, two weeks ago, but he has pneumonia, so this is my replacement baby. Hi name is Bon pun. He is so sweet! He loves it when I cup his face with my hands. It always makes him laugh and he also loves it when we play patty-cake. Every time he laughs, he seems to end up getting the hiccups, so I now lovingly refer to him as "hiccups". I'm really looking forward to getting Kitty-Phom, but I'll really miss my 'lil Hiccups!

At the market, this man asked for volunteers and I didn't really know what was going on, so I volunteered. What he ended up doing was taking Chris and my hands and spending 5 minutes or so trying to get them just perfect so he could dip them into wax and make a wax mold out of our hands. It was a very unique experience and the hands looked pretty cool when he was done! We didn't buy it though :)

Dinner with many of my co-workers and friends.

I hope as you look at these pictures you can get a little taste of what my life is like. It's great! I have so many fun and unique experiences. I'm so thankful that God has put so many things in my life to enjoy!

I would appreciate your prayers though! In my classroom I share truths from the Bible every day! It's exciting to see some of the students respond to this and to ask questions. I believe that all of my students have Buddhist parents. The fact that these kids are understanding and beginning to accept is huge and will probably impact a lot of parents as well! Pray that their hearts will really be open to the Holy Spirit's leading! Pray for the parents that I come in contact with and that I will be a shining light to them! Pray that I will not forget God's plan for having me here-to share Christ's love with EVERYONE. "He must become greater, I must become less." -John 3:30. Sometimes it's hard to do this when I'm trying to take care of myself and be content in my new home, but God is helping me to make it happen. Pray that I can focus on God first and then loving others and sharing with others will just flow from that.