Where have you been?

Hey everyone! Sorry it has been over a week since my last update, I'll try to remember all the things that have happened...

The weekend before the visit to the orphanage we hosted an English camp at Doi Suthep Pui coffee plantation for all of our students and friends who come to the Zone, and anyone else who wanted to come. It was a fun time for worship, games, and Thai food. It was also a good opportunity to get to know some of our friends and out friend's friends better. I will have to share some pictures later. The highlight for me was after a teeth-brushing game when I swallowed too much toothpaste and coughed floating bubbles. I wish I could do that on command :)

Sunday night we went to Walking Street with some of our Thai friends, which has become a Sunday tradition. It's fun to walk around and enjoy the market atmosphere, plus it has been a really great time to just talk with people and get to know them better. Last Sunday I had a really great time just looking around and eating w/ P'Pun. I really enjoyed talking with her, and her sharing her faith with me was a blessing.

I was worried last Wednesday when Hom didn't show up for English lesson, so I got P'Woot to come with me to her Mother's restaurant to make sure she was feeling okay. I think she said she was going to the market the Friday before, but there was probably a miscommunication. I dropped off some lamsiis (a Thai fruit, I know I can't spell!) that a friend at the Post office gave me. I always enjoy going to mail something because the man enjoys speaking Thai and hearing me try to respond. He always laughs when I reply (almost everytime) w/ "May saap...." He's really cheerful and laughs a lot. He gave me some lamsii, but they kind of make me sick to my stomach so I thought Hom might like them since most of the Thais here are crazy about them. In our last lesson I found out a very exciting fact about Hom: she likes Harry Potter! :) She also taught me some Thai words, and she's been very patient w/ me trying to practice my Thai w/ her. She said I have been getting better (haha) which is a vast overstatement!

Today I have two new students, Oi and Ann, and one student who came first yesterday. His name is Top, he is 15 and came to prepare for a scholarship interview so he can go to Singapore and study math. His interview is in English, so he needs someone to ask him questions that might be asked for an interview. His Mother cares a lot about his education and really wants him to do well. I am trying to help him the best I can and remember what interviewing was like in Academic Decathlon. Mostly I admire him for being willing to sit in front of three foreigners and interview in English, that takes guts. I dread interviews, but hopefully after some practice he will feel really confident in his English and prepared in his English responses.

OH yeah. The picture above is from our lock-in this past weekend (we've been really busy, week-days and week-ends!). Our teams dressed us up in TP outfits for the fashion show. From left to right we have a mummy, Miss Thailand, and the bride. Guess who won tehehehe...

I had planned on writing and mailing out the last round of post cards today, since it takes about two weeks for them to get to the U.S. but there is a holiday in Thailand until Monday for the monks to bless the rice fields, so I am unsure if the post office on campus will be open. Please forgive me if you have not received a post card and expected to, or if your post card arrives late. I'd be happy to send anyone a post if you will email me your address.

I realize I am writing this right before my classes are to start, but if you are reading this will you please be in prayer for the Thai Christians here and for my students, Hom, Oi, Ann, and Top who are going to and have been coming to the Zone, that they would make connections here and that God would work in their hearts to be curious and see God here and want to be apart of that. Also, pray for Top's Mother and the new relationship I have working closely with her for Top. I believe God can use the lessons with Top to be an open door into the kingdom, so also pray for me to have an increased willingness to be used and to be a vessel of God's light and love so that they may see God through me.

Thank you all! I really appreciate all the supportive prayers I know are being lifted back home. It means a lot to me that friends and family have become such a part of this short summer in Thailand. Thank you!!